Following are topical news items about the Old Stagecoach Stop Foundation's activities.
At its January meeting, the Old Stagecoach Stop Foundation's Board of Director's welcomed new board member Matt Ledbetter, local businesman. Matt will serve the remaining term of Kitty McKelvey, who has moved to the St. Louis area. The Board also extended the terms of its officers: Jeanie Porter, President; Jan Primas, Vice President; Kelly Howley, Secretary; and Pam Barnabee, Treasurer. The Board's next meeting is March 5, 2024.
| Visitorship: Record Year |
| The numbers are in, crunched by Board Member and statistician Mark Zurbrick. The number of visitors to the OSS in 2023, totaling 1,741, is the highest number for a single year in the museum's 30-year history. This year we hosted visitors from 39 states. While we have had visitors from all of the 50 states over the years, we did add Mongolia, Belize and Oman to our list of international visitors, bringing that number to 65 countries. We are looking forward to the 2024 tour season which begins on Saturday, April 6, 2024. Maybe it will be a record breaker. |
| Christmas on the Square 2023 |
|
|
|
| Hot cider was heating... | creamy hot chocolate was mixing... | and a table full of goodies was waiting. |
We opened the building at six to share All the refreshments for taking were there Hot chocolate was mixed Many plates were then fixed And by eight the table was bare.
|
| 2023 Old Settlers Day at the OSS |
 |
 |
| Old Settlers Day at the Old Stagecoach Stop did not feature the usual tours of the building. Instead, David and Teresa Chuber shared their knowledge of Civil War era medical practices. It is an appropriate topic since the OSS was a hospital during that conflict for Post Waynesville, which was located on the hill south of the town square. David demonstrated medical instruments and practices and Teresa explained the use of medicinal plants. Visitors packed the Tavern room to hear each of the five presentations during the day. This was the sixth time the Chubers have graciously shared their time and expertise in entertaining and informing visitors. The Old Stagecoach Stop Foundation also made available its 2023 edition of the Old Settlers Gazette. You can view this year's edition by clicking here. |
| Volunteers from New Business "Cut Up" at OSS |
Employees of Delphi Brands (l-r) Scott Gay, Matthew Ledbetter, and Aaron Spurgeon
|
Scott (l) and Aaron of Delphi Brands cut up dead trees on back lot. |
| In the wooded lot behind the OSS, between the McNeese building and Highway 17, two large trees had toppled during a storm a couple of years ago and prevented seasonal mowing of the park-like lot. Also, there were two dead, but still standing, trees that promised to be a problem in the future. We had been told that the cost to have a professional service remove these troublesome trees could be more than $700; a significant amount of money for our small, not-for-profit, organization. Matthew Ledbetter, Scott Gay, and Aaron Spurgeon volunteered to remove the detritus from the back lot. They arrived in early December at the OSS with a truck, trailer, and chainsaws. With the growl of saws and piles of sawdust, the trees were quickly reduced to firewood-size chunks that were heaved onto the trailer and hauled away. The trio are employees of Delphi Brands and work at the new state-of-the-art cannabis cultivation facility located at the Waynesville Industrial Park. |
