Photo Courtesy of Northern Mariposa County History Center
HISTORY CENTER HAPPENINGS
George Partan quickly moves into President’s Role
With the sudden passing of NMCHC president Bill Lane in late August, George Partan quickly transitioned from Vice President to President of the NMCHC Board. George is relatively new to the community and to the NMCHC, moving to the Lake Don Pedro area with his wife of 46 years, Catherine about a year ago. He has been showing his cars in the CoyoteFest for a number of years, so he may look a bit familiar to you.
George attended high school and college in the Bay Area. His career in security systems took him first to San Jose and then to Modesto, where the family (he, his wife and three children) resided for the past 27 years. Soon after both he and his wife retired, they moved up to our neck of the woods, quickly becoming involved in their new community.
Neighbors introduced George to the History Center and he was delighted to accept the Board Vice Presidency when asked earlier in the year. George and Catherine are also just completing their SCOPE training and are looking forward to soon being out in the community. They remain active in their home church back in Modesto as well.
George was not expecting to step into Bill Lane’s shoes so quickly, noting “In the year that I have gotten to know Bill I have found him to be a great person to work with, very knowledgeable in the history of Coulterville and surrounding areas. He was a very dedicated, hardworking and a pleasant individual. We as a community and the History Center have lost a valuable asset. We will all miss him. My prayers and condolences to Bill’s family.”
But stepping into these very big shoes he has done, already attending several CoyoteFest meetings and organizing a special September board meeting to deal with the sudden loss and the various holes Bill’s passing leaves within the History Center’s volunteer base.
NMCHC COMMUNITY BREAKFAST
Sunday, October 11th
Shawn Shimer serving breakfast
Enjoy a great fall Sunday morning on October 11th with pancakes and eggs at the Old School House in Historic Coulterville, located at the corner of Broadway and Cemetery Sts. Breakfast is served on from 8 to 11 am. This month’s breakfast will be dedicated to bill Lane, who faithfully prepared the delicious pancakes for over 30 years.
Breakfast a great value - a generous serving of eggs, ham or sausage, “all-you-can-eat” pancakes, fresh fruit and beverage for only $5.00 for adults, $3.00 for children or a family “package” for $15.00 (2 adults & 2 children), and also is a fundraiser for Coulterville’s museum! The proceeds of these breakfasts, which take place on the second Sunday every month, are used to maintain and operate the History Center, located at the intersection of Hwys. 49 and 132 (base of the John Muir Route). There is a free drawing for a complimentary breakfast each month and raffle tickets for baked goodies and assorted items that you can win on the spot.
The NMCHC was established as a 501c3 charitable organization in 1976 with the History Center opening to the public in 1980. Visited by thousands each year, including international travelers from around the world, the various displays and photos provide an authentic glimpse of the life and times of the pioneers who helped settle the area in the early 1800’s and those who traveled west during the 1849 California gold rush. Memberships and volunteer opportunities are available. Call (209) 878-3015 for more information or check out: coultervillehistorycenter.org.
