Grassell resigns from historical society board
A group of concerned residents unites to preserve the Rendezvous pageant
by Rhonda Swain

The Sublette County Historical Board (SCHS) has faced same significant issues in recent days. One item relates to the board's leadership, and the other is in regard to the controversial Rendezvous pageant, which the board decided not to sponsor next summer.

In a letter to the board, Board President Chopper Grassell recently submitted his resignation. Grassell did not return calls seeking comment.

Museum of the Mountain Man Director Laurie Hartwig said the board is "very sorry ... we regret his decision to resign because we feel we're moving in a positive direction."

Hartwig said that SCHS vice president Elaine Ullery "will be taking over the presidency for the remainder of the year."

The current board will remain until the end of the fiscal year when there will be two or three members whose terms are up.

The other matter is in regard to SCHS's decision to discontinue the organization and production of the annual Rendezvous pageant.

In a letter to the editor in last week's Examiner, the historical society welcomed any interested party to organize and produce future rendezvous pageants, stating, "We are willing to support them, provided that proper and adequate liability issues, community participation, funding and business support is obtained."

In response to the letter, and after attending the August SCHS meeting in support of the pageant, a group of Sublette County residents submitted a letter of intent to the board.

In an interview Tuesday, Des Brunette, who submitted the letter, said they responded "that there is an interested group, so don't throw away the props."

There were several people interested in seeing the pageant remain in production, including Van and Marilyn Huffman, Mark Eatinger, Gerda Dickinson and Jane Mickelson.

"We haven't done anything regarding the actual organizing," Brunette said. "But we're not going to let it die. We will hold a public meeting next month and plan to invite the town, the chamber of commerce, past cast members, just anyone interested in keeping it going."

She said they are hoping that some entity will be interested in helping with advertising and other issues, and that she feels there is a possibility the Sublette County Sporting Association will allow them to hold the pageant at the traditional pageant grounds.

The group is planning to hold a public meeting after hunting season, probably after the first of November, according to Brunette.