Elk Grove Historical Society Board
For the most part we are up-to-date on copies of the minutes, but in the early years we don’t have minutes for every meeting. We have searched computer files, old binders, etc. and posted what we could find. So, there are a few random minutes missing, but the ones posted will at least give you somewhat of an idea of the state of affairs with the organization at that time.
2021
Board Meetings of the Elk Grove Historical Society
President: Ken Miller – Secretary: Pam Phelps
2021 – December 13 meeting
2021 – November 8 meeting
2021 – October 11 meeting
2021 – September 13 meeting
2021 – August 9 meeting
2021 – July 12 meeting
2021 – June 21 Meeting
2021 – May 10 meeting
2021 – April 12 meeting – ZOOM
2021 – March 8 meeting – Cancelled (Medical issues)
2021 – February 8 meeting – ZOOM
2021 – January 11 meeting – ZOOM
2020
Board Meetings of the Elk Grove Historical Society
President: Ken Miller – Secretary: Pam Phelps
2020 – December 14 – ZOOM
2020 – November 9 – ZOOM
2020 – October 12 – ZOOM
2020 – September 14 – ZOOM
2020 – August 10 – ZOOM
2020 – April-May-June-July: COVID –
No meetings held, but necessary motions were made in emails to board.
2020 – March 9
2020 – February 10
2020 – January 13
2019
Board Meetings of the Elk Grove Historical Society
President: Bryce Tanner – Secretary: Ken Miller
2019 – December 9
2019 – November 11
2019 – October 14
2019 – September 9
2019 – August 12
2019 – July 8
2019 – June 10
2019 – May 13
2019 – April 8
2019 – March 11
2019 – February 11
2019 – January 14
2018
Board Meetings of the Elk Grove Historical Society
President: Ken Miller – Secretary: Carol Dunkel
2018 – December 10
2018 – November 12
2018 – October 8
2018 – September 13
2018 – August 13
2018 – July 9
2018 – June 11
2018 – May 14
2018 – April 9
2018 – March 12
2018 – February 12
2018 – January 8
2017
Board Meetings of the Elk Grove Historical Society
President: Ken Miller – Secretary: Carol Dunkel
2017 – December 11
2017 – November 13
2017 – October 9
2017 – September 11
2017 – August 14
2017 – July 10
2017 – June 12
2017 – May 8
2017 – April 10
2017 – March 13
2017 – February 13
2017 – January 9
2016
Board Meetings of the Elk Grove Historical Society
President: Brookelea Lutton – Secretary: Diane Borden
2016 – December 12
2016 – November 14
2016 – October 10
2016 – September 12
2016 – August 20
2016 – July 11
2016 – June 13
2016 – May 9
2016 – April 11
2016 – March 14
2016 – February 8
2016 – January 11
2015
Board Meetings of the Elk Grove Historical Society
President: Brookelea Lutton – Secretary: Diane Borden
2015 – December 14
2015 – November 9
2015 – October 12
2015 – September 14
2015 – August 10
2015 – July 13
2015 – June 8
2015 – May 11
2015 – April 13
2015 – March 9
2015 – February 9
2015 – January 12
2014
Board Meetings of the Elk Grove Historical Society
President: Barbara Claire – Secretary: Diane Borden
2014 – December 8
2014 – November
2014 – October 13
2014 – September 8
2014 – August 11
2014 – July 14
2014 – June 9
2014 – May 12
2014 – April 14
2014 – March 10
2014 – February 10
2014 – January 13
2013
Board Meetings of the Elk Grove Historical Society
President: Barbara Claire – Secretary: Diane Borden
2013 – December 9
2013 – November 11
2013 – October 14
2013 – September 9
2013 – August 12
2013 – July 8 meeting – CANCELLED
2013 – June 10
2013 – May 13
2013 – April 8
2013 – March 11
2013 – February 11
2013 – January 14
2012
Board Meetings of the Elk Grove Historical Society
President: Barbara Claire – Secretary: Diane Borden
2012 – December 10
2012 – November 12
2012 – October 8
2012 – September 10
2012 – August 13
2012 – July 9
2012 – June 11
2012 – May 14
2012 – April 9
2012 – March 12
2012 – February 13
2012 – January 9
2011
Board Meetings of the Elk Grove Historical Society
