(By the way, be sure and read this entire column.. toward the end is a fabulous find that I KNOW you'll want to see...)

Has it really been that long?....  I mean, since we last talked? My first instinct is to be a little peeved at you: however, since I am ever the forgiving sort, you may begin the proceedings to make it up to me....

There have been a lot of things going on around here. The Historical Society is as strong as ever.. maybe stronger. We are brainstorming a lot of things around, and have begun several projects in earnest. One thing we have done in the last month is to purchase and install security cameras in the old Historic Depot, as well as coordinate with the city to install a monitored security and fire protection alarm system. Many thanks to Mayor Chris Hepler and Administrator David Bolling for their great help in making this alarm system a reality.

Speaking of "Depot", we are proud to announce that the Town of Oliver Springs has procured the services of Mrs. Lisa Griffith Duggins to serve as our librarian.

(Click on photo to enlarge)

I was proud to be asked by Mayor Chris Hepler to be a part of the team that interviewed from the swarm of candidates applying for the position. Lisa has a dual connection to our town and history, coming from the line of Griffiths that we know so well, and Lisa is also married to Keith Duggins of the Duggins family whose name intertwines down throughout the years from which is made up the chronicle of life in Oliver Springs.

Now, I could wax eloquent at great length on all the reasons Lisa is proving to be such an outstanding "fit" for this position, but I'd rather have you come down to the Historic Depot and meet her in person if you can. I'll go ahead and say "I told you so" in advance......

We have been very busy since you last checked in. The part of our group that is able to meet monthly had been brainstorming at and around the last two meetings about a wide variety of issues. Being of the obsequious sort, and not generally given to puffery, I'll just go ahead and tell you some of what's on our collective minds.

For some time many of us have sensed the need to engage in a comprehensive effort to expand and improve our archives. Since its inception the Oliver Springs Historical Society archives had not been a true dynamic searchable archive, but more of a static repository.  This is no reflection on any person or persons, but mainly because to make it otherwise would involve a huge and ongoing effort. Cutting to the chase, last meeting we decided to assemble a team for the express purpose of making our archives more complete, cohesive and far-reaching. One of the things we have done is to set up a computer at the Historic Depot, complete with scanner, for the purpose of scanning the wealth of pictures, articles, newspaper clippings, documents, et al, that we possess or otherwise have access to.

One things we are attempting to do, and in fact have started, is the process of scanning said artifacts from a multitude of private collections. I have made my personal collection (which numbers in the thousands of pictures, documents, etc.) available. Mr. Sonny Harvey is assisting us in this effort, and Mr. Harvey has over the years harvested thousands and thousands of such pictures and documents.

One notable goal or ours is to scan all articles, documenta, clippings, transcribed oral accounts, etc., into the computer, then run ocr (Optical character recognition) on them. For all you computer neophytes out there, what this does is to convert the said article into a text file which is then completely searchable by key word or phrase. For instance, if we accomplished this effort and all our info resided in searchable text form, we could then take any topic.. say, the Oliver Springs Hotel.... begin a text search on those key words, "Oliver Springs Hotel", and the computer would forthwith return the results of the search which would show all of the articles, clippings, etc., that contained the phrase "Oliver Springs Hotel". To broaden the search, simply type in the word "hotel" and all the info on hotels (of which there was a plethora in and around Oliver Springs) would be retrieved.

The process works the same for pictures. If all our pictures are appropriately named, one can then do a search on photos only, and return results accordingly. Want to research the Duncan family, for example? Type in "Duncan" and see all the info (words and pictures) containing the word "Duncan" come up at your disposal. Pretty cool, huh?

O.K., now comes the preachy part. The only way this works to its fullest is if all our friends, patrons, benefactors erstwhile and present, hoarders, scavengers, et al, help us. How, you say? Simple... by helping to make available for scanning any pictures or documents pertaining to Oliver Springs in its past or present glory. Got the whole pictorial record of the Whoosit clan starting back with the one that first crawled out from under that rock sooo long ago?..... Why not let us scan it into the computer, thereby ensuring that the Whoosit family will retain their rightful place in the history of this proud little burg we call Oliver Springs, or more appropriately, "Home".

We'll keep you updated on our progress.......

Now for the treat that I promised up at the top of the page...

Below is the only known photo of Marshal Henry J. "Pony" Cash that is known to be in existence. Mr. Sonny Harvey, who as you, (being our dear friend and all) will of course remember to be the chairman of our Historical Society, found this picture in his personal holdings. Mr. Harvey had told me for some time that he had just such a picture, but could not find it. Well, after diligent search he found it, lent it to me, and below is the glorious photo of Marshal Cash presented just for you. Most of you will remember that Marshal Cash was shot and killed in the line of duty in September 1904. If that was all there was to the story, it would be very short indeed....

However, we have done a ton of research on this story, and hope to produce a docudrama about the murder, as well as the events that precipitated it. I will write more about this compelling story later, as there is soooo much more to tell: and, I KNOW you love a good story......

Thanks soo much to Mr. Harvey, who continues to amaze me with his unselfishness... I think he likes to see me jump with unbridled delight when he shows me this stuff.....

By the way, I just thought I'd mention in passing that I fully intend to start being more diligent in posting "finds" such as this on this site. What I may do is first post them here on the "What's New" page, then migrate them over to one of the photo pages on the site.

When's the last time you saw a real honest-to-goodness freight wagon?? Can't remember? I didn't think so....  Well, feast your eyes upon this little jewel that was donated to the Historical Society by the family of Rev. Willard C. Bass. Preacher Bass passed away not long ago after a life well spent ministering to others, and his wife Marlena and their children subsequently bequeathed this precious gift to the Historical Society as a means of honoring Rev. Bass.

(Click to enlarge)

Lovingly and painstakingly restored by Maurice Woods and some of the fine craftsmen in the Historical Society, it now resides down at the Historic Depot. We are in the process of putting it up on the freight porch in front of the Depot, where it will sit proudly on display. Visitors to the Historic Depot can study and appreciate this fine artifact from a simpler time. We have prepared a plaque that will be mounted on the front of the wagon, where it will serve as a noble tip of the hat to the legacy of Rev. Willard C. Bass, as well as the thoughtfulness of his wife Marlena and children. Thanks, Mrs. Bass!!!

The Oliver Springs Historical Society recently hosted a very special lady when we all sat down to listen to Oak Ridge resident and former Nazi concentration camp intern Mira Kimmelmann

(seen below with Hist. Society chairman C.S. Harvey, Jr. and Carolyn Kelly)

(click to enlarge)

as she spoke of her life in the clutches of that evil empire. Forced at first into a life of hardship and squalor in the ghettos of Warsaw, Ms. Kimmelmann was eventually taken to a concentration camp where she remained until she was liberated. Her account was so moving and compelling that one's senses literally reeled at the unrelenting horror that was all too real for many Jews under the German warlords.  Thank you, Ms. Kimmelmann, gracious lady, for surviving this horror to educate us to the dangers of intolerance.....

Coming to Oliver Springs? Be sure and stop by the Historic Depot. Inside you will find a splendid array of pictures, artifacts, displays, etc., from our proud past. Bringing a group? Let us know and we might be able to arrange for someone to guide you in your sightseeing.

contact robbieu41@comcast.net

More to come....

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