End of Year report

Gil closed out 2011 assembling new displays inside

and outside, building a couple of lean-to's to further

protect outside artifacts, and doing more restoration.

Repeat visitors notice and appreciate the improvements.

We had around 12,000 visitors; all 50 states, 44

countries, and six Canadian provinces. International

visitation dropped off by late fall due to the weak Euro.

Best newspaper award of 2011 goes to

Kalispell

Daily InterLake

and reporter

Candace Chase

for her

front page coverage plus more, of our Pearl Harbor

exhibit and our free admission day commemorating the

70

th

anniversary of that fateful "day that will live in

infamy." Candace amazingly wove other parts of our

military section into her insightful, and inspired story.

We had 86 visitors on Dec. 7

th

. Many of the younger

generation haven't been taught history. This display is

important to pay tribute to our veterans and as a warning

that America still has enemies (some even within our

borders) who want to destroy America.

We have formed this display on a very small budget.

Visitors who have also visited the government-supported

Pearl Harbor memorial have remarked that ours has

"more feeling, meaning, and personality."

Why not "Remember your Posterity" by donating or

willing a portion of your estate to the endowment fund

of the Miracle of America Museum?

Please forgive us for deciding to forego the 4

th

quarter, 2011 Newsletter. Joanne stayed over two

months with our daughter Cathleen in Orem, Utah,

to be just a few minutes away from medical

specialists. Her heart operation went well, and a new

aortic valve was installed through an artery. Her

body wouldn't have been able to withstand the

standard open heart surgery done in Montana. In

spite of anxiety and all the pre-testing, her stay was

made enjoyable by visiting several grand and great

grandchildren as well as our son, Ron who flew in

from Louisiana for a week. We thank you all for

your prayers, food supplied Gil, receptionist help,

etc.

Our visitation this quarter has been very

respectable. As of February 22, we have had visitors

from 18 states and eight International countries.

Although we have a great variety, the raise in power

and heating oil means we need greater visitation.

Hopefully it will pick up after the thaw.

New year begins with respectable visitation; restored health

Executive Board of Directors

Gil Mangels, President

Cathleen Wilde, VP; Mel Adams, VP

Nancy Pray, Secretary

Joanne Mangels, Treasurer

Gracia Normandeau Jones

Kendall Dupuis Mike Maddy

Stan Cohen Ned Wilde

Advisory Board of Directors

Jim Pomajevich

Are YOU interested in serving?

A Non-Profit 501(c) (3) Corporation • 81-0437386

36094 Memory Lane Polson, MT 59860 406-883-6804

www.miracleofamericamuseum.org

•

info@miracleofamericamuseum.org

February 2012

QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER

Ramona Holt of the Holt Museum in Lolo donated

this nicely-preserved Glacier Park pennant from

the 1930s

Cory Allen -

beautiful 5 gal. H. Earl Clack, (Havre)

kerosene can, circa 1930's

;

WWII military metal

shipping container;

American Legion

- card table advertising early day

Polson businesses;

John Campbell

-Vintage flying or cycling goggles,

leather shotgun case;

Dupuis Lumber Co -

Structural lumber for building

additions;

Earl Hanneman

- aluminum cans for antique can

crusher and recycling;

Dottie and Jack Meyerhoff

in memory of

Dr. JL

Richard

, donated a spiffy commodore cap from the

1934 Polson Regatta Club; sweet cherry box sticker

and 1940 check blanks from "Station Creek

Orchards"

Showboat Cinema

-1951 movie projector since

theaters have gone digital. They also donated a huge

"Cars 2" poster;

Don Smart

- wooden military shipping container.

HAULING

Lonnie Haack -

of Sod Buster Sales hauled a huge

diesel engine here. Years ago, Lewis Dielman from

Box Elder offered to loan us the engine of the same

style used on the Paul Bunyan. It was about half the

size, but the same model and configuration. Not

wanting to waste the freight of a 6-7 ton engine that

would only be a "loaner," Gil put it in the back of

his mind. Years passed and Lewis notified Gil that it

would be sold at auction and they would accept a

phone bid. Gil won it for a $100 bid. Finding a

truck or trailer rolling back empty at the precise

time when Lewis' big loader was available took

several more years. Finally, last summer, Lonnie

MISCELLANEOUS DONATIONS

hauled it here. It is now displayed near the Paul

Bunyan's stern.

MATERIALS & LABOR DONATIONS

Joe Arnold

Carpentry & cement finishing

Jim Burrowes

- Carpentry - foundry building

Jim Eastham

- Museum receptionist

Richard Beauchamp

- making picture frames and

Museum receptionist

Lee & Afton Moss

- Museum receptionists &

inventorying camera collection

Jim Phillips-Glacier Lake Sand & Gravel

-

fractured rock (rock chips)

Jack Cram Trucking

delivered the rock

"TOP PICKER"

Howard Hudson

is top "picker" of the quarter.