President: Norm Franklin – Secretary: Sue Richter
2011 – November 14
2011 – October 10
2011 – August 11
2011 – May 9
2011 – April 11
2010
Board Meetings of the Elk Grove Historical Society
President: Jim Entrican – Secretary: Sue Richter
2010 – December 14
2010 – November 8
2010 – January 11
2009
Board Meetings of the Elk Grove Historical Society
President: Jim Entrican – Secretary: Sue Richter
2009 – December 14
2009 – November 9
2009 – October 7
2009 – September 14
2009 – August – NO MEETING HELD
2009 – July – NO MEETING HELD
2009 – June 8
2009 – May – NO MEETING HELD
2009 – April 27
2009 – March 23
2009 – February 16
2009 – January 26
2008
Board Meetings of the Elk Grove Historical Society
President: Anita Peters – Secretary: Joyce Amundson
2008 – December – NO COPIES FOUND
2008 -November 17
2008 – October 27
2008 – September 22
2008 – August 25
2008 – July
2008 – June
2008 – May
2008 – April 28
2008 – March – NO COPIES FOUND
2008 – February 25
2008 – January 28
2007
Board Meetings of the Elk Grove Historical Society
President: Anita Peters – Secretary: Sandy Hampton
2007 – September 24
2007 – August 27
2007 – July 23
2007 – June 18
2007 – May 7
2007 – January 22
2006
Board Meetings of the Elk Grove Historical Society
President: Anita Peters – Secretary: Vera Botelho
2006 – October 25
2006 – August 28
2005
Board Meetings of the Elk Grove Historical Society
President: Tom Russell – Secretary: Sandi Russell
2005 – December meeting – No Copies Found
2005 – November 14
2005 – October 10
2005 – September 12
2005 – August 15
2005 – July meeting – No Copies Found
2005 – June meeting – No Copies Found
2005 – May 9
2005 – April 11
2005 – March 14
2005 – February 14
2005 – January 10
2004
Board Meetings of the Elk Grove Historical Society
President: Milt Webb – Secretary: Joyce Amundson
2004 – December 6
2004 – November 8
2004 – October 11
2004 – September 13
2004 – August meeting – No Copies Found
2004 – July meeting – No Copies Found
2004 – June 7
2004 – May 17
2004 – April 19
2004 – March 15
2004 – February 16
2004 – January 19
2003
Board Meetings of the Elk Grove Historical Society
President: Tom Russell – Secretary: Sandi Russell
2003 – December meeting – Not held this month
2003 – November 17
2003 – October 20
2003 – September 15
2003 – August 18
2003 – July meeting – No Copies Found
2003 – June 4
2003 – May 19
2003 – April 21
2003 – March 17
2003 – February 17
2003 – January 6 & 27
2002
Board Meetings of the Elk Grove Historical Society
President: Tom Russell – Secretary: Sandi Russell
2002 – November 13
2002 – September 11
2002 – June 3
2002 April 1
2002 – March 2 & 18
2002 – February 4
2001
Board Meetings of the Elk Grove Historical Society
President: Elliott Mulberg – Secretary: Iris Zimbelman
No Minutes can be found
2000
Board Meetings of the Elk Grove Historical Society
President: Elliott Mulberg – Secretary: Lucille Christensen
No Minutes can be found
1999
Board Meetings of the Elk Grove Historical Society
President: Dorothy Hrepich/Jeanette Lawson – Secretary: Donna Wolff
1999 -December meeting – No copies found
1999 – November
1999 – October 25
1999 – September 27
1999 – August – No copies found
1999 – July – No copies found
1999 – June – No copies found
1999 – May 24
1999 – April – No copies found
1999 – March
1999 – February 21
1999 – January 25
1998
Board Meetings of the Elk Grove Historical Society
President: Sandi Russell – Secretary: Jane Morse
1997
Board Meetings of the Elk Grove Historical Society
President: Sandi Russell – Secretary: Jane Morse
1996
Board Meetings of the Elk Grove Historical Society
President: Bob Dayton – Secretary: Joyce Amundson/Sandi Russell
1995
Board Meetings of the Elk Grove Historical Society
President: Merwin Rose – Secretary: Susan Gordon
1995 – December – No copies found
1995 – November 27
1995 – October 30
