36094 Memory Lane

Polson, MT 59860

Phone

406-883-6804

A Non-Profit

501-C-3 Corp.

81-0437386

www.miracleofamericamuseum.org info@miracleofamericamuseum.org

March 2010 QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER

Executive

Board of Directors

Gil Mangels-Pres.

Cathleen Wilde-VP

Mel Adams-VP

Joanne Mangels-Sec

Gracia Normandeau Jones

Kendall Dupuis

Mike Maddy

Stan Cohen

Donna Maddux

Advisory

Board of Directors

Paul Bonelli

Jim Pomajevich

QUARTERLY REPORT

We are now in the beginnings of March. Visitors have come from 23 states, 8

countries and 3 provinces. However our number count has slipped some. We

hope it picks up for tourist season!

Gil's interest in antique motorcycles prompted him

to bid on this unusual 1940 card from Tartamaa,

Estonia. We don't recognize the language, but we

hope it says, "Happy Easter" as that is our greeting

to all of you. The broken egg (sidecar) represents

the real meaning of Easter when Christ broke the

bands of death and rose from the tomb on that sa-

cred morning. The look of alarm on the cycle

rider's face must have been the same as on Gil's

face when he rode the 1954 Harley with sidecar in

the 4

th

of July parade last year and had a little child

dash out in the street in front of him to pick up

candy.

GRANTS NEWS

We received a cost of materials and labor grant, totaling $1,685.00 from the

Oleta (Pete) Smith Foundation and administered by the Montana Community

Foundation for a plexiglass dust cover and other improvements to further pro-

tect a Native American Display. This features a white buckskin beaded dress by

Mrs. Peter Paul, and a retired eagle headed dancing stick and eagle feather fan

used by Tribal spiritual leader, Francis Stanger and numerous other items. It also

covered labor and materials to custom make a display case to expand and embel-

lish our Buffalo Hunt, Mural/Diorama. Both are completed.

We received a small Grant from the Soroptomists which will allow us to start on

a special display honoring the early nurses at St. Joseph's hospital. We will be

unable to finish it without more grant money specifically for that.

We had also applied for a grant to upgrade the lighting system in the whole mu-

seum, but found out it was for museums in areas much more rural than ours. So

Joanne has written two more grants and we are awaiting results, The lighting is

vitally important in the main building as there are basically no windows. Mission

Valley Power has agreed to assist with $4,400. We still have to raise $5,000 and

last year we saved $2,000 towards the project. The change from magnetic to

electronic ballasts for fluorescent lights would reduce the total lighting load in

our buildings by 48%! It would reduce our carbon footprint and our power bills.

SEEN IN THIS ISSUE

QUARTERLY

REPORT

GRANTS NEWS

MEMBERSHIPS

A NEW

GENERATION

SPARK ‘N

THROTTLE

CONDOLENCES

MISCELLANEOUS

DONATIONS

MARK YOUR

CALENDARS

REMEMBER THE

MUSEUM

MEMBERSHIP INFO

ANTIQUE RECORDS

Quarterly Newsletter Page 2

FINANCIAL DONORS

Life Members have donated $1000 or more. This

may be done in a one time donation or as a cumula-

tive donation as the following folks have done.

Bert & Grace Poloson

Bob Skans

SUSTAINING MEMBERSHIP $100 or more

Morey Grove

FAMLY MEMBERSHIP $25 or more

Larry & Jan Bixby

Larry & Judy Sagers

Ken Soward

Maureen Theiler

MEMORIAL DONATION

Lyle & Grace Larson—

Honoring

Fred Poloson

Frank & Pat Stolle

-Honoring their son

Jerry Stolle

MISCELLANEOUS DONATIONS

Howard Hudson

- Men's Schwinn Bike, Cub Scout

pin, 5 books from 1910 to 50s, and 4 records of the

moon landing

Jane Krantz

- Portrait of

Astronauts on Space

shuttle Columbia

Tom Needham

, 1944

Film Can, Somers Diner

sign Chicken Dinner 5cents ,

Framed oil painting by

Elizabeth Heidelman.

Mrs. Heidelman

(affectionately called "The Flower Lady") was the

wife of first physician in Western Mt.. Donated in

memory of Neva Lockwood,Resner

Dan Sharp

- 27 misc circa. 1920 American vintage

car headlights,

Glen Timm

- 15 Chil-

dren's "Golden Re-

cords" & Misc

Mildred Wolfe

- Poster

of Patton's Prayer at

Bastogne

Salish-Kootenai Day

Care

center donated

playground equipment

which will be installed

in the

vicinity of our 1912

Green Mountain one-

room schoolhouse. As a

point of interest, when

we were dismantling

and loading the equip-

ment, The children wondered what we were doing.

