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5.1 HPSR 02-20-2014Elk River Heritage Preservation Commission Annual Report (October 1, 2012 — September 30, 2013) The following is the annual report of the Elk River Heritage Preservation Commission (HPC) for October 1, 2012 — September 30, 2013. The report was prepared according to the guidelines outlined in Procedures for Applying for and Maintaining Certified Local Government Status (CLG).' The Minnesota State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) administers CLG status for the National Park Service in Minnesota. An annual report is a requirement to maintain CLG status. City of Elk River Certified Local Government 2013 Annual Report Background The Elk River Heritage Preservation Commission (HPC) is a Certified Local Government (CLG) for the purposes of expanding local involvement and participation in historic preservation issues. The CLG program is administered by the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO). A requirement of the CLG program is submission of an annual report to SHPO documenting the activities of the HPC for the previous Federal fiscal year, which runs October 1 to September 1. The HPC consists of five Elk River residents appointed by the City Council. Each serve three -year terms beginning on the first day of March. The HPC shall include, if available, a member of the Sherburne County Historical Society. Exhibits: A. HPC Members B. Annual HPC Certified Local Government Assurances Form C. History Day article and brochure D. Bailey Point Nature Preserve Park E. Archeological Dig article F. Historic Walking Tour brochure Analysis The HPC held eight regular meetings during the reporting period. All meetings were posted as public meetings and conducted in accordance with the requirements of the Minnesota Open Meeting Law (Minnesota Statues 471.705). Minutes of each meeting are recorded, filed at City Hall and can be viewed on the city website. 2013 Projects Ongoing Review of Development Proposals Throughout the year, the HPC reviews development proposals using archaeological modeling. During 2013, the HPC reviewed one passive development proposal for Bailey Point Park Preserve. There were no other development proposals deemed a threat to historical sites or historical information this year. 2 Jackson Street Water Tower The Jackson Street Water Tower (circa 1920) was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2012. Since that time, the HPC has worked to increase public awareness of this historical structure with a 3D model and printed materials of the tower's history at schools, environmental workshops, messaging on the city website and at city open house events. The HPC is actively seeking funds to restore the tower. The surface assessment indicated the presence of lead paint which would have to be removed prior to repainting. The Minnesota Historical and Cultural Grants office indicated that a structural assessment would also be required to determine its structural stability. Repainting and correcting any structural and /or safety code issues is estimated to be in excess of $400,000. The HPC needs to determine if this is a feasible project and if so, what each phase of the restoration process will include. Mississippi Connections Redevelopment Framework As reported last year, Elk River began planning for future development of its downtown area in 2006. The City Council created a Task Force to create a plan for the "greater downtown area." The mission statement of the Task Force is: To develop a comprehensive plan that )grill redefine the `greater don)nton)n area" to preserve its historical character P)hile promoting the future viability of the community. The 1Vlississippi Connections Study Area'summari�Zes the objectives, purpose and intent of the Plan. It is the cornerstone of the community. The Redevelopment Framework provides the blueprint for creating an environment and culture that encourages private reinvestment. This will be characterized by a robust business climate, strong affordable residential neighborhoods, diverse recreational opportunities, an agreed upon transportation framework, recognition of its historical place, and enhancing opportunities for community connection. The plan includes a historic section which includes preserving the history of Elk River and its building to further communicate our link to the past. Other sections in the plan discuss preservation of the "Brick Block ", the Jackson Street Water Tower, establishment