Madsen-Lauper Family Reunion 2004

Reunion Details

Please check back regularly for updates.

This page contains sections on:

• Registration
• How to Prepare
• What to Bring
• Schedule
• Wheeler Farm
• Who's in Charge?

The Registration Form has been sent out to all for whom we have postal addresses.

Please return registration by July 30!

We need all attendees to sign up and send the registration fee. Understandably, we cannot guarantee food for those that do not pre-register, but if your plans change at the last minute and you can attend, please send a message and come! (reunion@lauper.org)

If you do not have a copy of the Registration Form, you can download and print a copy: Download Registration Form" (pdf, 62KB)

• Register and pay for your attendance (follow instructions above)
• Send at least three or four facts about family members for the Get-Acquainted Activity
• Send family photos for the website (reunion@lauper.org)
• Send your favorite homemade ice cream recipe (to be used for evening dessert)

Wheeler Farm

Wheeler Farm, located at 6351 South 900 East in Salt Lake City, is the 75-acre re-creation of the late nineteenth-century dairy farm of Joseph J. Wheeler. Some may be surprised to find out that the farm, for a period, belonged to family member Richard W. Madsen, Jr., and was called Golden Guernsey Farm. Since 1969, it has been a property and restoration project of Salt Lake County.

Wheeler Farm provides the following items in repsonse to the question: "What is there to do here?"

1. Visit with the animals. Admission is free and you are wlcome to stroll the grounds at your leisure. Wheeler Farm is not a petting zoo, so we ask that you keep you hands away from the animals to avoid injury, and that you do not attempt to feed them. The farm is home to cows, chickens, pigs, horses, turkeys, sheep and rabbits. We also have a large fowl population, but ask that you please do not chase the ducks. It causes them stress, and they have been known to bite when threatened. Duck food is on sale at both the front desk and Country Store for $0.50 a bag, or you are welcome to bring bread from home.
2. Activities on the farm include:
   • house tours [10am - 4pm, on the hour, $1.50 per person]
   • wagon rides [Every half hour from 10am to 4:30pm, price?]
   • cow milking [5pm, $0.50 per person]
   . Tokens for these activities can be purchased at our front desk located in the Activity Barn, or at our Country Store. The store is only equipped to accept cash or checks. Purchases made with a credit or debit card need to be made at our front desk. The store is open primarily during our busy season, with limited winter hours. Wheeler Farm offers several seasonal special events, and information on those events is available at the front desk.
3. In addition to the farmhouse, there are several other exhibits located throughout the fram grounds. They include:
   • The Garage: display of "summer kitchen" and laundry techniques.
   • The Bird House: information about native birds and research books.
   • Antique Farm Machinery Building: display of antique farm equipment.
4. The Activity Barn is more than just a place to host a wedding, dance or other special event. The first floor is home to the Beverly Wheeler Mastrim Art Gallery. Watch for a new guest artist each month and see our front desk for information on how you can purchase artwork. On display upstairs are several turn-of-the-century exhibits of farm life, as well as the Loft Photo Gallery featuring current photos of Wheeler Farm.
5. Other fun things to do on the farm include picnic lunches, hiking or biking the trails in our backwoods, bird watching, nature viewing and photography. The children will enjoy playing in our tree house located behind the farmhouse, or exploring the playhouse and "lightening tree" located across the red bridge on the northeast corner of the farm.

Wheeler Historic Farm Web Site

Who's in Charge?

At the Madsen-Lauper Reunion in 2002 (following the dedication of the replica of the Furniture Store), a vote was taken at the Saturday morning meeting and breakfast. David Peterson (Jr.), great-great grandson of Hans Madsen, in the Lauper Branch, somehow "beat out" all "rivals" and was awarded the responsibility of arranging the next reunion, "in two years time."

As fate would have it, in 2004, David's branch of the Lauper Family also takes their turn in managing the annual Lauper Family Reunion. It made a lot of sense, from both a logistical and social point of view, to combine these gatherings into one big extravaganza.

Photo of the senior members of David's branch: Viola Lauper Johnson and her descendants

As a computer professional, David has personally taken on the role of "webmaster" for this web site, but he is relying heavily upon the assistance of his family in dealing with the myriad of preparations for a family reunion. He is counting on YOU to help make both this web site and family reunion a great success.

Thank you for your support!