Special ornament offers history for the holidays

Havre Daily News/Nikki Carlson

Holiday Ornament: Northern Montana Vision Center ophthalmologist Dr. Marc Whitacre, left, and optometrist Dr. Erica Farmer take a closer look at a historical holiday ornament of the former post office and courthouse building, that they recently purchased.

A commission whose mission is to preserve history is offering a bit of history to help raise funds for its efforts.

The Havre/Hill County Historic Preservation Commission is selling limited-edition pewter ornaments, replicas of the historic U. S. post office and federal courthouse on 3rd Street and 3rd Avenue.

"We agreed, as a commission, that (the old post office) is the most architecturally outstanding building in Havre, so we should start with that, " Candi Zion, chair of the preservation commission, said this morning.

The sale of the ornaments will be used to help fund efforts of the preservation commission, such as its work, now near completion, of renovating the old chapel at Camp Kiwanis on Beaver Creek Park.

"The chapel has been a sweetheart project for us, with a lot of blood sweat and tears, " Zion said.

She said the commission intends the sale of the limited-edition ornaments to be an annual fundraiser, with a new building to be featured selected each year, probably in the fall.

Havre Daily News/Nikki Carlson

A holiday ornament of the former post office and courthouse hangs on a wreath inside of the building Tuesday afternoon. The ornament is one of 50 that will be presented annually to historical buildings in Havre and along the Hi-Line.

The pewter ornaments were hand-crafted in the United States by artisan Ben Cordsen, with engraving on the back, Zion said, adding that the commission is offering only 50 ornaments this year.

"So people better get their ornaments now, " she said.

The ornaments, which cost $15 each, are available at the H. Earl Clack Memorial Museum, the Havre Area Chamber of Commerce, Norman's Ranch & Sportswear, Havre Beneath the Streets and Northern Home Essentials.