SCHOOL KIDS VISIT SCHOLTE HOUSE

Every year our local 4th & 5th graders visit Scholte House.  They have been studying our Dutch heritage and history and come to tour the home of the founder of our community, Dominie Hendrik Pieter Scholte.  This year’s students were treated to a special “scavenger hunt” as they looked for some of Mareah’s treasures in the house. The students (150)  and the teachers and their helpers (11) enjoyed this new activity.  See pictures below of our great elementary students.

SNOW IN MAY?  

Every year I post pictures during our winter shutdown of the gardens in the snow, but I never imagined I would post pictures of the gardens in snow in May!!!  Yes, we had 4-5″ of snow on May 3rd, the Friday of Tulip Time!  Who would have imagined it?  But the tulips survived and have been beautiful since.  Even though the outside Tulip Time activities were cancelled, there were many, many things to do inside.  You can visit here at Scholte House, of course, but the Windmill, Interpretive Center, & Historical Village were all open.  Special events were going on at the Memorial Hall as well as meals served inside.  The stage presentation of the Queen and her Court were held at 2nd Reformed Church and Jason Brown still performed inside at Memorial Hall.  So, in spite of Mother Nature’s surprise this year, we here in Pella continue to celebrate our Dutch heritage and thank the Lord for all that he gives.  Come see us sometime this summer and enjoy our lovely community.  We are always ready to entertain visitors. 

 MINI CIVIL WAR EXHIBIT. 

Our mini Civil War Exhibit in the new Scholte/Lincoln Reading Room has been of special interest to visitors so far this year.  You may come and sit in the room and read to your heart’s content during our regular hours of 1:00-4:00 Mon-Sat.  The reading room will be open to all regular museum visitors for the regular admission fee.  Hope you will come see us.

PELLA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION GRANT RECEIVED

Many thanks to the Pella Community Foundation for the award of $1,500 for us to have 2 more of our original artwork restored and to have 4 restored paintings properly framed for display.  It is with the generosity of the foundation that we are able to continue preservation of our artifacts to share with visitors.  Professional Art Restorer, Barry Bauman, of Chicago, Illinois has completed cleaning of several paintings for us.    Mr. Bauman is retired and does his work for not-for-profit organizations for his materials cost only.    Check out his website by clicking below:  http://baumanconservation.com/members83.html     The Pella Historical Society and the Scholte House committee are excited to display these restored paintings and hope you will enjoy seeing them on your next visit to Pella.   Our thanks to the Norma & Peter Gaass family for their generous donation in memory of their parents.  Peter was the great grandson of Hendrik & Mareah Scholte.   Special memory placques with these paintings show our appreciation.