December

As the last month of the year arrives, one wonders where the time has gone. It feels as though it should only be June, yet time passes swiftly amidst the hustle and bustle of daily life. Outside my window, the snow glistens, and the prairie winds blow incessantly. Those who settled here before us likely shared the same thoughts, yet they chose to remain despite the weather. The heritage center remains quiet, even as traffic rushes by outside. Fortunately, there are no spirits stirring yet. We have achieved a great deal on campus this season. We inaugurated the military exhibit building and Jack's Barbershop exhibit, dedicated to Jack Miller, a longtime barber in Tracy. We installed 30 flag poles, with an additional 15 planned for next spring, all funded by museum supporters. Our 1875 blacksmith shop received new cedar siding, installed by our resident blacksmith. The museum now benefits from city water, funded by the City through grant money, and the county has installed a new septic system. We also upgraded our electrical service, added siding to the 1874 section house, and replaced the roof on our 1866 log cabin, with support from the Northern Colorado Foundation's Evelyn and John Helmberger Holmboe endowment fund. All these efforts were made possible by the financial support of our dedicated supporters and grants. We are immensely grateful to our supporters, members, and business members—you are outstanding!