|
|
Press RoomMany of Fort Walla Walla Museum's events, exhibits, and projects have earned regional and national recognition. News from Fort Walla Walla Museum |
June 15 Fort Walla Walla Museum School Tour Program Reaches Many For the past decade, Fort Walla Walla Museum has offered admission free school tours to public, private and home schooled students. Thanks to the generosity of its sponsors, this spring the School Tour Program exceeded a landmark 50,000 participants over that period. Each spring and fall at the start of a new semester, the Museum sends letters to area schools encouraging them to book tours to visit the 15-acre commemoration of regional heritage. The response is extraordinary, producing participants from across Washington, Oregon and Idaho. Visitors come from as far as Ashland, Oregon and Shaw Island, Washington, but more typically from an area within approximately three hours from Walla Walla. Tour Coordinator Bill Lake and his volunteer docents welcomed a visiting contingent of 20 Japanese middle school students as the Museum’s visitation season opened April 1. Through May 25, 42 schools made use of the School Tour program for their students, representing nearly 2,000 participants. Schools as distant as Bellevue, Washington and Imbler, Oregon arrived this spring; schools as large as Pasco’s Maya Angelou Elementary sent more than 150 students on a visit; an Idaho-based home school sent four. With 18 more tours booked before schools in the area recess for summer, fully two-thirds of the typical 5,000 annual participants are anticipated , all interested in learning more about “The Cradle of Northwest History,” as the region has been known for more than 100 years. “We know that coming up with funds for field trips can be hard on strapped school districts,” noted Paul Franzmann, the Museum’s Communications Manager. “These days, it can be hard on a lot of families to cover that cost, too. When you realize, according to our surveys, that well more than 80% of these kids have never visited a museum before, that makes a cost-free school visit critically important on many levels,” said Franzmann. “First, kids who see that they are part of an on-going story of history are more likely to be vested in their communities’ future. With the knowledge that kids just like them grew up here and went on to major accomplishments in so many fields gives them an ‘I can do it, too’ outlook. Finally, kids who grow up going to museums are far more likely to take their own children to museums, perpetuating so many good things. This is win-win for the kids, the teachers and their schools, and all these communities.” Sponsors for the program this year include Boise's Wallula Mill, Blue Mountain Community Foundation, Mary Garner Esary Trust, Milton-Freewater Area Foundation, and Pacific Power Foundation. Tours can be booked by calling the Museum at 509.525.7703. An interesting aspect of the program involves students’ thank-you letters to program sponsors. This exercise engages children in acknowledging receipt of something valuable, an exercise in writing formally, and a wrap-up to the overall experience. Boise’s Communications Manager Destry Henderson notes, “As this is my first year with Boise, and therefore this is the first time I’ve seen the many ‘thank yous’ we receive from kids who visit the museum, I have to say I’m impressed. I’m glad our contribution has touched so many kids.” A free 2010 Teachers Guide to Fort Walla Walla Museum is available as a download at www.fortwallawallamuseum.org/education.htm. The guide is designed for Washington and Oregon third and fourth grade curriculums and includes pre-visit and post-visit activities, as well as opportunities to enhance learning while a tour is underway. |
June 10 Fort Walla Walla Museum Debuts New Special Exhibit Fort Walla Walla Museum is exhibiting a blending of traditional Native American arts and contemporary Crow’s Shadow Institute of the Arts prints through July 26. Included in the exhibition are three fully-regaled life-size horse replicas featuring beaded regalia items newly created by participants from Crow’s Shadow ongoing workshop series, as well as a number of prints created at the Institute’s Mission, Oregon facility. Art has always been a central element in Native American culture and the artist has always been a central figure in the life of Native communities. “Crow’s Shadow is founded on the value that art improves the lives of all people in the community and is an essential element in the educational, social, and economic development of the community. Art helps a community build trust, honesty, acceptance of diversity, goodwill and celebrates beauty. Crow’s Shadow provides a venue in which these values can flourish,” says Feather Sams Huesties, Executive Director. “We are pleased to exhibit items from the traditional arts classes in tandem with the fine-art prints we produce in Crow’s Shadow Press, as both art forms empower the artist with new found skills, techniques, connections and opportunities for continued artistic growth.” The show includes framed prints from artists Jeremy Red Star Wolf (Umatilla/Cayuse/Walla Walla), George Flett ( Spokane) and others. Many are available for purchase. Crow’s Shadow’s workshop, Reviving the Material Culture of the Horse: A Community Effort to Bring Back Horse Regalia , was offered in conjunction with the centennial anniversary of the Pendleton Round-Up. Indian people have participated in the