The Chickasaw County Genealogical Society has just completed a newspaper filming project with 26 reels of film ready for reading at the New Hampton Public Library. The State Historical Society of Iowa also has received copies of these films which are included in the costs of this project. The Newspaper Microfilming Project includes exactly 700 issues of Fredericksburg News newspapers and 895 issues of the New Hampton Economist newspapers. The Fredericksburg News papers include all issues for the years of 1898, 1906, 1931, 1935-1939. For several years 1916-1950, only a few issues were found. Most of the issues were available 1951 through 1953. All 52 issues are found for the year 1957. (The years 1954-1956 and 1958-1976 were already filmed in an earlier project.) This Fredericksburg News project has exactly 700 issues now filmed. The New Hampton Economist, for the most part, is complete for the years of 1951 to July 28, 1970. There are few Economist issues for the years of 1937, 1942, 1944-1950 making a total of 895 Economist issues filmed in this project. The Resource Enhancement and Protection (REAP) Act from the State Historical Society of Iowa $4264 award grant paid toward this as well as donations of $2900 given toward the total costs which came to $7288 to microfilm 26 reels. That averages out to $320 per filmed reel. There are three reels made to each reel, coming to $106 a reel.

It all started in the year of 1995

Most of these newspapers were obtained from the estate of one of our local collectors. In the summer of 1995 Jeanette spent five days sorting papers and hauled five car loads for further sorting. Society President Betty TYLEE, and Jeanette KOTTKE attended two workshops learning how to write a grant request. Then the grant writing began with the assistance of Juanita ANDERSEN. It was necessary to solicit donations to match the grant. After the grant was announced, the sorting out of what was not needed and already microfilmed began. Then sorting continued to place in sequence year by year, month by month, week by week. Others were notified via newsletters and other means what issues were needed to fill a full year’s worth of issues. In the summer of 2000, the actual preparation of the fragile papers for the camera began. After Betty TYLEE took the first of the many boxes to Cedar Rapids, the work began there and then society members waited anxiously to be completed in time for the REAP deadline. It took many hours of cooperation by many to accomplish all this. The reward is in the fact that the work will live long after we no longer are around. There will be many grateful people who will find information to add to their family histories. Thanks to all you helped accomplish this project.

Making Preparation for the Microfilm Camera

The preparation for these 1595 issues took many hours. Twelve hundred of these issues needed to be unfolded and flattened. The folded center corners were in need of serious repair. Jeanette KOTTKE found that an iron made these corners readable and flat again. Thus, she ironed some 1200 issues during the summer of 2000 in her cool basement with the able assistance of Thelma ALLEN who took each page and placed each one in sequence. She then placed them flat in 18 boxes to be taken to Heritage Microfilming in Cedar Rapids.

It was one of those quiet summer days (July to August 2000) when Thelma and Jeanette were ironing and preparing the papers, a REC representative happens to stop in for electric business. While there, he remarked, "Ironing papers!" He was struck by the procedure and immediately contacted the Iowa REC News Regional Editor. Editor Robin came and found the project very interesting. The REAP Program, the State Historical Society, the Iowa Genealogical Society and the Chickasaw County Genealogical Society were mentioned in her article that was published in the October 2000 issue.