Kiosk & Book Project
Working to bring the stories to our community
On September 21, 2020, in the heart of the covid pandemic, the WHA kiosk at Wikdal Park on the corner of 3rd Ave. and Bayfield Street was officially dedicated. Three of the four display windows tell the stories of Washburn. The window facing Bayfield Street is for the Washburn Chamber of Commerce to post current news and events.
Funds for the structure came from Eric R. Novachek’s bequest to the city that specified it be used for the “promotion of Washburn.” Eric was Karen Novachek’s son. The ongoing kiosk committee members — Lynn Adams, Patra Holter, Ginny Pedersen, and Sharon Stewart — evolved from a larger group who started researching and planning in 2018. The final design, composition of the panels, and site proposal were presented and approved by the City in December 2019. Mike Pedersen and Pete Dagsgard constructed the kiosk and it was painted by the kiosk committee.
The kiosk committee started meeting twice a twice a week to develop panels for when the kiosk installation was complete. Three panels, Logs to Lumber, DuPont Legacy, and the Historical Museum, were in place when the kiosk was unveiled. The panels are changed monthly (weather permitting), so multiple panels are needed. As of this month, 28 panels are complete. Some recent ones include the marina, the coal dock, community medicine, Washburn churches and Washburn schools. We gather information from the museum (Susan Mackreth is a valuable source), personal interviews, the internet, city hall archives and wherever we can find it.
The display has been so successful that the Kiosk Committee was asked to assemble a
book to share these stories of Washburn History. With funds from a grant from the Washburn Community Education Foundation we contracted Ros Nelson of Little Big Bay as our publisher. The design is taking shape, but we are still at the beginning of this process.
Meanwhile, we continue to create new historic panels. It is hard to believe that we have been working together with dedication for five years.
Obviously it is a labor of love.
Location
The Kiosk is located in Wikdal Park on the corner of West Bayfield Street and 3rd Avenue West.
Got a suggestion?
If you have an idea for a panel, please contact us by clicking on the button below.