Round-Up parade and Happy Canyon events throughout the 100 years, though emphasis on horse regalia had waned over time. With instructors John and Katie Blackwolf Bevis leading the way, more than 40 workshop participants worked at creating modern versions of this traditional art. Native peoples of the Columbia Plateau came to possess horses in the 1730s. The animals soon became prized as a measure of a family’s wealth, as well as being appreciated as beloved members of a family. Regaling a horse in finery indicates respect due to both horse and rider. Bright colors are often the rule, incorporating beadwork, textiles, porcupine quills, brass bells, horse hair , Chinese coins and personal symbols into finished works like those on display at the Museum. Following the closing of the exhibit July 26, the items will relocate in time for the 2010 Pendleton Round-Up and Happy Canyon events The exhibition, a first collaboration between the two organizations, is being shown in the Special Exhibits Gallery of Fort Walla Walla Museum’s new Entry Hall & Exhibit Galleries. For more information, contact Crow’s Shadow at (541) 276-3954 or crows shadow.org . Fort Walla Walla Museum can be reached at (509) 525-7703 or fortwallawallamuseum.org. |
June 3 Museum Store at Fort Walla Walla Museum Has Much to Offer
Among the many things new at Fort Walla Walla Museum this year is the Museum Store. Formerly in a structure known as the Davis Cabin on the Museum’s lower level, the new look Store has been relocated to the new Entry Hall & Exhibit Galleries. The Davis Cabin, built in 1864, once housed 10 of the family’s 14 children, is returning to its original artifact status. The new Store space has four times more display area than the former location. While many Museum visitors look for mementos of their trip, the Museum Store is not limited to simply souvenirs. Operations Manager Don Locati and his assistant, Cheryl Gibson, have sought out a wide variety regionally produced items, including a selection of sweet onion mustards, art prints, books, apparel, and hand-crafted items made by local artisans. “You know, this should be on your shopping itinerary whenever you need a gift for someone in your family or a friend,” says Locati. “Much of our merchandise makes good reminders of home for college kids off at school or loved one working out of the area. These kinds of gifts go a long way to show how much you care.” The Museum is now carrying its own labels of coffee, “1853 Territorial Blend,” and “Starry Night,” packaged through Walla Walla Roastery. Just arrived are “Old Iron” 2011 calendars, featuring wonderfully restored tractors and farm equipment. A new selection of T-shirts is on order, as well as baseball caps. The Store is laid out to give visitors the feel of an 1800s ‘cracker barrel’ general store and is part of the Museum Entry Hall’s territorial look. “There are many, many new items in our Store and I invite everyone from the community to come take a look.” The Museum Store is accessible without having to pay admission and is open daily, 10:00 am – 5:00 pm through October 31. |
May 29 Fort Walla Walla Museum to Receive Yakama Nation Runners With a mission to “Run Strong … Run with Your Heart,” participants from the Yakama Nation will undertake a two-day, 140-mile relay run to Fort Walla Walla Museum on May 28-29. Participants will begin Saturday at 9:00 am Friday, May 28, at the Yakama Nation Museum & Cultural Center in Toppenish and expect to arrive at the Museum about 1:00 pm on Saturday, May 29. The public is invited to witness their arrival at the Museum. The event is being done to honor the 30 th anniversary of the Cultural Center and to acknowledge the signing of the Treaty of 1855. Tribal members participated in a similar run to the state capitol in Olympia a few years ago. Those interested in more information may contact the Cultural Center at (509) 865-5121, ext. 4754 (Chris Hawk) or ext. 6751 (Crystal Buck). |
May 26 The Spokesman-Review |
April 12 Boise Paper’s Wallula Mill Supports Fort Walla Walla Museum’s School Tour Program Boise Paper’s Wallula Mill has helped underwrite Fort Walla Walla Museum’s admission-free School Tour program since 2000. Now, nearly a decade and 50,000 participants later, the company continues to offer its support to the Museum and the region. The program allows for public, private, and home schools to visit the Museum without fees. This month, Boise Paper contributed $6,000 to help the Museum make history come alive for students. “At Boise Paper, we pride ourselves on being good community stewards. We’re glad to help the Fort Walla Walla Museum build a stronger community by teaching children about our region’s shared heritage,” Mill Manager Nick Nachbar said. “It’s our pleasure to continue supporting this program.” Surveys indicate that 86% of school tour students have never previously visited the Museum. Of those who participate on these tours, 82% indicate they would like to return with their families. This shows that the volunteer tour guides make the experience fun and interesting. “Kids who make a connection with their past develop both a sense of place and belonging. They feel part of something larger than themselves,” notes Museum Director James Payne. “When they learn about the accomplishments of former children from this region, their self esteem is enhanced. These feelings create the foundation for becoming a community-minded citizen.” “ Boise’s Wallula Mill has been a strong, consistent supporter of the Museum for many years and this helps everyone in the entire region. We are very glad to have them as partners in education.” |
