Five Hennessey community members volunteered to work on starting the town’s first Historical Society Committee during a 7 p.m. Tuesday meeting in the History Center at the public library.

Kevin Hopkins will chair the group’s effort to save the town’s 94-year-old Main Street library structure along with members Scott Hajek, Frank Patton, Jack Quirk and Barb Walter.

Others who attended the meeting were Abbie Ashley, Robert Buswell, Kathi Krystal, Jamie Harp, Cass Hobbs, Anne Jones, Steven Mitchell (library director), Libby Seiger, Richard Simunek and Ann Taylor.

Keep Building/Future Plans

Those attending were enthusiastic about getting started on planning and voted with a show of hands that they want to keep the building as a library and history museum.

There was only one person who didn’t agree to keep the building.

The Historical Society board’s next steps include working with the town board since the town owns the property.

They want to make sure there will be plenty of room for parking east and south of the current structure since the fire department is making an addition on the north side of the library property and the town is planning to put in a helicopter landing east of the fire station.

There were also discussions about keeping the historical exterior and in the interior as much as possible.

Historical Landmark

The new board will also look into getting the structure declared a state and federal historical landmark. Ashley said when they remodeled the then-Enix Flowers & Gifts for Garden’s Edge, that was placed on the National Register in 1984.

She said they had to document, and store, the Italian plaster on the ceiling that they took down.

The 107 S. Main St. building was the first home for Farmers and Merchants National Bank (built in 1889-90 just after the Land Run) and now houses Annie’s Flowerhouse & Gifts.

The new board also plans to apply for grants and make fund-raising plans, in addition to becoming a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt non-profit.

Quirk moderated the meeting this week and said it would be the last meeting of the building committee that he’d chaired.

Other members of that committee, who were named by Mayor Bert Gritz, were Ann Taylor of Friends of the Library,Town Trustees Richard Simunek and David Jones, and then-Town Administrator Tiffany Tillman.

Gutters Needed

Quirk said there are no gutters on the back of the building and it’s leaking.

“And causing mold,” said Simunek, who is also a preservationist and has been a fervent advocate to keep the structure.

“The architect said to seal up the basement,” said Quirk.

When asked about the earlier estimated cost, he said, “About $8 million.”

“We don’t have a legitimate estimated amount of what this will cost,” said Simunek. “We need a citywide vote.”

Town Will Own Building

Quirk said the way the historical board will work is that the town will continue to own the building and property, and the Historical Society will be the fundraiser.

“This is going to be a long process,” he said.

Then the town should get repairs such as that done now, agreed some audience members.

“Why isn’t the town preserving this building?” asked Robert Buswell.

“The town doesn’t have the money,” said Quirk.

Ann Taylor told Buswell that his late-father (Dr. Arthur Buswell of Kingfisher) was instrumental in helping the Hennessey Friends of the Library get started and it was much-appreciated. Robert Buswell’s mother was Jane (Fuksa, 1953 HHS grad).

April 10 Meeting

The first organizational meeting for a Historical Society will be at 7 p.m. Monday, April 10, in the library’s History Center, said Hopkins, the newly-named chairman.

He asked that all who are interested and want to be involved to attend that meeting.