of historic residential neighborhood districts, and the development of interpretive signage highlighting historic occurrences along the Mississippi and Elk River trail system. The plan was approved by the City Council in November 2012 and is currently being incorporated into the 2014 Comprehensive Plan update. History Day The HPC held a History Day Celebration on June 15, 2013, in conjunction with ArtSoup, a local art appreciation event hosted by the Elk River Area Arts Alliance, and the archaeological dig at Bailey Point Nature Reserve. The event was coordinated to provide a fun and interactive educational opportunity for all ages to learn about history of Elk River. Held at the historic Handke Pit, the day included a Civil War reenactment, a fashion show, a parade and the sale of memorial bricks to help fund the Elk River Water Tower Restoration Project. 3 Special events were held at the Oliver Kelley Farm and HPC members led a historic walking tour along the river (see Exhibit E). Staff worked with Salk Middle School and Community Ed to increase the amount of local history in the classroom and the community. Bailey Point Nature Preserve The City of Elk River purchased the 23 -acre parcel in 2012 with assistance from the DNR and the Minnesota Land Trust. Known locally as Bailey Point, it is intended as a passive public park. Officially named Baily Point Nature Preserve, groundbreaking was held on August 14, 2013, following the establishment of passive walking trails and a gravel parking lot (see Exhibit F). The site is historically significant as it was site of the first Sherburne County Fair, the first high school football field, a golf course, and is also recognized as a battle site between the Dakota and Ojibwa Indians. In accordance with state grant requirements, public archaeological digs on the property were initiated in 2013. Archaeological Survey and Dig During the weekends of June 14 -16 and June 21 -23, 2013, the public participated in an archaeological survey at the Bailey Point Nature Preserve Park, located at the confluence of the Elk and Mississippi Rivers (see Exhibit G). Dr. Richard Rothaus along with a team of archaeologists worked with the volunteers over the two weekends. The team of archaeologists included Joe McFarlane, Jim Cummings, Bob Burgess, and Dave Ranford. Eight volunteers work from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. with public tours at 3 p.m. daily. The volunteers spent approximately 200 hours at the event. During the second weekend a nice concentration of early 20th century /late 19th century artifacts near the camp "kitchen" were found. It is believed they might predate the kitchen and Dr. Rothaus is looking into the timelines more closely. The city was fortunate to receive donations from local businesses and posted informational flyers in their establishments. Donations were received from the Bank of Elk River, Target, Cub Foods, Elk River Rotary, The Fraternal Order of the Eagles, City of Elk River, Diamond City Bread, Midwest Asphalt, and Westbound Liquor. 4 Oral Histories Commissioner Mortensen continues to conduct oral histories to residents willing to be interviewed. Annual Statewide Historic Preservation Conference In September 2013, staff member Rebecca Haug and HPC Commissioner Joshua Fox attended the conference in Lanesboro, Minnesota. Salk Middle School History Fair Judging — Staff member Rebecca Haug was a )udging participant at the January 2013 event. City Engineer Justin Femrite will participate in the 2014 Fair. 2014 Proposed Projects Preservation of Water Tower The HPC will continue to seek funding opportunities for restoration of the water tower. Oral Histories The HPC will continue working on conducting oral histories of some of the older generation residents from Elk River. Historic Neighborhood District The HPC will continue to explore creating a historic neighborhood district in the City. Educational Opportunities HPC will continue to work with the Elk River Community Education Department and Parks and Recreation Department to incorporate educational opportunities into their programs. A historic tour could he coordinated with the Parks and Recreation Department. Elk River Community Education may be willing to host training to conduct oral histories in the community. Potential land acquisition(s) of a property with local historical or cultural importance The City of Elk River has been working with Friends of the Mississippi and The Conservation Fund to acquire the Houlton Olson family farm property to add to the city park system. The 335 -acre riverfront property is located west of downtown near the Orono Dam and has been in the family since the 1870's. Negotiations will continue into 2014. 