Original artifacts in log building show past, while conceptual plans for new museum show future
Photo by Richard McGuire
The log building that was the original museum when it opened 50 years ago is now inside the present museum as a museum within a museum. Built in the late 19th century, it has seen incarnations as a government building, school and other uses. Summer employees Alix Ruttan (left) and Kristi Hoffman, shown with curator Ken Favrholdt, have been working to get ready for the 50th anniversary celebration.
When Osoyoos Museum celebrates its 50th anniversary Saturday, it will be 50 years to the day since the museum first opened in a log building on Main Street.
That old log building, now contained inside the current museum, will display some of the original artifacts that were shown 50 years ago.
Curator Ken Favrholdt describes the display as “a museum within a museum.”
Although the anniversary celebration will commemorate the museum’s past, it will also give visitors a look into the museum’s future.
Favrholdt said conceptual plans for the new museum will be on display to invite public feedback.
The celebration, which gets underway at 1 p.m. at the museum, will be marked with speeches, a cake cutting and entertainment by the Kettle Valley Brakemen.
With a bluegrass style and a railway theme, this local area band takes their name from the Kettle Valley Railway that once came to Osoyoos.
The band will perform for about 50 minutes and will include a new song that relates to Osoyoos, Favrholdt said.
More than 200 invitations have been sent out to people who have shown an interest in the museum and the general public is also invited to attend.
The future museum will be located on Main Street in the building now occupied by the Home Hardware Building Centre.
The plans also call for it to include the log building as a central feature, along with such permanent fixtures as a dentist and doctor’s office, a picker’s cabin and pioneer parlour.
Architect Anthony Boni and design consultant David Jensen will be at the celebration on Saturday to present the conceptual drawings and invite questions and feedback following the celebrations.
The log building that was the original museum has been in several locations and has seen a number of different uses over the years.
It was built in 1892 as a government building and was originally located south of the present Sonora Community Centre on the bench that is now a playground.
Subsequently, when government offices moved to Fairview near Oliver, the building became a school and also functioned as a community centre, hosting church services for several denominations, as well as Boy Scout and Legion events.
After serving as a private home, it was donated by the owner for a museum and moved to Main Street in 1961. Two years later, the museum opened at the present location of the town planning office.
In 1975, the museum moved to its present location in a Quonset building that was a former curling rink and the log building was moved inside the new location.
“It’s had quite a history and it reflects the whole history of the development of Osoyoos,” said Favrholdt.
Some of the original artifacts that will be on display in the log building include cowboy gear belonging to Val Haynes, son of John Carmichael Haynes, native artifacts, mining tools, pioneer tools and the first map of Osoyoos.
A wreath made from human hair, a popular art form in the 1890s, is also on display as well as a photo of pioneer Theodore Kruger.
Although space isn’t a problem at the current location, Favrholdt said temperature and humidity control aren’t suitable for a museum.
Home Hardware Building Centre can remain at its present location for up to three and a half more years, but Favrholdt hopes Saturday’s event helps to generate some excitement about the future location.
BY RICHARD McGUIRE
Osoyoos Times