April 2 First Day A Big Success Fort Walla Walla Museum Season Underway On a day that began with some unsettled weather, it still didn’t take long for Fort Walla Walla Museum to register its first official visitor of the season to its new Entry Hall & Exhibit Building. Staff unlocked the front doors at 10:00 am and within a minute the first visitor walked through the blockhouse entrance. Each year the Museum receives visitors from all 50 states, and last year a record 47 countries. With that in mind, it’s no surprise that the first visitor was from out of town. Maggie Windus of Woodinville, Washington, is a 4 th grade school teacher in the Seattle area’s Lake Washington School District. During the State’s public schools spring break, Maggie took herself exploring and came to Walla Walla on a research expedition. Washington 4 th-graders (and 3 rd-graders in Oregon schools) spend time learning state history and Maggie wanted to know more about the Lewis & Clark expedition, the missionary aspect of pioneer days, and particulars about the Oregon Trail. Maggie became the Museum’s first visitor as a gleeful staff looked on. “You know, we’re pretty proud of what the staff and our small army of volunteers did through the winter,” said Museum Communications Manager Paul Franzmann. “Our Exhibit & Collections Department worked tons of long hours, as did the Building & Grounds folks. Laura Schulz and Jim Klees, who manage those two aspects of our operations, along with Museum Store Manager Cheryl Gibson and Director James Payne, deserve a huge amount of credit, but even they would tell you that it wouldn’t have happened without the volunteers.” The Entry Hall, designed to evoke the forts of the American West in the latter half of the 1800s, is the culmination of a decade’s effort. Featuring more than 11,500 square feet of space, the Museum is able to tell more stories with more detail about the soldiers, pioneers and Indian people who created the heritage of the Walla Walla region. Franzmann provided Maggie with a tour of the new building and informed her that she was eligible to bring her students back on an admission-free school tour. He pointed out that classes as distant as Shaw Island and Marysville have visited the Museum in recent years. The program will surpass 50,000 participants this year since its inception a decade ago. “That’s one really dedicated teacher,” said Franzmann, “driving all that way for the benefit of her students. She knows that kids learn from hands-on experiences as well as from textbooks. We hope she was as impressed with us as we were with her.” |
March 26 Westward Ho! |
| March 24 Fort Walla Walla Museum to Debut new Centerpiece Fort Walla Walla Museum will open its new entry building and exhibit hall to the public April 1. |
February 7 What's Your Bag? Volunteering or Part-Time Employment |
February 7 Walla Walla Sweets Baseball Club Donates To Fort Walla Walla Museum The return of professional baseball to Walla Walla is a momentous occasion. One day, it will be noted as a historical event. To ensure that more than memories mark the moment, Walla Walla Sweets General Manager Zachary Fraser donated the last available limited edition “Inaugural Season” baseball cap to Fort Walla Walla Museum. Receiving the donation was Museum Director James Payne. According to Fraser, the caps sold extremely well from the time they were first announced. He has also offered to contribute other memorabilia as the occasion arises. Payne noted that the Museum has planned a new gallery for the future, The Great and the Near Great, that will highlight those individuals who became renowned after having spent time in the Walla Walla region. Regarding baseball, the gallery will include Hall of Fame players Ozzie Smith and Tony Gwinn who each played minor league ball here. Also among that list are Kurt Russell, a well-known actor prior to playing baseball in Walla Walla, and Eddie Feigner, who earned acclaim as softball’s “The King and his Court.” Payne said that, “One day, another rising young star will make that leap into the Major Leagues and we will want to include that individual in the community’s pantheon. Getting the basis for that collection in place now will make life much easier for future museum staff.” The cap in question is something of a curiosity. The manufacturer reversed the colors of the ‘W’ gracing the front, so that it appears blue with a lighter trim. The caps sold to the public have a white ‘W,’ making the Museum’s rather unique. While visiting the Museum, Payne gave Fraser a tour of the Entrance Building and Exhibit Galleries. The facility opens to general visitation April 1. “Baseball is made great by its history and the Walla Walla Sweets want to help make sure that this new chapter in community sports is well documented for future generations,” said Fraser. “We’re really pleased to be partners in the community with Fort Walla Walla Museum and look forward to many more collaborations.” |
January 13 Walla Walla -What Might Have Been the State's Capital Fort Walla Walla Museum archival photos are used to illustrate a historical story in Mid-Columbia Magazine. |
