Activity highlights included the following: revising the PAHS Constitution and by-laws, having a community service day at the Asa Crook House, hosting Prophetstown Elementary School 2nd graders at the museum, spring and fall trivia nights, and retrieving Penberthy items from the 2013 fire. They were open for a Veterans Day program, Prophetstown’s Lighted Christmas parade festivities, and the annual Cookie & Candy Sale in December.
PAHS welcomed visitors to the Asa Crook Home on Sunday, October 13th for the first time since 2019 due to Covid, with this photo album posted on Around Ptown. The open house featured refreshments, music by the PHS choir, and tours of the house that was built in 1839. The next public event at the home will be in 2025, though anyone wishing a tour of the Crook house can contact a museum officer for arrangements.
At the museum, 302 Washington Street in downtown Prophetstown, building work has included new upstairs windows, stucco applied on the back wall, and installing an HVAC mini split. They’ll be holding a historical building work day in the upstairs soon.
In new acquisitions for December, Tim and Kathy Lawrence provided First Methodist Church plates, photo album, and 1970s Echo photos. Tim Smith donated six 100-year-old postcards from the Prophetstown area, and Eileen Detra donated Class of 1960 memorabilia and miscellaneous photos.
Fred South has been in Arizona for part of the winter and will be returning February 14th. Sales of his book “Prophetstown: A Look At Its History” have been great, with more books recently ordered and received.
Thanks were given to Janet, Esther, and Glenna for hosting the meeting in December, and Bev, Glenna, and Lorraine for the window displays. Thanks also to Glenna and Dave for hosting a Christmas party for members. The Candy & Cookie Sale was successful thanks to all the donations of baked goods and sweet treats by PAHS members.
Jennifer Malone was thanked for posting PAHS Facebook activities, and Sarah Ford at Around Ptown for opening the building twice a month and having open office hours on the first Wednesday of the month from 12-2 p.m. and the third Wednesday from 4:30-6:30 p.m.
Shelly Jaquet of the Tampico Royal Neighbors helped PAHS with $945 in matching funds for the Cookie & Candy Sale, thanks to the regional Royal Neighbors office in Rock Island. Funding New Beginnings approved the PAHS request of $20,000 for improvements at the museum, with members thrilled!
The board also welcomed the new members this year, and encouraged anyone in the PLT area who has interest to join. There’s an annual membership fee of $10 and member benefits. Thanks were given to all the PAHS members, friends, and guests. There was a total of 902 signatures in the book for 2024.
The next meeting of the Prophetstown Area Historical Society members will be on Saturday, Feb. 8th starting at 9 a.m. at the museum.