5 u: �wWW I )y y 1 5 Heritage Preservation Commission Roster as of October 16, 2013 Joshua Fox 17187 Nixon St NW Elk River MN 55330 Team Expires: 02128116 Lance Lindberg (Chair) 18621 Simonet Dr NW Elk River, MN 55330 Team Expires: 02128114 Stephen Rohlf 13065 Orono Parkway NW Elk River, MN 55330 Team Expires: 02128115 Debra Mortensen 17149 Olson Ct NW Elk River, MN 55330 Team Expires: 02128114 Marilyn VanPatten 10451175`t' Ave NW Elk River MN 55330 Team Expires: 02128115 Staff Liaisons to the HPC Suzanne Fischer 13065 Orono Parkway NW Elk River, MN 55330 City Council Liaison to the HPC Stewart Wilson 846 Freeport Ave NW Elk River MN 55330 6 H (763) 241 -7893 f6jo0404( gmail.com W (763) 441 -2248 LanceLindberg(kKW.com C (763) 234 -0177 srohlfkerfdj.com C (763) 498 -2281 d.morten(kyahoo.com H (763) 441 -2694 MVanpa2943 kaol.com W (763) 635 -1030 sfischer(k elkrivermn.gov (763)300 -2674 swils on(k theb anko felkriver. com Exhibit A Exhibit B Annual HPC Certified Local Government Assurances Name of HPC: City of Elk River Heritage Preservation Commission Fiscal Year: October 1, 2012 — September 30, 2013 State of Minnesota County of Sherburne City of Elk River I, the undersigned, being the duly qualified and acting Mayor of the City of Elk River, Minnesota, do hereby certify that the City of Elk River Heritage Preservation Commission has adhered to the public participation provisions as stipulated under Section D of the "Procedures for Applying For and Maintaining Certified Local Government Status" issued by the Minnesota State Historic Preservation Office. I, the undersigned, being the duly qualified and acting Mayor of the City of Elk River, Minnesota, do hereby certify that the City of Elk River Heritage Preservation Commission has adhered to the "Procedures for the Proper Disposal of Government Records" pursuant to Minnesota Statutes §138.17 (see Appendix C of "Procedures for Applying For and Maintaining Certified Local Government Status "). Witness my hand officially on January 6, 2013. John J. Dietz, Mayor History game, by Joni Astrup, Associate editor A History Day event will be held in Elk River in conjunction with the ArtSoup festival. History Day is sponsored by the Elk River Heritage Preservation Commission (HPC) and will be held Saturday, June 15. d10 a.m. -noon: An old town ball game at Handke Stadium, 1170 Main St. dl p.m.: A fashion show by the Living History Society in downtown Elk River. d2 p.m.: Best historic costume contest is tentatively scheduled. I Exhibit C This sign alerts motorists that they are entering historic downtown Elk River. The water tower in the background is on the National Register of Historic Places. Star News file photo Pamphlets with a walking tour of historic downtown Elk River will also be available at the HPC booth. Tours of a public archaeological dig at Bailey Point Nature Preserve will be held at 3 p.m. 21 Ck 'P 7 75 of tb, ol y C Je 4-a CL ft J ✓ ca 10 Bailey Point Nature Preserve gets its wings byJoni Astrup, Associate editor Bailey Point Nature Preserve, Elk River's newest park, is officially open. Mayor John Dietz and Musz Bailey, accompanied by her son Tim, cut the ribbon during a ceremony Aug. 14 at the park entrance. The park is located at 1 Morton Ave., west of downtown at the confluence of the Elk and Mississippi rivers. "This is a great day for the city," Dietz said. "This is just a jewel of a piece of property." The park will be left largely in its natural state, offering walking trails and a fishing area. About a dozen members of the Bailey family were on hand for the park's opening. The Baileys owned the point for many years. The family was involved in the founding and operation of Cretex in Elk River. "They were very active in the community for many, many, many years so I think it's very appropriate that we name this Bailey Point Nature Preserve," Dietz said. John Bailey Jr. said the Elk River community has been wonderful to the Bailey family and they will enjoy the park for generations to come. "It's almost like a gift to the family," Bailey said. City Administrator Cal Portner and Elk River Parks and Recreation Commission Chairman Dave Anderson also spoke. "Standing here, doing this has been a dream of mine for I can't tell you how long," Anderson said. He called Bailey Point a "fabulous piece of property." He thanked John and Nancy Babcock, who had owned Bailey Point since 2003 and sold it to the city last year, for making the park a reality. 