January 11 Pacific Power Lights the Way Each season for the past nine years, Fort Walla Walla Museum has offered admission-free tours to public, private and home school students, thanks in large measure to the generosity of corporate sponsors. In recent years, the Museum received more than 4,000 participants annually in the program from more than 100 schools across Washington and Oregon. “We think the tough economic times for schools—and families—make it even more important to connect kids with their heritage. The region’s knack for pulling itself up by its bootstraps is well documented and a wonderful example for our children,” said Museum Executive Director James Payne. “Eliminating the expense for both schools and students keeps this vital program affordable for tightly strapped school budgets.” The Museum recently received support for the cause from the Pacific Power Foundation through its local representative, Regional Community Manager Bill Clemens. Clemens presented Payne a check from the Foundation for $3,500. “At Pacific Power, we know children are the future and we are pleased to continue supporting this great program that puts them in touch with our shared past,” said Clemens. “Kids who are connected with their communities this way can help bring us all a brighter future.” The Museum sends out informational letters about the program to more than 500 schools across the region. Teachers are invited to explore the Museum’s web site, www.fortwallawallamuseum.org/education.htm, before bringing students to explore the Museum. Educators are encouraged to download and distribute to students the Teacher’s Guide to the Museum, as well as a timeline of events for the region and a Visitor’s Guide to Fort Walla Walla Museum, all without fees or copyright worries. The Teacher’s Guide offers pre-visit activities, as well as opportunities to add value to the visit while here and follow-up lessons after returning to class. Museum school tours are designed to match well with both Washington and Oregon mandated curriculum requirements. Schools interested in booking a tour can call the Museum at 509-525-7703 or via email at info@fortwallawallamuseum.org. “Pacific Power Foundation’s continuing support means a lot to our program and we’re grateful for all they do on our behalf,” said Payne. “Their good will and involvement in our communities help make this entire region a better place to live, work, and visit.” |
January 6, 2010 Class of ’49 Still Classy Back in 1949, the Walla Walla High School graduating class likely looked out on the post-war world with great hopes and expectations. It’s probably safe to say none of the 249 seniors thought they would be gathering for a class reunion when they’d passed their 75 th birthdays. Now 60 years later and missing almost 90 of their classmates, the remaining members concluded that this year would be their last official function and the money left in their treasury should go to a good cause. Class representatives include Maita Hagedorn, Toss Benefiel, and Dick Garver, members and volunteers at Fort Walla Walla Museum. Along with classmate Dick Neher, the four made a presentation to Museum Operations Manager Don Locati (himself a member of St. Pat’s 1954 graduating class) of more than $250 to the Museum’s general operating funds. “We thought that was a really wonderful gesture on the part of the Class of 1949,” said Locati. “Many members of that group have been big Museum boosters and supporters all these years and here they are, still making a difference in the community. Our hats are off to these terrific folks.” Locati and Museum Communications Manager Paul Franzmann took the group on a brief tour of the Museum’s new Entrance Building & Exhibit Galleries to show them the progress to date as the Exhibits & Collections Department begins to fill the new space in preparation for an April 1 grand opening. |
Aug. 18, 2009: Fort Walla Walla Museum Earns Prestigious Grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services Fort Walla Walla Museum has again earned national attention with a grant from the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) ‘Museums for America’ program. The $52,165 award announced recently will enable the Museum to more fully tell the story of regional development. With an exhibit entitled Through War and Peace: American Military and the People of the Homeland Tribes, visitors will gain an appreciation of the interaction between local Indian peoples, volunteer militias, U.S military and various individuals in the Walla Walla region. The exhibit will span an era from the Lewis & Clark expedition’s first contact with the Homeland tribes through the Treaties of the 1850s through the closure of the fort in 1910. The exhibit is scheduled for installation in the new Entrance Building, currently under construction. The Museum’s match within the grant’s requirements is $53,501, approximately $22,000 of which has been identified. Fundraising will continue in pursuit of the remainder, as well as for unfunded aspects of Phase 1 as the work proceeds IMLS grant procurements will include life-like mannequins, replica uniforms to portray various periods of activity, a children’s ‘hands-on’ exhibit and other accoutrements of a modern museum related to the display. The Museum will install objects from its collection including Indian artifacts and regalia, military items from Fort Walla Walla, and other items to bring the story to life for its visitors. IMLS funding will also support research, design, and production of Through War and Peace: American Military and the People of the Homeland Tribes. Through this exhibit and its accompanying