Orcas Museum End-of-Summer Party September 26

The Orcas Island Historical Museum will close its exhibit doors for the season with an End of Summer Party on Friday, September 26, from 4 to 6 p.m.

It’s free and open to all – and what a rich and full 2008 season to celebrate!

Opened in 2008 were the spacious new entrance corridor sponsored by Jane Barfoot Hodde and the new museum store. A handsome curving sidewalk made of personalized bricks in support of the museum’s building project now leads to the front door. Inside are updated and revamped exhibits, and a brightly lit, commodious research archive, and volunteers with a smile to staff the Crow Valley School Museum as well as the Eastsound log cabin museum.

The museum celebrated history with a wonderful Historical Day in the Village Green the first Saturday in July with local blacksmiths, home-made pie, Civil War camp actors in full period dress, and more. Then there was a hoedown on Pear Island Farm to Save the Barn at the end of July; and a grand Cruise into History to finish the year on September 13. History does indeed live here!

There is more fun ahead through the 2008-2009 winter season. Throughout the month of October Walking Tours of Historic Eastsound will be offered on Wednesdays and Saturdays at 1 p.m. The research archives will continue to be open Wednesdays through Saturdays, so call for an appointment to search for your ancestors and their traces.

A photographic exhibit, Hands at Work, will be placed in the heated corridor through the winter, and the museum store will remain open. The museum’s fragile totem pole is undergoing restoration by woodcarver Walter Henderson, and will be re-erected on the west wall of the Margaret Philbrick Archives and Administrative Center building.

Orcas Island’s Ice Age Bison antiquus will be the focus of a presentation of new scientific findings by Dr. Michael Wilson on November 2nd at Orcas Center, with a reception following in the Madrona Room. Find out how you can take a hand in knitting a warm winter coat for the museum’s seven-foot tall bison replica for this presentation by calling Museum Director Micki Ryan at 376-4849!

Collections care projects will take place on a regular basis throughout the winter in our new Philbrick addition. Please call the museum, 376-4849, to register as a volunteer for training to assist with caring for collections. And, save the date for the Annual Museum Membership Dinner on Monday December 1 at Camp Orkila. This year award-winning videographer John Gorton will present “Monday Night at the Movies,” a video review of famous and infamous Orcas events over the years. Last but not the least, put your brick in our sidewalk and get your raffle tickets for the stunning Crazy Quilt hand-stitched and decorated by women of Orcas Island. The museum office remains open for business Wednesday through Saturday all winter long.

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