When we said that they would be set up at the mu-

seum, they were excited and glad. As we set up the

monkey bars, teeter-totters etc, we wondered, as we

often do, how in the world did so many middle

agers and seniors last so long without "Big

Brother's" protection. Even small items like the little

all wood finger tops, a favorite toy we sold by the

hundreds for $1.00, will no longer be available be-

cause of another congressionally mandated agency

protecting us. It seems like George Orwell's 1984

was just off by about one generation.

A NEW GENERATION

"SPARK & THROTTLE"

Old timers who drove "Horseless Carriages" all

knew what the spark and throttle were, However

many of the younger folks have never even driven a

stick shift. Anyhow, for many years that was the

name of the local car club, of which the Mangels

were some of the founding members It has officially

disbanded. The remaining $163.38 in the treasury

was given to the museum and was spent purchasing

repair parts for the original 1937 Hudson Terraplane

Al Corban willed to the museum. Unleaded and es-

pecially ethanol gas gums up carburetors, fuel

pumps and rubberized lines. It took a lot of work to

get it going after sitting unused 15-20 years.

Condolences to the family of Vida Winkley. She

was a loyal financial supporter for many years

First photo shows Gil, Joanne, Cathleen and Ned as

a baby. Second photo shows them all 30 years later

with Ian age 5, the next generation added. There

wasn't enough space for all to ride though.

MEMBERSHIP

With Postal rates continually rising we want to

remind people of the importance of regular donations.

We are also going green and e mailing newsletters to

those who give us their email address. If this includes

you, please help us in this transition

Everyone who donates an artifact, receives at

least one newsletter. After that, if you still want to

receive newsletters please let us know. A star beside

your name on the address label means this may be the

last newsletter you receive unless we hear from you.

Our memberships are reasonable, tax deductible,

provide free admission and copies of our newsletters,

plus a 10% discount in our gift shop.

Family $25 up to $99.99

Annual Sustaining $100 up to $199.00

Corporate Sustaining $200 up to $999.00

Lifetime $1000 or more

Quarterly Newsletter Page 3

MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR EVENTS

AHEAD

I

n conjunction with the

State Historical Society

the museum will be dis-

playing , Glacier National

Park Centennial Traveling Exhibition

March 27 through April 22. That culminates April 22

with displays of opera-

tional GNP antique snow

vehicles, and special Gla-

cier National Park Birthday Party featuring Retired

English Professor, Dale Harvey, and Song Master,

Neil Lewing singing "the Glacier Park Song" 7-9pm

July 17 & 18 will be our

20

th

Live History Days and

we have new entertainers

and new displays, old time

fiddles Saturday and KC &

the Valley Cats Sunday.

July 24

th

2pm Trish Frieze,

Montana's Doll Lady, will

be displaying some of her

collection of over 1000 an-

tique dolls and pieces of

doll furniture. She will give

a talk on the care and nur-

turing of antique dolls and

wants women to bring an

old, beloved or interesting

doll and she will do an an-

tique road show type ap-

praisal of a dozen or more.

It will be a very enjoyable

afternoon for the ladies and

there will be no charge for

them thanks to a grant from

the Greater Polson Commu-

nity Foundation.

Guys will

be able to look at the museum's vehicles all you want

during that time.

REMEMBER THE MUSEUM

Gil has been fortunate over the years to collect and

preserve artifacts from other museums which have

closed. Included in the list is the Huffine Museum,

Lookout Museum, Trap Zoo, Merced Ca. Ag Mu-

seum, Tony the Trader and most recently Doug

Allard's Indian Museum. See photo of 15 ft. dugout.

Gil is saddened every time a museum closes and there

are many where locale and budget have prohibited

him from "Saving" a portion of their collections. The

MOAM is healthy and vibrant, growing and improv-

ing. The internet and word of mouth has blessed us

with visitors. Our goal is to keep it "happening". That

is why, if you appreciate the MOAM it is so impor-

tant to include us in your estate planning. We have an

accountant who will help.

August 18

th

6:30pm Boating Movie night. Showing

"Smoke on the Water" and a 1952 film, entitled

"Timber Today and Tomorrow" partially filmed on

Flathead Lake. Soft drinks and ice cream treats are

available. Free admission for this event thanks to the

Greater Polson Community Foundation

Miracle of America Museum

36094 Memory Lane

Polson, MT 59860

RETURN SE RVICE REQUESTED

TALKING BOOKS

These two, four inch diameter records, are shown on their presentation cards. They were printed by the

Talking Book Company and are dated 1918. They were donated by

Howard Hudson

.