9:45 a.m. - More and more tourists are visiting Buckstop Junction, a historic park of 20 buildings at 3805 E. Bismarck Expressway, said Buckshot Hoffner, executive director of the Missouri Valley Historical Society.

So Hoffner needs more and more volunteers.

He said a perfect time to consider signing up to volunteer will be Monday evening when the historical society has its annual meeting that includes free food and music by local accordion player Violet Tharp.

"There are so many people that don't have challenges," said Hoffner, who is in his 80s. "Volunteering and being a member can be a real challenge. To have challenges is healthy - I've heard that from the medical community,"

"My goal is to get people to really get involved."

He said the music starts at 6 p.m. Monday. There will be free salads and snacks. But a good-will offering will be accepted. The business meeting begins at 7 p.m.

During the past dozen or so years, Hoffner and others have moved the Lewis Hotel and about 20 other historic buildings from the Missouri Valley area onto a 20-acre site just east of Bismarck.

It's the mission of Hoffner and other volunteers to give some of the area's historic buildings a chance to survive deterioration and the wrecking ball and give visitors a place to learn some history. So, the so-called town of Buckstop Junction was born and continues to grow with the help of donors and businesses who adopt buildings and help pay to move buildings and renovate them.

Bismarck's first grocery store is there, for example.

But the tour always starts with the Lewis Hotel, a two-story building, its exterior encased in the embossed tin more often seen on ceilings.

In the circa-1914 two-story hotel, built in Tappen by businessman Nels Lewis, there are still the original maple floors, about 14-foot-tall tin ceilings and the ballroom that still has the stage where silent movies were shown.

Hoffner said there are a lot of bookings for upcoming tours.

"It's unbelievable," he said. "Every year we get more tourists."

In addition to helping with tours, volunteers are needed to help restore buildings and help with the upkeep.

It's the volunteers' decision on how much time to volunteer. "If they want to do one hour a week, it's up to them."

(Reach reporter Virginia Grantier at 250-8254 or at virginia.grantier@bismarcktribune.com)