Dear followers of this site, we have scheduled a Fall Social and photo exhibit for Sunday afternoon, October 9, 2016. Wildlife photographs (mostly birds) by Charles Cottle, retired UW-Whitewater professor, will be featured. Refreshments will include apple cider and Norwegian bakery. Lisa Bauer will play the flute, and as before, there is a self-guided tour of the the cemetery available. Here is the announcement. Please share it with all who might be interested. We hope to see you there.
As noted, framed and unframed photos will be available for sale. We will also have note cards available. Charles says he will gladly take orders for photo sizes not available at the event.
For those who may not know how to get to the East Richmond Cemetery on County Highway P, here are the maps.
Recent News
It has been a while since news has been posted here, but that does not mean the restoration of the Heart Prairie Methodist-Episcopal Church has stalled. In fact, much has happened over the summer.
Church Restoration
Much of the activity this summer has focused on the construction and installation of new windows for the church and the painting of the walls as shown in the photos below. Because everything in the church is being restored to its original condition and appearance in the 1850’s, the window restoration was painstaking and tedious. Fortunately, volunteers helped the project along.
Georgia Kestol-Bauer Cleaning One of the Original Church Windows
The follow photo is of Evie McIntyre painting a church window dedicated to the memory of her parents.
Evie McIntyre Paints a Window Dedicated to the Memory of Her Parents
In the photo below, Rhonda Thompson, the great-great-great granddaughter of Christopher Steenson is painting one of the new windows. Christopher Steenson was one of the original founders of the church. It was he who gave the land to the community for the cemetery.
Rhonda Thompson, Descendant of Christopher Steenson, Paints Her Family Window
Below is a photo of Alexandra Kestol, great-great-great granddaughter of Peter Kestol, one of the church founders, painting trim at church.
Alexandra Kestol Painting Trim
And here is a snapshot taken sometime in the middle of getting the walls ready for priming. As shown, the cracks in the plaster have just been repaired.
The Walls Ready for Primer
New Organ Donated
Another major event in the church restoration this summer was the acquisition of a new organ for the church. Donated by Duane Austin from Beloit, Wisconsin, the organ was delivered on Tuesday, September 27th, by the Reverend Larry Froemming. The organ is in great shape and sounds wonderful. Look for a video in this space soon.
The Church Founders’ Descendants Get Together
During the past year, the descendants of the early church founders got together for the first time. In May, Georgia Kestol-Bauer traveled to Eau Claire, Wisconsin to meet with the Stensen family. And later in the summer, Rhonda Thompson and her husband, visited the church. While there, they painted one of the windows.
In the photo below, Georgia Kestol-Bauer visits in Eau Claire with Iner Stensen Jr., the great-great grandson of Christopher Steenson.
Georgia Kestol-Bauer Visits with Iner Stensen Jr.
The photo below pictures Georgia Kestol-Bauer with the Stensen’s in Eau Claire.
Georgia Kestol-Bauer, Iner Stensen Jr., Rhonda Thompson, and the Stensen Family
The Norwegian American Methodist-Episcopal Church 