RESTORATION MOVES TO PHASE IIIA
As spring ushers in a season of renewal and rebirth, that sense of progress and anticipation is alive and well as the Dr. Susan La Flesche Picotte Center restoration continues to progress. Phase IIIA is underway, with the abatement of hazardous materials to remove asbestos, lead paint and other substances were commonly used in historic buildings. It also includes the installation of underground utilities. That work is expected to be completed June 1, paving the way for Phase IIIB – interior restoration.
In addition, the Arts and Culture Committee, chaired by Annika Johnson, has chosen the 106 Group, located in St. Paul, Minn., to develop an exhibit plan, collect artifacts and manage the installation in preparation for the opening of the Dr. Susan La Flesche Picotte Center in late 2023. The selection was made following a nationwide search.
Thank you to everyone who has been part of this inspiring journey!
Board Plans Historic Trail and Purchase of Dr. Susan’s Home
The Picotte Board of Directors is working to extend Dr. Susan’s legacy throughout the “beloved” Walthill community she called home. Negotiations to purchase her historic home are in progress. More than a family residence, it was a place where she provided care to patients before the hospital was built.
A condition assessment of the house will soon be underway, by Dan Worth of BVH Architects. The study will ascertain the condition of the house and outline its potential uses.
Board member, Ross Greathouse, is working on plans for a trail to connect the hospital and her home, along with other historic sites in the Village of Walthill. We’ll share details as they become available
CENTER RECEIVES “CHAMPION OF HISTORY” AWARD
Selected for its diligent work to preserve, promote and educate visitors about Dr. Susan La Flesche Picotte, the Dr. Susan La Flesche Picotte Center was recognized with the Champion of History by History Nebraska. Board member, Gary Bowen, accepted the award during a special presentation in March.
RECENT DONATIONS CONTINUE TO MAKE PROGRESS POSSIBLE
We are fortunate that our efforts continue to attract the attention and support of individuals, organizations and foundations who understand the difference their contributions make in our restoration efforts. The Dr. Susan La Flesche Picotte Center is pleased to announce several key donations.
A $300,000 grant has been awarded by a foundation that wishes to remain anonymous.
The National Society of Colonial Dames of America in Nebraska has awarded $10,000 to the Dr. Susan La Flesche Picotte Center for its Phase III restoration.
The Nebraska State Historical Society launched a special website to raise funds for expenses associated with the museum portion of the Dr. Susan La Flesche Picotte Center. The goal is $75,000, with $60,000 of that goal raised through the generosity of the D F Dillon Foundation.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation has awarded $50,000 from its Telling the Full History Preservation Fund for the Tribal Youth Voices Matter Project. It is one of only 80 grants given nationwide to organizations helping to preserve, interpret, and activate historic places to tell the stories of underrepresented groups in our nation. The Tribal Youth Project will engage the youth of the Omaha Tribe in the restoration and renovation of the Center, and the planning, development and design of youth programming.
Meet Board Member Nancy Gillis
A board member since 2015, Nancy Gillis joined when there were just four board members and the plan to restore Dr. Susan La Flesche Picotte’s original hospital was still in its earliest stages. “I had attended several Picotte Day celebrations through the years and wanted to help rejuvenate what I saw as a vital piece of Nebraska and Omaha tribal history,” said Gillis. For 19 years, she served as executive director of the John Neihardt State Historic Site and the Neihardt Foundation’s Institute for Vision and Learning. While there, she became aware of the connection between Neihardt, Nebraska's Poet Laureate, and the La Flesche family members in Bancroft, Dr. Susan, Susette, and Rosalie in particular.
“As a historian their stories intrigued me. As a resident of the reservation community and a Native person myself, I was extremely proud of the great impacts they made and knew they could not be allowed to be forgotten.” Since retiring, this project has become a major part of her focus. “The progress has amazed me, and the many highly motivated talented people who have come on board are making it happen,” she said. “My sincere hope is that Dr. Susan and her family, and their accomplishments will never be found only on the margins of our history ever again.”
In addition to the Dr. Susan La Flesche Picotte Center Board, she also serves on the boards of the Neihardt Foundation, Atlas of Winnebago, and the Walthill Village Planning Commission.