guide, earlier interactions among Indian people, the military, and Walla Walla regional communities will be stressed. Further, the guide book is planned to include stories about the area’s participation in World War II, as well as aspects that continue into current times. “Even after the 2004-2006 bicentennial of the Lewis & Clark’s Corps of Northwest Discovery, many people do not realize the expedition was a military expedition,” said Museum Collections Manager Laura Schulz. “That first contact blazed the trail for much of what was to follow. This exhibit will help showcase the critical relationships over time between regional Indians, Euro-American settlers and the military. Examining each component separately would give an incomplete, potentially false, representation of the area’s history.” The Museum will use funding from other sources for its new Lewis & Clark diorama and mural, to be created by acclaimed local artist Leslie Cain. The mural’s view will be from the west bank of the Columbia River opposite the mouth of the Walla Walla River. It was at that site that a gift exchange occurred between Captain Clark and Yellept, a headman of the Walla Walla people. Additional matching funds are being sought for this project, as well. “ Walla Walla has long been known as ‘The Cradle of Northwest History,” said James Payne, the Museum’s Executive Director, “and the presence of the fort secured the peace for both settlers and Indian people, allowing both to co-exist in the wake of some wrenching times. We are grateful to IMLS for recognizing the importance of the story. With our grant partners at Tamástslikt Cultural Institute, the museum of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, we’ll be able to tell the ongoing story of cultural interaction and hopefully work toward furthering the healing process between our two communities. We look forward to meeting with our supporters to secure the remainder of the necessary funding.” Museums for America is IMLS’s largest grant program for museums, providing more than $19 million in grants to support the role of museums in American society. The grants are intended to support high-priority activities that advance the recipient museums’ missions and strategic goals, helping them to serve the public more effectively. “ Fort Walla Walla Museum was selected from 433 grant-requesting applicants and among 167 who received awards,” noted Schulz. “It’s an indication of the Museum’s fundamental strength that IMLS continues to be involved with our future.” The Museum’s mission, to preserve and share Walla Walla regional heritage, includes maintaining its more than 42,000 piece collection in climate-controlled storage. “The Museum takes the mission seriously,” stressed Payne. “We think in terms of forever when talking about maintaining the collection. As individuals, we won’t be around that long, but it remains our responsibility to preserve our heritage for succeeding generations to appreciate. Many of the items visitors will see in this exhibit are absolutely priceless and irreplaceable.” IMLS is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s 123,000 libraries and 17,500 museums. The Institute's mission is to create strong libraries and museums that connect people to information and ideas. The Institute works at the national level and in coordination with state and local organizations to sustain heritage, culture, and knowledge; enhance learning and innovation; and support professional development. “With these awards, communities will be able to rescue exceptional objects that link their pasts to their futures’ stated IMLS Director Dr. Anne-Imelda M. Radice. “This grant program is an important part of IMLS’s Connecting to Collections: A Call to Action, a multi-year, multi-pronged initiative to protect our national treasures.” While the Museum’s new Entrance Building nears completion and will be ready for its April 1, 2010 opening day, Through War and Peace: American Military and the People of the Homeland Tribes will not be completely installed until April 1, 2011. |
| Jun. 9, 2009: Fort Walla Walla Museum Receives Second National Grant Award For the second time this year, Fort Walla Walla Museum has been notified that it is the recipient of a Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail Challenge Cost Share Program grant through the National Park Service. The first $5,000 grant has been designated to re-installation of the Museum’s Lewis & Clark in Wallah Wallah Country exhibit in new space. The second $5,000 award will be used to help create the space in which to put the exhibit, as part of the Museum’s ongoing construction in its Services and Facilities Enhancement Project. According to Lee Smith, Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail Administrative Officer, the Museum was one of only 12 applicants nationwide which the review committee found to merit funding; Fort Walla Walla Museum was the only organization to receive two awards this year. According to Museum Board member/Secretary Margaret Buchan, “We are so pleased the Museum was fortunate enough to receive a second significant award. This helps us take another step toward full funding of our project, though we still have a ways to go. While we raised the majority of funding needed for construction of Phase IA, we still seek the means for the Pioneer Gallery, new exhibits, an orientation theater, and children’s hands-on stations including a kid’s play fort.” |