1995 – September 25
1995 – August – No copies found
1995 – July – No copies found
1995 – June 26
1995 – May 15 & 29
1995 – April – No copies found
1995 – March – No copies found
1995 – February 13 & 27
1995 – January – No copies found
1994
Board Meetings of the Elk Grove Historical Society
President: Elaine Wright – Secretary: Sharon O’Hara
1994 – May 9
1994 – February 23
1994 – January 26
1993
Board Meetings of the Elk Grove Historical Society
President: Dorothy Hrepich, Secretary: Sharon Derr
No Minutes can be found
1992
Board Meetings of the Elk Grove Historical Society
President: Ed Frutchey/Dorothy Hrepich – Secretary: Marilyn Flemmer/ Sharon Derr
No Minutes can be found
1991
Board Meetings of the Elk Grove Historical Society
President: Peggy Forseth-Andrews – Secretary: Carmel Silva
No Minutes can be found
1990
Board Meetings of the Elk Grove Historical Society
President: Peggy Forseth-Andrews – Secretary: Sue Earls
No Minutes can be found
1989
Board Meetings of the Elk Grove Historical Society
President: Ed Frutchy – Secretary: Ric Windmiller
1989 – April 3
1988
Board Meetings of the Elk Grove Historical Society
President: Pat Braziel – Secretary: Cheryl Griess
1988 – February 8
1987
Board Meetings of the Elk Grove Historical Society
President: Pat Braziel – Secretary: Cheryl Griess
1987 – December 14
1987 – November 16
1987 – October – No Copies Found
1987 – September 21
1987 – August 25
1987 – July 13
1987 – June 8
1987 – May 11
1987 – April 13
1987 – March 10
1987 – February 23
1987 – January 12
1986
Board Meetings of the Elk Grove Historical Society
President: Pat Braziel – Secretary: Cheryl Griess
1986 – December 22
1986 – November 24
1986 – October 17
1986 – September 24
1986 – August 24
1986 – July – No copies found
1986 – June 29
1986 – May – No copied found
1986 – April – No copies found
1986 – March 17
1986 – February 24
1986 – January 20
1985
Board Meetings of the Elk Grove Historical Society
President: Sterling Kloss – Secretary: Versie Ellis
No Minutes can be found
1984
Board Meetings of the Elk Grove Historical Society
President: Dennis Buscher – Secretary: Versie Ellis
No Minutes can be found
1983
Board Meetings of the Elk Grove Historical Society
President: Dennis Buscher – Secretary: Pat Brazeil
No Minutes can be found
1982
Board Meetings of the Elk Grove Historical Society
President: Elizabeth Pinkerton – Secretary: Louise Waterman
No Minutes can be found
1981
Board Meetings of the Elk Grove Historical Society
President: Bud Long – Secretary: Louise Waterman
No Minutes can be found
1980
Board Meetings of the Elk Grove Historical Society
President: Lois Toquer/ Bud Long – Secretary Louise Waterman
No Minutes can be found
The Elk Grove Historical Society was certified as as an organization on
November 5, 1979
Compiled by Helen Mahon-Reynolds from Pioneer of Elk Grove Documents in the file “historical documents” she writes,
“Anabel Gage became interested in the history of Elk Grove, helping to arrange the first meeting of the Elk Grove Historical society in the mid 1950’s. The meeting was held in the home of Helen Mahon-Reynolds, Edna Batey, a native of Elk Grove, and Norine Wackman, who married Howard Wackman, a native of Elk Grove, helped fashion the plans of preserving the history of Elk Grove.”
“Anabel spent many hours with her camera, developing the picture of Elk Grove. She even placed Ada Beattie in her car and drove around to various cemeteries to record history of the old timers of Elk Grove. Much credit should be given to Anabel Brady Gage for the knowledge and pictures that we now have.”
In the Elk Grove Citizen Progress Edition in January 1979, it was written about the Elk Grove Historical Society:
The first forerunner of the present Elk Grove Historical Society was the Ernestine Smith Memorial Room Community Committee.
