Donations to the museum in December 2009 included a star used in the movie "Prancer" and local historic photos and memorabilia.

   Visitors registering at the LaPorte County Historical Society Museum during the month of December 2009 totaled 676, coming from 11 Indiana counties, 13 states and Austria.

   Groups that toured the museum included a Christmas Mystery Tour from St. Louis, and employees of the J.F. New Company of Walkerton.

   The museum continues to seek donations of local school-related items, especially yearbooks from the smaller township schools throughout LaPorte County. A few of the schools for which yearbooks are needed: Westville, Rolling Prairie, Stillwell, LaCrosse, Union Mills, and Mill Creek, as well as others.

Donations in December:

   — 1945 certificate from Kingsbury Ordnance Plant for “Victory Ideas” awarded to Frank Nespo, father of donor, 1944 KOP newsletter “The Pellet Press,” Dan Nespo;

   — Early photograph of West 7th Street in Michigan City, portrait of an unknown local person, The News-Dispatch;

   — Large wooden star with lights used in the local filming of “Prancer” in 1989, placed on cupola of the Old Republic house in New Carlisle, Don Bowman;

   — 1960s footstool, Judy Brown Richardson;

   — Large ornate oil lamp that belonged to Charles Edward Smyers of Union Mills, grandfather of the donor, Richard Paul Smyers;

   — South Shore Railroad poster showing International Port of Indiana, artwork by LaPorte County artist Neil Kienitz, Jim Simon;

   — Script for 1998 movie “A Piece of Eden,” produced locally by John Hancock, James Quartuccio;

   — Complete set of Euro coins sent by a German man who visited the museum, Peter Ruess;

   — Book titled “Indiana Stonecarver,” Marcy Dailey;

   — Donated service work on museum model railroad engines, Richmond Controls Company;

   — Books and magazines for the sale table, Don Bowman, Robert Miller, Dick and Jean Bauer, and Chris Hamacher

Submitted by James Rodgers, curator

www.laportecountyhistory.org