DeBolt and District Pioneer Museum (continued)
'Year one' is 1969 with the formation of Hubert
Memorial Park Committee, and the next year found the erection of a
sign to honour pioneer families. Also in those first few years, the
manse building was stabilized, post fence was put up around the
parking lot and grass planted in the park. In 1974 the DeBolt United
Church Manse was chinked outside and painted inside and historic
artifacts were installed. Also that year flowers were planted in
tires, trees were planted along the northern boundary and a cairn was
put up honoring Tom Hubert.
In 1975 a committee was initiated to put
together a local history book (later to be known as Across the
Smoky). Those on the committee were the museum society executive
plus many more (information gatherers, typists, proof readers, and
other assistants). Also, in September, 1975 we became an Incorporated
Society.
Another year brought the official opening of the
museum with Mrs. Stevenson cutting a ribbon in October, 1976. In
August the following year "Hubert Memorial Park" was officially opened
by Marv Moore, M.L.A. at our very first "Heritage Day." In 1978 the
first piece of playground equipment was purchased and installed, a
merry-go-round.
The year 1978 also marked a big accomplishment with our book
Across the Smoky being published and available after three years of
work. It was available for sale in July and at our heritage Day in
August. With pre-selling and a big push that summer the publisher was
paid off that fall.
Almost as soon as the paint had dried in the little
manse building, it was known that we needed more space for displays if
we were to fulfill the objectives we had laid out in our by-laws.
This problem was solved, temporarily, in 1979 when Robert Mehlum
donated his Uncle John's barn. Allan Perkins plowed an early snowy
spring road across country from its original site to the park and a
mover came and moved it, on the frost, and in place on a cement pad.
Now we had much work to get the barn stabilized, new shingles on the
roof and partitions in, ready to house our office, work-room and
displays. This work took two years as the barn was officially opened
at Heritage Day 1981 by Robert Mehlum cutting a ribbon that Winnie
Moore and Ellis Turner held.
During this time we published our first museum
brochure, which served us well for many, many years. In 1982 we built
a small pole shed with wire-mesh sides so that displays can be seen
even when the building is not open and, in 1983, a large wooden
playground apparatus was built for the park.
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