It was organized on April 15, 1971 by interested community residents and teachers at Joseph Kerr Junior High School to commemorate a gift of $10,000 given by the late Ernestine Springstead Smith Library at the school.
She was the daughter of early day Elk Grove pioneers and a descendent of the Henry and Harvey Kerr families who originally owned the property on which Elk Grove is located.
A room in the Kerr library was established in her memory and members brought various items of local history interest for display to perpetuate the history of the Elk Grove area.
The displays were rotated and proved quite popular. However, due to a shortage of classrooms, the room was eventually needed and the room closed. Mrs. Smith’s bequest was used to purchase library books and equipment.
Members were Bob Fite, Kerr librarian Ruth Cagle, Anabel Gage, Beth Enos, Marion Mix, Alvin Bartholomew, Phylis Krull, and Lucille Hodo, most of whom were members of the current Historical Society.
This was followed by the Elk Grove Bicentennial Committee which was formed in June 1975. It was during this time that the century-old Rhoads School on Sloughhouse Road, closed and abandoned for many years, was taken as a Bi-centennial project by the Bicentennial Committee, headed by Carl Amundson of Short Road, Elk Grove.
It was moved to the site of the old Elk Grove Pavilion and was renovated and refurbished to its originality, almost entirely by community efforts including students of the Joseph Kerr Junior High School.
When the the Bicentennial ended in 1976, members decided to perpetuate the ideals of the Bicentennial with its emphasis on American history, and so the current Elk Grove Historical Society came into being.
It received its charter on the 11th of November 1977. It had 68 paid members, most of them charter members………..
The following was compiled from the files, documents, and information found in the Elk Grove Historical Society archives:
President Ronald Reagan challenged communities throughout the United State to start a history project of some kind for the Bicentennial in 1976. Some long-time active residents of the Elk Grove community decided to relocate the 1872 one-room Rhoads Schoolhouse from its rundown setting in Sloughhouse to the Elk Grove Park, and they did. The citizens of Elk Grove jumped on board. For the next year elementary classes, high schools students, parents, organizations, and many other volunteers and construction workers restored the building to its original glory and on July 4th, 1977 it was dedicated and opened. It was a unifying event, wonderful achievement, and proud moment for the Elk Grove community. Over the years, it has evolved into monthly tours and the Rhoads School Living History Program providing about 80 classes a year introducing children to what school life was like in 1890.
Those forward thinking organizers became the forefathers of the Elk Grove Historical Society. A year after the dedication a non-profit was organized and incorporation papers were drawn up and made part of the bylaws on December 8, 1978 and signed by Milt Webb, Anabel Gage, Margit Kloss, Lois Toquero, Gertrude Hogaboom, Edie McDonald, and Carl Amundson. On November 5th, 1979 The Elk Grove Historical Society was officially certified as an organization by the State of California.
Later, on July 31th 1982 there was a ceremony to break ground on the land formerly owned by Marion Brown, for the new Elk Grove Hotel & Stage Stop Museum of 1850 organized by project manager Carl Amundson. On hand were Hal Bartholomew, Don Nance, Toby Johnson, Henry Kloss, and Elizabeth Pinkerton. Meanwhile, during the years of construction, in 1983, in the heart of Old Town Elk Grove, Chuck Argentine has chosen to have his place of business in one of the most historic buildings in Elk Grove, the IOOF Building. Argentine has filled offices with artifacts and items of historic interest and has opened part of his building to the Elk Grove Historical Society to use as a mini-museum.
About the Minutes of the Historical Society
Very little was written down or survived in those transition years, or at least we were unable to find anything. Organized writings didn’t start to appear until 1980. We have random minutes and newsletters then that begin to give us an idea of the early years. We have scanned what we could find and wish we had a better history, but it is what it is.
We have noticed that it wasn’t unusual to find minutes randomly missing in some type of configuration during the summer months (June, July, and August) and it was thought that perhaps they took summer breaks. And the same occasionally for December to celebrate the holidays. In those days, due to a lack of a facility or offical meeting place, they would meet at someone’s house or place of business. Also, we found occasionally, they held more than one meeting per month. It seemed as if this was during big events or construction projects.
The society has changed over the years and we can only guess at those decisions.