Boonslick Outdoor Arts Project
6:30 p.m. September 23, 2004
Emergency Operations Center Meeting Room
Attending: Brett Rogers, Florence A. Friedrichs, Betty Bowen, Gary Nauman, Bob Dyer, Toni Covington, Dorothy Whitten, Carmen Jones, Virginia Council, and Art Schneider.
Walter Williams’s bust/pedestal—Gary reported the city planned to move the bust/pedestal today, but was unable to get to it. He said it would be moved in about two weeks in conjunction with the VFW Park marker installation.
Hannah Cole Plaque—Gray said that it has been removed and prepared for shipping to International Bronze. He said that he has received a couple of calls locally from people asking what happened to the marker and other city offices also have received calls.
Parks and Recreation Department Board meeting—The Parks and Recreation Department has a heavy agenda in September and presenting the names of those who would be honored with bronze busts/pedestals at Morgan Street ark. The board meets at 5 p.m. He suggested October 19 or November 16.
Sunset Hills and Walnut Hills cemeteries—Gary said that both have been recommended for placement on the National Register of Historic Places. He did not know how this came about. Today, it is quite expensive to have a site placed in the national register. He said he would be meeting with city officials on this.
VFW Park Dedication—Gary said the park would be dedicated at 3 p.m. October 5.
Hannah Cole Story Plaque—Art reported that International Bronze is to pick it up Friday for a determination on whether it would recast the plaque to correct the error or charge for the correction.
J. Milton Turner Fundraising and Art Selection Committee report—Carmen said the committee met September 23. Present were Carmen Jones, Wayne Jones, Bob Dyer and Gary Nauman. They believed both sculptors had excellent suggestions, were qualified and submitted serious proposals. The committee decided to recommend Kwan Wu of Overland Park, Kansas. She added Ed Dwight had agreed to do it for the price in the proposal, but had many stipulations. He wanted to change the size of the sculpture and the pedestal.
Gary said the committee also was swayed towards Wu because Dwight would have sent the components and it would have been up to the project to put it together. He said Wu was highly motivated, willing to assist in a fundraiser. Both sculptors’ portfolios looked very good. Gray also noted Wu had done many sculptures for the Negro Baseball League Hall of Fame.
Art reviewed the proposal and noted that there was an error. The bust was to be 23 inches high and 18 inches wide. He said if the group accepted the proposal that Wu offered, Wu would need to be advised of the change. He suggested $300 to $400 be allotted to the bid cost because it came in under $8500. Art did not know if the bronze cast in high quality silicon bronze was similar to the other bronze projects are not. He will check into it.
Wu would be willing to come to Boonville in February. He could meet with the school students and community people and also bring the clay maquette for the bronze cast.
Consensus to go with Wu. Carmen will contact him by phone and a letter will follow this from Carmen and Art offering a contract and also noting the size change.
Toni Covington reported that CCBC had $2260 as of September 22. Funds from the Boonslick Historical Society, State Historical Society and $500 pledges by CCBC are not include in the total.
There also are several other planned donations. Art suggested that further new solicitations cease until all pledges and donations are known. The project needs roughly $8360 plus the donor plaque that is the responsibility of the project, not the sculptor. The city has allocated $5000. If there are additional costs to enlarge the head to 23 inches, that would need to be added.
Carmen has been promoting the project at Sumner School, LSE, the Festival of Lights and Boonville High School. She is to meet with the high school Saturday to discuss a Turner fundraiser.
She also noted plans to promote J. Milton Turner during Black History Month in February. CCBC is planning a fish fry/barbecue.
The weekend of the dedication will have the following schedule:
Friday, August 5—Supper. M. U. President Elson Floyd has been invited to be the featured speaker.
Saturday, August 6—Thespian Hall concert
Sunday, August 7—J. Milton Turner dedication. Art said since Lincoln University will be getting a new president in January, an invitation for the new president to be the dedication speaker would be made soon after the announcement.
Carmen reported the project also had raised $100 through book sales. STOMP (Starting Today On Making Progress) youth have raised $100 through hand fan sales.
Brett Rogers was complimented on his J. Milton Turner display that has been used for fundraising. Carmen has it and it is being made available for schools and community events.
Art suggested the Boonville Daily News be contacted and arrangements made for photos of the major donors presenting checks to CCBC.
Art noted that he had been told that Turner lived in the current vacant lot behind Davis Muffler and across the alley from Turner Hall. Bob said e did not believe that was the correct site. Bon will look in the Boonville City Directory to verify the correct address.
