A Year After Tornado, Future of Rudd Historical Society Remains Uncertain
It was December 15, 2021, that the community of Rudd was clobbered by a tornado spawned by a serial derecho that swept across the state.
One year later and several question marks still remain for the future of the Rudd Historical Society, which was housed in the former Wesleyan Church and heavily damaged by the EF1 twister.
Director Joyce Navratil says getting the museum rebuilt has been an uphill battle, to say the least.
Navratil says she’d like to apply for grants, but can’t until they can get an estimate on building costs. However, she’s had no luck finding a contractor with the time to take on another job or get back to her on the numbers. For now, the museum’s artifacts remain spread out in different locations.
Navratil says they’ve considered relocating, but haven’t been able to find a building to purchase. But, despite the struggles, she’s not ready to throw in the towel.
Navratil adds that she doesn’t want to see the Historical Society come to an end, because it would also signal the end of their community breakfasts on the first Saturday of every month.
