The Heritage Museum opens June 4
May 28, 2016
Opening Day at The Heritage Museum is an eagerly anticipated annual event. This year, the Museum will host the celebration on Saturday, June 4th, from 10:00-5:00. As always, the entire family will find something of interest in the presentations and demonstrations both inside and outside throughout the day. There will be learning experiences such as gold panning and ham radio operations, food and fun for all. Smokey Bear will be visiting from 11:00 to 1:00, and there will be face painting, so be sure to bring the kids!
At 10:30 AM, Dr. Pat Neils will present "Dunn Creek Nell: The Life and Legend of Libby’s very own Wild West Woman." Is it true that Dunn Creek Nell came from a family of fortune and was well educated? Is it true that she forced conductors to stop the commuter train for her at gun point? Is it true that she had 14 husbands, killed some of them, and buried them behind her cabin up Dunn Creek? Based on many hours of research and interviews, Neils will explore, and try to unravel the facts and fiction that have surrounded this enigmatic, and seemingly cantankerous and contrary character.
Everett Nelson will present "The History of the J. Neils Boarding Houses and Mill Row" at 11:30 AM. In addition to his experience living on Mill Row, Mr. Nelson will tell about the Rayome family as managers of the boarding houses.
In the Swamp Creek Community Hall, there will be music and dancing. From 10:00 to 11:00, enjoy the music of Lee Tonner, Mike Powell, Carol Cady, Patty Leonard and Tim Harcourt. From 11:00 to 12:00, the Spinning Squares will be kicking up their heels square dancing for your entertainment. The noon hour will feature For God and Country, followed by the Libby High School jazz group, Back in 5, from 1:00-2:00. Pasture Pickin’ commences at 2 PM.
Enjoy lunch in the historic Sylvanite cookhouse. Jeff Gruber will be grilling burgers, onions and hot dogs and there will be various home baked desserts available.
At 1:00 PM, Carlene Erlandson will present the History of Quilts. Using quilts from her own collection as well as a few from the Museum, she will share her knowledge of quilt patterns and fabrics from the late 1880’s to more current times.
The Museum’s four Model T Fords will be out and about throughout the day. For $10, you’ll have the opportunity to dress in vintage accessories and have your photo taken in a Model T. A raffle will be held that day to benefit the Model T Fund. The prize is a large framed photo of Upper Flower Creek by Kaya Hardgrove. Tickets are $1 each or 6 for $5.
Between 10:00 and 2:00, stop by the Shay shed to visit with volunteers who have been working on the locomotive. They’ll bring you up to date on the progress and share plans for the future.
After receiving requests for many years, the Museum will open a new exhibit on the history of the W.R. Grace vermiculite mine and subsequent asbestos contamination. The highlight of the exhibit will be personal perspectives of a variety of people sharing their experiences through video-taped interviews. Clips of these interviews can be selected for viewing on touch-screen computers. Some of these people worked for W.R. Grace; some have asbestos-related disease or had family members who were affected. Others are the physicians who diagnosed and treated the illnesses. Still others just live and work here and have their own viewpoint. This exhibit was made possible through grants from Humanities Montana, the Center for Asbestos Related Disease, the Lincoln County Community Foundation and private donations.
Beginning opening day and continuing through the month of June, the Kootenai Valley Quilt Guild will display their beautiful quilts in the Tower Gallery. The gallery will house a changing exhibit throughout the summer with artwork from the Libby Fine Arts Group in July and photographs in August.
The Heritage Museum will be open through August 31st, Monday-Saturday, 10:00-5:00 and Sunday, 1:00-5:00. Admission is by donation. The Heritage Museum is run completely by volunteers. If you are interested in volunteering, please call the Museum at 406-293-7521.
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