May 14, 2009: Historical Partnership between Museum & Winery [Download an order form here.] |
April 13, 2009: Fort Walla Walla Museum’s Payne Receives State Archaeology Certification Fort Walla Walla Museum employees recently learned that their Executive Director, James Payne, will be wearing another hat. Payne has become one of just 70 cultural resource management professionals in the nation approved by the Washington Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation to perform public archaeology in the state of Washington. This status will allow Payne to serve as a consultant for government agencies, private developers, and organizations required to conduct archaeological investigations prior to disturbing the earth for various projects. Payne began his archaeology work in the 1970s and earned degrees in Anthropology and Quaternary Studies (interdisciplinary program including various earth and biological sciences). He has pe rformed field work throughout United States, as well as Canada and Mexico, and worked on collections from New Zealand and Hungary. He has worked at hundreds of archaeological sites dating from the late Pleistocene (Ice Age) up to the 1930s. Having taught courses at the University of Michigan and Saginaw Valley State University, Payne frequently incorporated students and volunteers into his research. He has expertise in a variety of areas including hunting & gathering cultures and 19 th century material culture. As part of his master’s degree work on an Ice Age-era flaked- stone tool production site, Payne learned the ancient craft of flintknapping used to create spear points, arrow points and other stone tools. Payne was formerly certified as a professional archaeologist in Ohio and Michigan. “ Because there are no other public archaeologists in Walla Walla,” said Payne, “it’s my hope that some projects in our area can eventually benefit from the cost- saving of having a local service.” |
Mar. 30, 2009: Fort Walla Walla Museum Receives National Grant Award Fort Walla Walla Museum was recently notified that it is the recipient of a Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail Challenge Cost Share Program grant through the National Park Service. The $5,000 grant will be used to re-install the Museum’s Lewis & Clark in Wallah Wallah Country exhibit in new space. The Museum was one of just three applicants nationwide to receive funding for its project. A part of the re-installation involves the creation of a new mural as a backdrop to the life-size diorama depicting the gift exchange between Captain Clark and Yellept, a headman of the Wallah Wallah people. Museum staff has been working with a well-know local artist to design and produce a new diorama and mural. The plan is to redesign the exhibit to incorporate more historical details involved the in the April 27, 1806 exchange of a white horse and Captain Clark’s saber and other items. According to Museum Board member Dr. Bill Jordan, “Grants play a significant role in what we’re trying to accomplish in our expansion project. Nevertheless, it’s vital for the community to realize the ongoing need for support. There are several aspects of the overall plan that still require financial backing.” While the bulk of funding for construction is complete for Phase IA, fundraising for new exhibits, an orientation theater, and children’s hands-on stations including a children’s play fort is still in progress. |
| July 1, 2008: Fort Walla Walla Museum on National Stage
FWWM was notified by the American Association of State & Local History (AASLH) that it has received a 2008 Award of Merit from the Leadership in History Awards for its Lloyd Family Indian Artifact Collection: Positive Interaction between Cultures in Southeast Washington exhibit. The letter of congratulations from Terry L. Davis, President and CEO of AASLH, noted that the Leadership in History Awards is “the nation’s most prestigious competition for recognition of achievement in state and local history.” The award will be presented September 12 at AASLH’s annual meeting in Rochester, New York. The Museum stands among just 57 organizations and individuals from across the country to receive a 2008 Award of Merit. AASLH is a not-for-profit professional organization working to preserve and promote history. It provides leadership, service, and support to its members in order to make the past more meaningful in American society. Now in its 63 rd year, the AASLH founded the awards program in 1945 to “establish and encourage standards of excellence in the collection, preservation, and interpretation of state and local history throughout the United States.” “We are deeply honored to be recognized for our work by such a prominent organization,” said FWWM Director James Payne. “The AASLH Award of Merit is among the highest honors we can receive in our field and it is immensely gratifying to be seen as worthy of it. Walla Walla has received plenty of national recognition in recent years, and we feel that contributing a heritage aspect to our local panache broadens the community’s appeal to local families as well as our more distant visitors.” The AASLH 2008 Award of Merit comes in the wake of FWWM’s Washington Historical Society (WHS) “Peace and Friendship Award,” shared with TCI. The award is based on a decade of collaborative effort in areas involving staff participation in one another’s programs and events, consulting, research, and artifact loans, as well as multi-faceted cross-promotional