The Niagara Area Historical Society has partnered with the AutoCAD class at the School District of Niagara on a unique project for Serenity Woods.

Students used their skills to design and created a “rock box” that will showcase various pieces of the area’s minerals at the museum’s second location, on the corner of Quincy and Jefferson streets.

“Rocks — specifically the bluffs — are an important part of Niagara’s history,” said NAHS President Karen Klenke, noting the city was founded in 1900 on the banks of the Menominee River. “The collaboration not only highlights these local geological treasures, but we are making a connection between the community and its history.”

Klenke explained the “rock box” will be an added feature to the “collection” of rocks they already have started at the park. “We have some pretty cool rocks from the community — including the mill tunnel and local farms — that were used to develop the pond and fire pit,” she added.

“The Rocks That Built Niagara” will be one of the four panels for the “rock box” that the Niagara Area Historical Society plans to place in its Serenity Woods outdoor area. (Terri Castelaz/Daily News)

Klenke brought the concept for the project to Technical Education Teacher Jeff Swanson last year.

“The AutoCAD class started brainstorming design ideas right away,” Swanson said, adding they also had input from other classes and teachers.

He explained the entire class was involved, which included 2025 graduates Elijah Champagne, Aiden Sweig, Tommy Martin, Alex Tripp and Dante Stachowicz.

“Dante Stachowicz took the lead with the actual designs by completing all of the first drafts of the four panels that will become the rock box,” Swanson said. “The AutoCAD designs were later used to create programs that can be cut on our CNC plasma table.”

The 3-foot panels will include the name of the park, “Serenity Woods, est. 2024”; “Home of the Badgers,” with a silhouette of a badger; and “The Stones That Built Niagara, est. 1900.”

“This (the Stones panel) will have a list of all the students that contributed to the project,” she said.

The fourth panel comes from Klenke’s input, to include a silhouette of the paper mill. “The mill is very significant to Niagara’s history,” she said.

Stachowicz was able to create the mill in AutoCad from an old painting.

“He spent many hours in the computer lab working on the designs,” Swanson said, adding they also have many hours programming through trial and error to get the panels to where they are now.

“Our plasma table is relatively new and there was a huge learning curve for everyone,” he said.

The steel used for the project was donated by BOSS Snowplow in Iron Mountain. “They have been extremely generous to our Niagara High School metals shop,” Swanson said.

Welding and painting of the box will be completed in the spring by this year’s welding students, including project leads Landon Sweig, Dwight Hedmark, India Varda and Sawyer Rouse.

“They invested time and energy, as well as creativity,” Klenke said. “They should be very proud of their work.”

“Many of our students have family ties to the paper mill and they are always happy to help with community projects when possible,” Swanson added.

A dedication ceremony will take place after the panels are delivered.

“It’s a beautiful piece of art,” she said. “Another historical feature in Serenity Woods.”

At that time, the board will make its final decision for the placement of the “rock box.”

“We are thinking to the left of the sidewalk entrance on Jefferson Street — there’s a lot of space and it can get nestled in the trees,” she said.

Klenke is also thinking about the possibilities of doing a “rock run.” “My thought is we will spend an afternoon traveling around town to different places to gather these gorgeous old rocks,” she added.

The historical society thanks the students and staff for their continued support with museum projects.

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Terri Castelaz can be reached at 906-774-2772, ext. 85241, or tcastelaz@ironmountaindailynews.com.