Wednesday, January 09, 2008
Person of the Year
The Pewaukee Chamber of Commerce has named Mary Schwister, president of the Pewaukee River Partnership, the 2007 Person of the Year. The James Murphy Ward was established in 1981 by the Pewaukee Chamber to recognize individuals who have demonstrated leadership in community or business activities. Mary will be honored at the banquet on January 23, 2008.
In her nomination letter Kelly Woldanski, director of the Pewaukee Park and Recreation Department, cited Mary's work to protect the wetlands as well as the Pewaukee River. In 2006/7 the PRP had formed a partnership with Pewaukee Park & Rec, the Lake Pewaukee Sanitary District and the Wisconsin DNR to build the 400 ft. wetland boardwalk and nine informational signs in Simmons Woods Park.
This past summer PRP worked under Mary's direction to clear brush as the first step in restoring Lynn Path, a walkway along the Pewaukee River. Plans are being developed to improve the adjacent river banks and bed.
Mary has also directed the PRP sense of place project called "Pewaukee Is Our Place". A total of 35 CD recordings have been made of the memories of long-term residents of Pewaukee. One propose of the project is to collect information about the historical interaction between the Pewaukee community and the Pewaukee River & Watershed. The project will produce 100 recordings and place copies of them in the Pewaukee Public Library as well as the Pewaukee Area Historical Society.
Labels: Awards, Pewaukee Is Our Place, Restoration Work, Wetland and River Research
Monday, December 17, 2007
Pewaukee Is Our Place
Thiry five recordings of personal histories related to the River or watershed have been completed. The most recent recordings focused on the Woman's Club of Pewaukee, the Pewaukee Hardware & Lumber Company, the Hansen Oil Company and the McQuire Cottage.
The project goal is to make 100 recordings. Copies of the CD recordings are being donated to both the Pewaukee Area Historical Society and the Pewaukee Public Library.
While these interviews include general history of Pewaukee, the interviewer seeks to gather information about the history of the Pewaukee River as seen by people who lived in the area.
Labels: Pewaukee Is Our Place
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Sale Results
The Pewaukee River Partnership has announced that a total of 36 Pewaukee Apple Trees have been sold.
Of the total, eleven trees have been donated to the Pewaukee Apple Memorial Orchard that is being established at the entrance to Simmons Woods Park.
The orchard is being created as a way to make local citizens aware of their community history. In the mid-1800s George Peffer, a local farmer, developed and promoted the process of grafting fruit trees in the State of Wisconsin. He registered one of his apples as the Pewaukee Apple. A sign will be posted in the orchard explaining the importance of George Peffer and the Pewaukee Apple. The ten Pewaukee Apple trees that have already been planted can be seen in the photo. The new donated trees will be planted in spring, 2008.
Labels: Pewaukee Apple Tree, Pewaukee Is Our Place
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Pewaukee Apple Tree Sale
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Apple Harvest Festival
The Pewaukee River Partnership has been accepted as a participant in the yearly Fall festival held at Retzer Nature Center (S14 W28167 Madison St., Waukesha, WI 53188). The event will be on Saturday, September 22, 2007.
PRP will display photos of work that has been accomplished. The Simmons Woods Boardwalk along the Pewaukee River will be featured. The display will also explain the monthly Pewaukee River Monitoring Project as well as the Pewaukee Is Our Place Project.
This event will kick off the new fundraiser: "Plant A Piece of Pewaukee History". Orders will be taken for spring delivery of official Pewaukee Apple trees. The trees sell for $29.50 prepaid. Donations for trees to be planted in the Pewaukee Apple Memorial Orchard will also be solicited.
Labels: Pewaukee Apple Tree, Pewaukee Is Our Place, Pewaukee River Monitoring Project, Publicity
Saturday, July 28, 2007
Book Publishing Team Established
As an outgrowth of the work done on historical recordings, the Pewaukee River Partnership has been asked to form a team to explore the possibility of producing a book about the history of Pewaukee. Negotiations with the Arcadia Publishing Company have begun.
If feasible, the team will work with the publisher to collect historical photos, identify them and compose captions.
The team currently has 5 members and is looking for other interested individuals. This effort will be collaborated with the Pewaukee Area Historical Society.
If feasible, the team will work with the publisher to collect historical photos, identify them and compose captions.
The team currently has 5 members and is looking for other interested individuals. This effort will be collaborated with the Pewaukee Area Historical Society.
Labels: Pewaukee Is Our Place
Historical Recordings
Recording of personal histories related to the River or watershed continue. Twenty CD recordings along with their supporting documents have been completed. They include memories from 3 farm families, a city planner, a realtor, a banker, a technical school director and 2 retailors as well as others. The project goal is to make 100 recordings.
Copies of the CD recordings are being donated to both the Pewaukee Area Historical Society and the Pewaukee Public Library.
The Historical Society is looking for ways to incorporate the CDs into their exhibits.
The library is setting up a special section in the Reference Department to house the CD collection. After the new bookcase is installed, the librarians will move all the Pewaukee materials from the entire library into the reference section along with the CDs. Because this location is near the bank of computers, library patrons will be able to listen to the CD recordings right there.
Copies of the CD recordings are being donated to both the Pewaukee Area Historical Society and the Pewaukee Public Library.
The Historical Society is looking for ways to incorporate the CDs into their exhibits.
The library is setting up a special section in the Reference Department to house the CD collection. After the new bookcase is installed, the librarians will move all the Pewaukee materials from the entire library into the reference section along with the CDs. Because this location is near the bank of computers, library patrons will be able to listen to the CD recordings right there.