and financial development efforts. These efforts culminated in 2007 with a reciprocal visitation agreement created between FWWM, CTUIR, and TCI. The Peace and Friendship Award was presented to FWWM Director Payne and TCI Director Roberta Conner at the WHS annual meeting June 21. The visitation agreement states that it was made “in acknowledgement of the relationship between the people now known as the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, the people of the Walla Walla Valley and Fort Walla Walla, and in recognition of the Treaty negotiations that took place in the Walla Walla Valley in June of 1855” and “codifies an affiliation between Tamástslikt Cultural Institute and Fort Walla Walla Museum. The Institute and Museum are linked by a shared past and our futures will be connected through histories yet to come. The Institute and Museum will provide reciprocal admission fee waivers to members of the other” and all enrolled CTUIR members. In May, FWWM won the 2008 Award of Excellence for Publication from the Washington Museum Association (WMA) for Soldiers, Pioneers & Indian People. The book chronicles multi-generational mutual respect and genuine fondness between the pioneer Lloyd family of Waitsburg and their friends among the Homeland Tribes. The book, authored by Payne along with FWWM Collections Manager Laura Schulz and Communications Manager Paul Franzmann, was accomplished with consultation and assistance from Conner and her staff. The Museum has provided Soldiers, Pioneers & Indian People free of charge to schools, museums, and libraries throughout the region. The Museum also earned a WMA 2008 Award of Excellence for Project based on the 10 years of work accomplished together between the two museums. Both FWWM and TCI were presented with the awards at the 2008 WMA Annual Conference on June 19. The theme of the conference in Vancouver, Washington, was "Tear Down that Wall! - Breaking Down Barriers." Payne and TCI Development Officer John Chess presented a session at the conference focused on developing relationships between Tribal and non-Indian museums, exploring misconceptions preventing such relationships, and the benefits resulting from these collaborations. The ongoing work between Conner, Payne, and their organizations serves to promote community building and increase public awareness of the shared history between their two cultures. Through the years, Payne and Conner have overseen cooperation on many ventures. Fully half the speakers at the FWWM-hosted 2005 Pacific Northwest Historians Guild conference were people from the Homeland Tribes, including Conner and CTUIR Chairman Antone Minthorn. TCI staff has assisted the Museum in many annual events including Lewis & Clark Days and Fort Walla Walla Days, plus Lewis & Clark Kids Camps and River Trails and Friendship Kids Camp. FWWM staff participated in TCI’s Lewis & Clark events. Payne has donated multiple gifts to TCI’s collection and library, and he arranged for a horse-drawn wagon for tribal use in the Pendleton Round-Up. Artifact and prop loans between the two institutions have become common. Conner, who is on the Board of the American Association of Museums and was runner-up for the Smithsonian Institute’s National Museum of the American Indian directorship, served as an advisor and reviewer for the Museum’s recent Lewis & Clark in Wallah Wallah Country exhibit that illuminated the importance of gifting in creating personal, social, and cultural bonds. She provided consultation in the development of the Museum’s Lewis & Clark in Walla Walla County map and was the featured speaker at a Museum Quarterly meeting on the history and relationships of our respective peoples. |
June 11, 2008: Awards Piling Up for Fort Walla Walla Museum Recently, Fort Walla Walla Museum was notified as being a co-winner, along with Tamástslikt Cultural Institute, the museum of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR), for the Washington Historical Society’s “Peace and Friendship Award.” The award is based on a decade’s worth of collaborative effort in areas involving staff participation in one another’s programs and events, consulting, research, and artifact loans, as well as multi-faceted cross-promotional and financial development efforts. These efforts culminated in 2007 with a reciprocal visitation agreement created between Fort Walla Walla Museum, CTUIR, and Tamástslikt Cultural Institute. The Peace and Friendship Award will be presented to Fort Walla Walla Museum’s Director James Payne and Tamástslikt Cultural Institute’s Director Roberta Conner on June 21 at the annual meeting of the Washington State Historical Society. The visitation agreement states that it was made “in acknowledgement of the relationship between the people now known as the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, the people of the Walla Walla Valley and Fort Walla Walla, and in recognition of the Treaty negotiations that took place in the Walla Walla Valley in June of 1855” and “codifies an affiliation between Tamástslikt Cultural Institute and Fort Walla Walla Museum. The Institute and Museum are linked by a shared past and our futures will be connected through histories yet to come.” The Institute and Museum will provide reciprocal admission fee waivers to members of the other” and all enrolled CTUIR members. In May, Fort Walla Walla Museum received notice of winning the 2008 Award of Excellence for Publication from the Washington Museum