The Centralia Area Historical Society had a ribbon cutting for the museum’s newly floored Leber Bar area at its annual members’ meeting and 25th anniversary celebration on Tuesday. Museum president Jessiycka Coleman thanked Smith Artisan Floors for removing the old carpeting for the museum at a discount and thanked donors for raising the money necessary for the renovation.
“Thank you to the community, the people who came through and donated all the finances,” Coleman said. “We are blessed to have that partnership with you guys as the museum is a nonprofit, so we survive solely from donations. We are very grateful. Now, we’re going to let everybody know that we need to start the next fundraiser, because when you see how amazing this is, we’ve got to get the carpet out on the other side of this floor.”
The anniversary dinner featured live music provided by Social Market Downtown, Cocktail hour by RAIL’s Boiler Room Speakeasy, catering by Big Daddy’s Floating Rib, and photography by S.W. Photography. Coleman and executive director Mike Middleton spoke during the dinner to reflect on the museum’s twenty-five year history and continuous efforts to improve and add to it. Middleton noted that the current museum building, the former Kohl and Meyer building, is over 100 years old.
“This building has been our home, basically since 1999, and it’s such an honor and a pleasure to say that we’ve been here for 25 years,” Middleton said. “And this is just the first 25. We’ve got more to go, we’re not going anywhere”
Members in attendance at the annual meeting approved several changes to policies and procedures for the board of directors. The board was expanded to allow for up to 12 members, which Middleton said was a response to several people expressing interest in joining the board. The size of a quorum was increased from 6 to 7 for a 12-member board, and the monthly board meeting day was moved from the second Wednesday of the month to the third Wednesday.
Members also voted in an election for the board, resulting in the addition of Vicki Fuhrmann, Amanda Shoyer, Stella Schilling, and Mary Kay Spiedel as new board members.
Centralia Museum members toast to 25 years. Photo by Austin Williams.
