A. R. Bowman Memorial Museum facts for kids
Old Crook County Bank building
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| Established | 1971 |
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| Location | Prineville, Oregon, U.S.A. |
| Type | Oregon history |
The A. R. Bowman Memorial Museum is a fun place to explore the past in Prineville, Oregon, United States. It opened in 1971. The museum is inside an old building that used to be the Crook County Bank Building. This building is so special, it's listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The museum is managed by the Crook County Historical Society. It shows off the history of Crook County and the middle part of Oregon. You can see old tools, clothes, and photos from pioneer times. There are also exhibits about railroads, ranching, and the timber industry. The museum even has a special library for research.
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Who Was Arthur Bowman?
The museum is named after Arthur Ray Bowman. He was a successful businessman and a community leader in Prineville. Arthur was born in Kansas. He moved to Prineville in 1910 after finishing law school at the University of Washington. He started a very successful company that helped people with property titles and insurance.
Arthur Bowman was always involved in helping his community. He worked as a County Judge for Crook County from 1936 to 1942. He also helped create the Ochoco Irrigation District and the Prineville Airport. Arthur even helped bring U.S. Highway 26 through Crook County. He was very dedicated to building the Prineville Dam on the Crooked River. Because of his hard work, the dam was renamed the Arthur R. Bowman Dam in his honor. He passed away in 1970. He left behind a great example of business success and community service.
In 1971, Arthur Bowman's wife and two daughters gave the old Crook County Bank building to Crook County. They wanted it to be used as a museum. The Crook County Historical Society then agreed to run the A. R. Bowman Memorial Museum.
The Historic Museum Building
The museum is located in the beautiful and historic Crook County Bank building. This building was built in 1910. It has two stories and is made in a style called Romanesque. The stone blocks used to build it came from a local quarry. This is the same quarry that provided stone for the Crook County Courthouse in 1909.
Inside, the building still looks a lot like it did when it was a bank. On the first floor, you can see the original bronze teller cages. These are where bank tellers used to help customers. There are also fancy marble counters, special etched glass, and beautiful chandeliers. The rich mahogany wood panels show how important and grand banks were in the early 1900s.
The building was first home to the Crook County Bank. After that bank left in 1923, other banks moved in, like the Bank of Prineville. During the Great Depression, when many banks struggled, Arthur R. Bowman bought the building. He used it for his title and insurance business from 1935 until he died in 1970.
This old bank building is a great example of how Prineville grew in the early 1900s. Because of its special design and its importance to Prineville's history, the Crook County Bank Building was added to the National Register of Historic Places on June 19, 1991.
What You Can See at the Museum
The Crook County Historical Society runs the museum. They show off the history of Crook County and central Oregon. The museum has kept the original bank interior, which is part of the museum's layout. There are big sections about local industries, transportation, and even military history.
On the first floor, you'll find the Hall of History. This area highlights Crook County's past. You can see exhibits about the City of Prineville Railroad and the local timber industry. There are also displays about the United States Forest Service. You'll find pioneer furniture, clothes, tools, and other old items. Many photos show people, famous places, and historic events from Crook County. You can even look inside the bank's old safe and see old record books!
Upstairs on the second floor, there are more rooms to explore. You can see a ranch tack room, an old-fashioned bedroom, and a dining room. There's also a recreated old Paulina store and post office. You can even see early medical and dental equipment. The museum's research library is also on the second floor. It has about 700 books about Oregon history. Researchers can learn about the local timber industry, old range wars, and other interesting topics. The museum's gift shop sells books about local history and souvenirs.
In 1980, the Crook County Historical Society was offered a 1907 Studebaker Phaeton car and some old farm equipment. But there wasn't enough space in the main museum for these big items. So, the Society started raising money for another building. In 1987, a museum annex was built at the Crook County fairgrounds. Crook County owns this building, but the Historical Society runs it, just like the main Bowman Museum.
In 1996, the Bowman Museum hosted a special Smithsonian traveling exhibit called Barn Again. This was the first time a Smithsonian exhibit was shown in central Oregon! In 1997, the museum received an important grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. This was a big deal because less than 20% of museums that applied received this competitive national grant.
Plan Your Visit
The A.R. Bowman Memorial Museum is easy to find. It's on the corner of Third and Main Street in Prineville. The museum is open all year long. From Memorial Day to Labor Day, it's open every day. During the rest of the year, the museum is open five days a week, from Tuesday through Saturday. It's usually open from mid-morning until late afternoon.