Association (WMA) for its most recent book, Soldiers, Pioneers & Indian People. The book, which chronicles multi-generational mutual respect and genuine fondness between the pioneer Lloyd family of Waitsburg and their friends among the Homeland Tribes, was accomplished with consultation and assistance from Conner and her staff. The Museum has provided Soldiers, Pioneers & Indian People free of charge to schools, museums, and libraries throughout the region. The Museum also earned a WMA 2008 Award of Excellence for Project based on the 10 years of work accomplished together between the two museums. Both Fort Walla Walla Museum and Tamástslikt Cultural Institute will be presented with the awards at the 2008 WMA’s Annual Conference on June 19. Through the years, Payne and Conner have overseen cooperation on many ventures. Fully half the speakers at the 2005 Pacific Northwest Historians Guild conference hosted by Fort Walla Walla Museum were people from the Homeland Tribes, including Conner and CTUIR chairman Antone Minthorn. Tamástslikt staff has assisted the Museum in many annual events including Lewis & Clark Days and Fort Walla Walla Days, plus Lewis & Clark Kids Camps and River Trails and Friendship Kids Camp. Fort Walla Walla Museum staff participated in Tamástslikt’s Lewis & Clark events. Payne has donated multiple gifts to Tamástslikt’s collection and library, and he arranged for a horse-drawn wagon for tribal use in the Pendleton Round-Up. Artifact and prop loans between the two institutions have become common. Conner served as an advisor and reviewer for the Museum’s recent Lewis & Clark in Wallah Wallah Country exhibit that illuminated the importance of gifting in creating personal, social, and cultural bonds. She provided consultation on the development of the Museum’s Lewis & Clark in Walla Walla County map, and was the featured speaker at a Museum Quarterly meeting on the history and relationships of our respective peoples. The theme of the 2008 WMA Annual Conference June 18-20 in Vancouver, WA, will be "Tear Down that Wall! - Breaking Down Barriers." Payne and Tamástslikt’s Development Officer John Chess will present a session focusing on developing relationships between Tribal and non-Indian museums, exploring misconceptions preventing such relationships, and the benefits resulting from these collaborations. The ongoing work between Conner, Payne, and their organizations serves to promote community building and increase public awareness of the shared history between their two cultures. |
June 2, 2008: Fort Walla Walla Museum Garners Award Fort Walla Walla Museum was recently notified that it won the Washington Museum Association’s (WMA) prestigious 2008 award for publication of its most recent book, Soldiers, Pioneers & Indian People. The book chronicles stories of mutual respect and friendship between the Waitsburg area pioneer Lloyd family and their friends among the people of the Homeland Tribes. This beautifully illustrated book was produced in conjunction with the Museum’s major exhibit, The Lloyd Family Indian Artifact Collection: Positive Interaction between Cultures in Southeast Washington. Fort Walla Walla Museum is a private, not-for-profit organization [501 (c) 3]. Competing against larger and often publicly-funded organizations across the state, the Museum’s awards were hailed by the WMA as an “unprecedented standard of accomplishment.” The book is authored by the Museum’s Collections Manager Laura Schulz, Communications Manager Paul Franzmann, and Executive Director James Payne, with consultation from Tamástslikt Cultural Institute, the museum of The Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation near Pendleton, Oregon. “Recognition for our efforts is extremely gratifying,” said Payne. “When an award comes from our peers throughout the state, that makes this an especially exciting honor.” Soldiers, Pioneers & Indian People begins with Albert Lloyd’s service in the Oregon Volunteer Militia, which came to area to fight Indian people in the 1850s. Scouting along the Touchet River, Lloyd thought he’d found a piece of heaven. After completing his military service, Lloyd decided to settle in the region. Before he and his young bride could take up farming, he made a treaty with Big Thunder, a leader of the Palouse people, to acquire land for a farm in an area near today’s Waitsburg, Washington. Lloyd’s action was not required by anything more than his conscience, though it remained in effect throughout the Lloyd families’ stewardship of their farm. That treaty led to more than eight decades of positive interaction between people from different cultures, even during and shortly after periods of intense conflict. Support for the project came from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, Clara & Art Bald Trust, George T. Welch Trust, Kenneth B. Wells Charitable Trust, Tallman’s Camera Shop, Rick Tuttle of Impax Inc., Esther Dixon, Bettie Lloyd Chase, Raymond & JoEtta Lane, Bonny Struthers, Marthann Hall, Fred Mitchell, and James & Jane Robison. The book is available at Book and Game; Earthlight Books; Hastings Books, Music, & Video; and Whitman College Bookstore in Walla Walla, as well as Fort Walla Walla Museum Store, Tamástslikt Cultural Institute, and the Walla Walla Union-Bulletin. |
discovering, preserving and sharing Walla Walla regional heritage |
755 Myra Road - Walla Walla, WA 99362 - (509) 525-7703
Fax: (509) 525-7798 - Email: info@fortwallawallamuseum.org
|