Last trip down from Kalispell, he brought 27 new

parade/vehicle American Flags, several cans of useful

spray paint, keyed padlocks, historical papers, etc.

DON'T THROW IT AWAY . . . YET

On that note, when you're cleaning out the attic,

basement, garage, or storage shed, let Gil pick it first,

because there might be something useful or

recyclable. Cans or bottles of oil or Prestone can be

used in the old stationary engines, leftover lumber or

nails from a building project often become useful.

Even broken antique toys might be restorable or parts

usable in a restoration project.

Polson, Montana

Newsletter layout courtesy of

Carmine Mowbray of

Gil Gets "Tanked"

Gil's major vehicle fall project has been building a

late 40's-early 50's belly tank racer or "Lakester"

which was the type to set land speed records on the

Bonneville Salt Flats. During WW11 and subsequent

wars, pilots flying long-range missions would carry

extra fuel in tanks under their belly or the wings.

Before going into combat they would drop the empty

tanks.

In the Pacific Theater, natives loved finding these

and building boats from them. After WW11, hot

rodders used the streamlined aluminum tanks as

bodies for their racers. Speeds of close to 200 mph

were obtained using souped-up Ford or Mercury

flathead V8 engines. Even though it is a tight fit, Gil

enjoys driving it.

Those donating or discounting parts or labor,

include the following:

Jim Beyer, Bishop Sign

Works, Crosier Kinetics, Jerry's Custom Engines,

Art Mangels, Gary McGraw, and Parts Fathers.

The tank was originally purchased by us thanks to the

alertness of Don Smart who spotted it in the back of a

scrap yard.

Built by old school standards, Gil used a Model A

Ford front axle and drilled it and the radius rods to

lighten up the suspension.

Ken Bales

made the 1939

Mercury rear axle affordable.

Beacon Tire

formed the

roll bar

When Gil was growing up on the farm just three

miles south of the museum, his dad purchased a

wrecked 1953 Mercury car to use the engine in a 1951

Ford farm truck. Gil would put on thousands of miles

driving that old truck hauling water, hay bales,

potatoes, grain, or rocks picked from the field.

Last year the truck became a donor

vehicle by giving up its steering box,

battery box, instrument cluster,

radiator, and engine. The engine, -

while still running - was very tired, so

it was completely rebuilt and souped

up with a high-lift cam, balanced

crank, high compression heads, and

extra carburetion. This may be seen on

You Tube under "Polson Lakester."

Gil's belly-tank racer. To see it and

hear it, watch Gil's YouTube video at:

www.

youtube

.com/watch?

v=vhLB_d0Cy4U

We salute our

Sustaining Members

Philip L. Barney, MD and Sandra

Senator Carmine Mowbray

Henry C. Orr of Gaylord Bros

Bob Skans

Family Members

Richard and Karen Anderson

Katherine Johnson and Richard

Beauchamp

Dwight (Pat) and Mary Deyo

John and Toni Erkkila

Paul Fugleberg

Bob and Charlotte Marshall

Larry and Judy Sagers

David and Mary Sergent

Kenneth Soward

Lifetime Member

In keeping with our policy,

Bob Skans

has

become a Lifetime member by donating $1000

over a several year period. However, he, like

most other

Lifetime Donors

continues to

donate and we are very grateful.

MEMORIALS

$100 In memory of "Snowshoe Polly"

from "Buckhannon Billy" (her husband,

Tony

Ostheimer

) the cedar shake hand splitter.

(Already Sustaining Members) "Polly loved

being here on Live History Days, and enjoyed

seeing all the wonderful exhibitors, and

exhibits."

$15.00 in memory of Frank Stolle (The late

Jerry Stolle's father) from

Betty Osterhouse

.

Upcoming Events:

"A Romp In The Arts" April 21

"Live History Days" July 21 and 22

In spite of the difficult economy and partially

because of it, our Endowment fund needs to be

enlarged. Only the interest income is used each

year and the banks are presently not paying

much. The board is again asking that you please

consider donating the museum 1% to 5% of your

estate to the Miracle of America Museum

endowment fund. If enough folks choose this sort

of gifting it would help insure continued

preservation of our collections and displays for

your posterity to enjoy. If you agree, please

consider discussing this with your estate planner

or lawyer.

Membership

Thank you very much for your support

Non-Profit

Postage Paid

Polson, MT

59860

Permit #89

Miracle of America Museum

36094 Memory Lane

Polson, MT 59860

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Membership to the Miracle of America Museum

is tax-deductible and allows you free admission,

newsletters and 10% discount in our gift shop.

We really appreciate our supporters who

remember to send donations.

A star beside your name on the address label

means this may be the last newsletter you receive

unless we hear from you. If you wish to remain on

our mailing list, please let us know.

Family membership: $25 to $99

Annual Sustaining: $100 to $199

Corporate Sustaining: $200 to $999

Lifetime: $1000 or above