Funds beyond those required for Turner bust/sculpture—Art suggested that if donations come in after the costs of the sculpture are met donors be contacted and asked if they wish to donate the funds to the Turner Scholarship Fund, the Outdoor Arts Project or have the money returned. Concurrence to do this.
Kremer book on James Milton Turner—Dorothy Whitten contacted the high school, LSE School, David Barton and Central schools to purchase the J. Milton Turner biography book for their libraries. She thought it might take the schools a while to do this as many have planned purchases, but she found that all the schools had the funds and were willing to do so this year.
Within the next 10 days she also will contact the Boonslick Library in Boonville to purchase a copy. After discussion, she also added Pilot Grave and Bunceton schools to the list. Lori Jobe, a teacher at Otterville School, is a member f the Cooper County M. U. Extension Council and Art will contact her.
5 p.m. November 1 Dinner with Ken Witt, state archivist—Following the presentation of the First Women poster to Secretary of State Matt Blunt and State Archivist Ken Witt, it was suggested by Betty Bowen that he be contacted for a follow-up visit to Boonville. She said he is particularly drawn to the history of the area. Art followed up and invited him t give a lecture November 1 to raise funds for the outdoor arts project. It will be “Coffee or Wine and Dessert with the State Archivist” starting at about 6:30 p.m. At 7 p.m. Dr. Witt will discuss female beauty aids at the end of the 19th century. Arsenic was among the aids employed. Art asked if any from the project group would be interested in having supper with the sate archivist prior to the reception and program. Dorothy and Charles Whitten, Betty Bowen, Winky Friedrich and Art Schneider confirmed. If others wish to join the pre-program dinner, they need to contact Art by Oct. 29.
Boonville History Book—Bob Dyer checked into to costs of reprinting the books plus the cost of updates and corrections from the first printing. The new edition would include up to an additional 50 pages and require reformatting graphics and redoing the index. For 1000 copies the cost would be approximately $11,000. Art said the M. U. Extension Center for Cooper County would apply for funds as a loan to update and republish the book. Retail price will be about $30. The city would be repaid through the sales.
Recommendations for Final three busts in Morgan Street Park—Art distributed Bob Dyer’s full list of significant people and events associated with Boonville. He also included Bob’s recommendation of George Caleb Bingham, Lon Stephens and David Barton for the final three busts.
Art also circulated recommendations of two people to be considered provided by Maryellen McVicker, an e-mail suggesting Mrs. Hitch, Mrs. Guy Million, George Caleb Bingham and William Ashley be included. Glenn Langston also had suggested Ashley.
Winky suggested adding to the list William Ashley and Finis Ewing. He lived in Boonville and moved to New Lebanon and founded the first seminary west of t Mississippi. The seminary was for Cumberland Presbyterian Church preachers. The religious group had strong origins in Virginia and Kentucky.
Bob noted that if religious figures were to be considered that Justinium Williams would be a significant figure. He suggested that there would be many religious leaders that could be considered and that there may be fragmentation of support on sectarian grounds.
Winky educated the group that the Cumberlands did not require their ministers receive a degree from Divinity School. The movement started in early 1800s with revivals and spread throughout the wilderness. Ewing’s seminary was to prepare circuit riders. He began with a log school and then a brick school in 1856. Today, the sect has not survived.
After additional discussion, concurrence that the fourth bust should be of George Caleb Bingham. Bob Dyer said there is a bust of Bingham in Columbia and that it is possible that we could commission a bust by that sculptor at lower cost.
As to Ashley, Bob said Ashley never lived in Boonville, but in Chouteau Springs. He reiterated his point that there are many that could be honored and should be honored but there are only six busts planned for Moran Street Park. He suggested that plaques could be used to recognize other individuals. That could be in a museum or at various locations.
Lon V. Stephens was governor, journalist, and owner with his father of Thespian Hall and on the boards Osage Valley and Southern Kansas railroads.
Some suggested he also had flaws. Bon Dyer noted David Barton was an alcoholic.
Mrs. George Million who ran the Frederick Hotel was discussed. She apparently was involved in many community activities. Bob suggested there were at least 100 women who could also be inn that category. Gertrude Windsor for whom the gymnasium was named at the high school is one. She served on the Stephens College Board of Trustees. She lived in Cooper County at Windsor Place, not in Boonville.
Betty suggested Horace George Windsor, who brought electricity to the county. He was a noted agriculturist.
Bob noted if placement at Morgan Street was opened up to the county; there would be compelling cases for the Leonards, Walkers and Betteridges.
