An interesting program of Local history will be the feature of the Society's annual meeting on April 23 at the Dean House.

Our very own member and super Monday morning volunteer, Gary Hess, will present a power point picture program on his grandfather's cooperage business. He will be assisted by Peter Fauerbach, great-great-grandnephew of Henry Fauerbach, son of the founder of the Fauerbach brewery, who persuaded Gary's grandfather to come to Madison in 1904 to make barrels for the brewery.

Hess and Sons manufactured and repaired beer, wine and whisky barrels crafted from white oak. Barrels were made, not only for Madison's Fauerbach brewery but for Hausmann, Breckheimer, Brunkow and Mueller, Stork, and Haertel breweries.

Come and discover the history of Wisconsin's largest cooperage, located in our area at Schenk's Comers. The business meeting and election will begin at 3:00 p.m., to be followed by the program at 3:30. As part of the business meeting we will elect three Board members. If you are interested in serving on the Board and participating more closely in the activities of HBGHS please call Gloria Simley at 222-3859 or Bob Bean at 222-5783.

For historical information on the Fauerbach brewery see http://www.fauerbachbrewery.com

Madison will be celebrating its 150th birthday anniversary during the coming months; . in 1856 Madison received its city charter and elected its first Mayor, Jarius Fairchild and its first city council. HBGHS will be participating in the celebration in several ways:

April 9th - Information Table. HBGHS had an information table at Monona Terrace during the Madison 150 Birthday celebration there. Many people stopped by to pick up a brochure and see our display on the Dean House and the Back Porch Concerts.

August 10th - Back Porch Concert and Ice Cream Social. This year the Society's annual ice cream social will be co- sponsored with Historic Madison, Inc. and feature" A Hullaballoo -- trumpet fanfare accompanied by cheers, whoops, shouts and exclamations" honoring all the volunteers who have worked on the Dean House and for HBGHS over the years.

Sept. 10th - Dean House Sesquicentennial Birthday Party The Second Sunday Open House in September will honor the Dean House built 150 years ago and will feature a birthday cake and historic craft demonstrations.

Starting September 11, the Dean House/Golf Course parking lot will be rebuilt. We have been encouraging the Parks Department to improve the surface of the parking lot and we are looking forward to having a new surface.

Back Porch Concerts

We are planning another fun-filled summer series of Back Porch Concerts. Mark your calendars now for Thursday nights starting at 7:15 p.m., June 29th through August 10th.. See the schedule on page 3.