11 Exhibit D Anderson also noted that there has been a mayor, city council and city staff in place willing to seize the opportunity to acquire the land when it was available. "In another day and another time, this opportunity may have been missed out on," he said. Elk River Parks and Recreation Chair Dave Anderson (left) talked about Bailey Point as Mayor John Dietz watched. There also was an element of luck, Anderson said. He described how he got a call one day from the city's former parks and recreation director, Bill Maertz, who had moved on to a job in California. Maertz had been notified by a former colleague in Ramsey, telling him about the possibility of Minnesota Land Trust money being available for purchases such as Bailey Point. That's really what helped turn the tide, Anderson said, spurring negotiations and making the park happen. Both he and the mayor recognized the volunteers, many from the neighborhood, who have put in hundreds of hours at the park since the city purchased it. Anderson said they took down the white wooden fence, removed miles of barbed wire and hundreds of fence posts and installed new fencing. Old entrance gates were sandblasted by Elk River Machine, repainted and reinstalled at the park. "It's this effort of community that is going to continue to make this great," Anderson said. Exhibit E Movie, dig spur interest in archaeology at a young age By Joni Astrup, Associate editor Jonathon Bianchi of Rogers was just 13 when he participated in his first archaeological dig in Elk River nearly a decade ago. He'd entertained thoughts of being an archaeologist ever since seeing an "Indiana Jones" movie at the age of 5. The public dig at the Alan Hoebelheinrich farm in Elk River sealed the deal. "There was never any question after that," Bianchi said. Today, he's a senior at the University of Minnesota majoring in anthropology and kinesiology. Archaeology is a subdivision of anthropology. i Jonathon Bianchi dug sediment out of a test hole at Bailey Point. The dirt was then put on screens to be sifted in hopes of finding artifacts. After the test hole is dug out to a certain depth, measurements are taken, notes are written regarding the findings and the soils are classifier. Bianchi participated in a public archaeological dig this month at Bailey Point Nature Preserve in Elk River. When asked what he'd life to do for a career, he indicated the dig around him and said: "This. I 12 would love to work in cultural resource management." The public was invited to participate in six days of digging at Bailey Point as part of the archaeological dig that ran June 14-16 and 21-23. Gregg Felber was another participant. He is a retired Hennepin County deputy working on a master's degree in cultural resource management archaeology at St. Cloud State University. "This is career two," Felber said. "W"4,aww Jonathon Bianchi (left) and Bob Burgess worked on a test hole at Bailey Point Brian McFarlane also volunteered at the dig. He has lived in Elk River since the eighth grade and is interested in all aspects of the area's history. This is the second dig he has been a part of in Elk River. Dr. Richard Rothaus, who led the Bailey Point dig, said close to 100 volunteer's participated and more than 100 people visited the dig. Rothaus said he first did work in Elk River in 2003 when the city hired him to do an archaeological and historic survey. A sign for the dig at Bailey Point. After the survey was finished, Rothaus said as an afterthought they offered a tour to the public and were surprised when about 150 people showed up. "So the suggestion was, let's do public digs in Elk River," Rothaus said. "My first answer was, 'No. Absolutely not. You can't turn the public loose with trowels, and they'll mess up the sites."' 13 But he said they went ahead and it worked out very well. "People were very careful," Rothaus said. Public archaeology digs were held in 2005, 2006 and 2007 at the Hoebelheinrich farm, and then this year at Bailey Point. Rothaus said the public digs are a chance to do something a little different. "It's revitalizing to have a whole bunch of people out who are interested and excited about history," he said. Rothaus is president of Trefoil and a research associate at the Center for Heritage Renewal at North Dakota State University. 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