Daniel Boone was suggested. Bob noted that Boone never had an intimate relationship with Boonville, even though the town was named for him.
Brett suggested that a connection with the town of Boonville and influence beyond the community should be among the criteria.
The Bell family was discussed. They founded the Missouri Horticulture Association, were famous for apple varieties, and were a powerful moral force in the Civil War.
Dr. C. H. Ravensway also was suggested. Without him and Alex Ravensway, there would not be a hospital in Boonville.
Also suggested was Major Harley for whom Harley Park was named. He was a Santa Fe trader and built warehouses near the courthouse.
George Vest, a U. S. senator, also was discussed. He served in the Confederacy, was a lawyer, and was involved in the founding of Yellowstone Park.
Brett said that he supports Barton for one of the two remaining busts.
After additional discussion consensus Barton should be the fifth bust. Dorothy mentioned perhaps a statue of Barton at David Barton School would be appropriate. Art said he had extensive contact with the school district and was dissuaded because schools are targets of vandalism.
Toni mentioned Will Rogers, but said he was here a limited length of time and did not like Kemper School.
Captain Joseph Kinney was suggested. He had lived in Boonville and was a major steamboat figure. Steamboats also played heavily in Boonville’s early history. Bob said some attribute the stern wheel steamboat to Kinney, but Kinney was not its inventor However, Kinney was an innovator and one of the first to have a stern wheel steamboat.
Bob noted the high quality selections for the park have reflected diverse backgrounds and contributions.
Consensus that an individual, representing the economic base of Boonville was important and Kinney should be the person selected for the sixth bust.
Meeting concluded at 8:31 p.m.
Next meeting will be at 6 p.m. October 26.
October 2004
Kwan Wu
Kwan Wu Sculpture
7385 West 97th Street
Overland Park, Kansas 66212
Dear Mr. Wu:
On behalf of the Concerned Citizens for the Black Community and the Boonslick Outdoor Arts Project, we congratulate you on being selected for a commission to complete the second bust/pedestal for Morgan Street Park in Boonville.
There was an error that we need to correct on bust size. The bust should be 23 inches high and not 18 inches high. It is to be 18 inches wide. If there is an additional cost for this change, please let us know the amount.
It is our understanding that you will meet with the committee in February for approval of the clay model. We appreciate your willingness to meet with fundraisers and the community on this project. Carmen Jones will be the liaison for this. We do hope you will be here at 3 p.m. August 7, 2005, for the official park dedication. We would like for you to be part of the program and discuss your approach to the subject.
Also, of you will send a three-paragraph biography (preferably by e-mail) we will include it in our program. Also, if you have s scanned photograph, we would appreciate that for the program.
We are very excited about your selection for this project. We have been very blessed to have high quality sculptors for the projects that we have commissioned to date.
We will contract directly with you for the full cost. We have a couple of minor modifications for the one plaque and one of our members is preparing the 200-word plaque and will have it ready for approval at our October 26 outdoor arts meeting.
If you have an e-mail, please send an e-mail message to At Schneider at SchneiderA@Misouri.edu so the 200-word plaque can be expeditiously sent to you.
We will have a small donor plaque under the two plaques and we will be in contact with Carter Memorial to arrange for its mounting.
Best regards,
Carmen Jones, Chair Art Schneider
CCBC J. Milton Turner Project Boonslick Outdoor Arts Project
Ed Dwight
Ed Dwight Studios Inc.
3824 Dahlia Street
Denver, CO. 80207
Dear Mr. Dwight:
We thank you so much for your submission for the Turner Bust project.
One of the constraints that made it impossible for us to accept the proposal is that the city has set specific requirements for the pedestal, because it wants consistent styles for all pedestals. We agree that the size should be 23 inches high for the headband 18 inches wide for the wide. We would be willing to be flexible on time lines as we do not plan to have the dedication until August 2005.
We have selected a sculptor. But with your permission, we would like to hold onto your portfolio. A number of our arts selection committee commented on the quality of your work. We are hopeful within the next few years to add additional sculptures that would allow the artist greater flexibility and are more monumental.
If in your travels, you should go along Interstate 70 between St. Louis and Kansas City, we hope that you would stop here and visit with us. We would like to showcase what we have and discuss upcoming projects.
We are a town of less than 8000 population, so we do not have the resources available to larger communities. But we are committee to a quality outdoor arts program.
Best regards,
Carmen Jones, Chair Art Schneider
CCBC J. Milton Turner Project Boonslick Outdoor Arts Project