Labels: Pewaukee Is Our Place
Friday, July 27, 2007
Transcriptions Provided
Since not all potential users of the historical recordings are comfortable with using a computer,
Mary Ward has volunteered to make transcriptions of the CDs. She has completed eleven transcriptions.
The librarians are assembling the CD recordings into plastic display cases which will be accessible to the public. The cases will include the CD disk, a copy of the transcription and any other supporting documents.
Providing a typed transcription with the CD recording will make the materials more user-friendly.
Mary Ward has volunteered to make transcriptions of the CDs. She has completed eleven transcriptions.
The librarians are assembling the CD recordings into plastic display cases which will be accessible to the public. The cases will include the CD disk, a copy of the transcription and any other supporting documents.
Providing a typed transcription with the CD recording will make the materials more user-friendly.
Labels: Pewaukee Is Our Place
Monday, June 18, 2007
City Role in River Development
One of the first interviews completed for the Pewaukee Is Our Place Project was with Harlan Clinkenbeard. He joined the small part-time staff of the Town of Pewaukee in September, 1979. He served in the capacity of city planner during the incorporation process which changed the Town to the City of Pewaukee. As planner he was directly involved in the development of the area that borders the wetlands that line both sides of the Pewaukee River in the corridor that stretches from Wisconsin Avenue on the north to the entrance to the Fox River just south of I94 on the south.
Labels: Pewaukee Is Our Place
Thursday, April 26, 2007
A Century of Landscape Change
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Dr. Michael L. Thaller, PRP member and geographer, recently completed the paper entitled "A Century of Landscape Change: A Historical Geography of the Pewaukee River Watershed." He based his analysis on three United State Geological Survey maps dated 1905/1909, 1959 and 1971.
Thaller documented the gradual change within the watershed from a primarily rural landscape with an emphasis on tourism to the present almost complete urban economy. He based his study on the steady decline of the wetlands in the watershed. His final summary examines the recent interest in reviving the wetlands and fostering of native plant species.
This study is a part of the Pewaukee Is Our Place Project which has been undertaken by the Pewaukee River Partnership to better understand ways to protect the Pewaukee River Watershed in the future.
Thaller documented the gradual change within the watershed from a primarily rural landscape with an emphasis on tourism to the present almost complete urban economy. He based his study on the steady decline of the wetlands in the watershed. His final summary examines the recent interest in reviving the wetlands and fostering of native plant species.
This study is a part of the Pewaukee Is Our Place Project which has been undertaken by the Pewaukee River Partnership to better understand ways to protect the Pewaukee River Watershed in the future.
Labels: Pewaukee Is Our Place, Wetland and River Research
Sunday, February 25, 2007
Pewaukee Is Our Place
Jennifer Stoltz, director of the Pewaukee Public Library, has notified PRP that they would accept the personal historical accounts on CDs being produced by PRP.
Since a computer is needed to view them, the CDs will be made available to the public to use in the Library. They will be housed in the Pewaukee history section on the lower level across from the reference desk.
PRP hopes to produce 100 CD focusing on Pewaukee history with an emphasis on the Pewaukee River.
Since a computer is needed to view them, the CDs will be made available to the public to use in the Library. They will be housed in the Pewaukee history section on the lower level across from the reference desk.
PRP hopes to produce 100 CD focusing on Pewaukee history with an emphasis on the Pewaukee River.
Labels: Pewaukee Is Our Place
Monday, February 05, 2007
Partnership Expanding
At their recent quarterly meeting, members of the Pewaukee Area Historical Society (PAHS) agreed to work with PRP on the Pewaukee Is Our Place Project. PRP will provide CD recordings of the personal histories of long-time residents with an emphasis on the impact of the Pewaukee River to the community. These recordings will be displayed at the Clark House Museum. PAHS will also seek ways to use the recordings as a part of the displays being planned for the Grand Opening of their new exhibit building later this year.
Labels: Pewaukee Is Our Place
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Hundred Year Old Map
Mike Thaler, retired geography professor and member of PRP, has located a 1905 map of the Pewaukee watershed. It will be used as a reference document in developing our Historical Profile of the River. This map clearly shows the course of the Pewaukee River as well as the local wetlands. Mike also located maps dated in the 1940s and 50s. Even a brief study of these maps reveals the significant impact the installation of drainage ditches had on the River and surrounding wetlands.
Labels: Pewaukee Is Our Place
Thursday, November 30, 2006
Pewaukee Is Our Place
The Pewaukee River Partnership has recently joined with the Pewaukee Public Library, the Pewaukee Area Historical Society and the Pewaukee Chamber of Commerce to work on a Sense of Place Project called Pewaukee Is Our Place.
This project is designed to collect approximately 100 digital recordings of the historical recollections of local citizens. Each recording will be stored on a CD and assembled with other relevant items into a kit. The Library will catalogue the kits and house them in the Pewaukee reference section of the Library. An additional copy will be kept in the Clark House Museum.
As a result, these original resources will be conveniently available to the public for research purposes.
This project is designed to collect approximately 100 digital recordings of the historical recollections of local citizens. Each recording will be stored on a CD and assembled with other relevant items into a kit. The Library will catalogue the kits and house them in the Pewaukee reference section of the Library. An additional copy will be kept in the Clark House Museum.
As a result, these original resources will be conveniently available to the public for research purposes.
Labels: Pewaukee Is Our Place
Friday, September 29, 2006
Profile the River
Members of PRP also voted to adopt the River Profile Project as a long-term project. We will begin informally collecting information about the River that eventually will be used to develop the Profile.
Labels: Pewaukee Is Our Place
