Howard Steamboat Museum Nears $1,000,000
Fund Raising Goal
The members and directors of the historic Howard Steamboat Museum are asking the
community to help push them over the top as they edge nearer to their first ever
Capital Campaign goal.
In late 2007, the Museum received an “All or Nothing” Challenge Grant from the
Paul Ogle Foundation in the amount of $500,000. “That means if we raise
$500,000, they will match it”, said David Reinhardt, President of the Board of
Directors of the Museum. “Under the terms of the grant, we must have the full
$500,000 in the bank by December 31st of this year to qualify for the matching
Ogle funds.”
Built in 1894 in the Richardson Romanesque Revival style, the Howard Mansion is
famous not only for the beauty of its ornate woodwork and remaining original
furnishings, but it is also one of the largest repositories of riverboat memorabilia in
the United States and draws a large number of tourists to the area. To date this year,
the Museum has welcomed visitors from 37 states and 14 foreign countries.
The $1,000,000 effort is designed to fund major improvements to protect and
preserve the 115 year old Mansion. Projects include:
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Fire suppression and detection systems,
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Zoned, energy efficient, climate control systems,
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Climate controlled storage facility,
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Laundry House stabilization and adaptive restoration,
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Other smaller measures such as restoration of the chimneys and storm windows.
With contributions and pledges already totaling $450,000, the Museum needs only $50,000 to meet
the Challenge Grant's December 31st deadline.
Museum Administrator, Yvonne Knight said, “We are
grateful for and inspired by the donations and pledges from corporations, businesses and foundations:
Woodbine Construction Co., Kentucky Derby Festival Foundation, Inc., Uerberroth Family Fund, Duke
Energy Foundation, Geo. Pfau's Sons Company, Duke Energy Foundation, the Hazel and Walter T. Bales
Foundation, Inc., City of Jeffersonville Department of Redevelopment and the Southern Indiana Convention
and Tourism Bureau, Vectren Foundation, Horseshoe Foundation, Your Community Bank, Clark Memorial
Hospital, Taste of Jeffersonville, James Graham Brown Foundation, Jeffersonville Urban Enterprise Zone
Association, Brown Forman, J. Mack Gamble Fund, and American Commercial Lines, LLC and
many individuals who have brought us to this point.
We now wish to engage everyone with an interest in
preserving this one of a kind American treasure by
encouraging them to join the fund raising effort."
The Howard Steamboat Museum/ Clark County Historical Society, Inc'., is a 501 (c) 3 organization:
donations are tax deductible. This campaign to protect, improve and preserve the Museum for future
generations is very important to the community; we must meet the goal to qualify for the munificent gift
offered by the Paul Ogle Foundation.
For further information about the Museum or the Capital Campaign please contact Yvonne Knight 812 283
3728 or David Reinhardt 812-207-3003.
