Lane County History Museum facts for kids
| Established | 1951 |
|---|---|
| Location | Lane County Fairgrounds, Eugene, Oregon |
| Type | History |
| Founder | Cal Young |
The Lane County History Museum is a cool place in Eugene, Oregon, where you can learn all about the history of Lane County. It's located right on the county fairgrounds. Inside, you'll find amazing exhibits about the Oregon Trail, old vehicles, and lots of photos from the past. The museum also offers fun school tours and special events. The museum and the historic Lane County Clerk's Building are both managed by the Lane County Historical Society.
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Exploring the Museum's Treasures
The museum has a huge collection of historical items. You can see everything from old wagons to a 1910 Model-T Ford car! The exhibits change every two years, so there's always something new to discover. The museum has over 10,000 items that tell the story of Lane County.
Pictures and Old Documents
The Lane County History Museum also has a special archive. This is where they keep materials about Lane County that go all the way back to 1847. Imagine, they have more than 300,000 photos! These pictures show people, old businesses, and street scenes from long ago. The collection also includes old letters, maps, newspaper clippings, and school projects about Lane County.
Famous Items to See
Some of the most popular items at the museum include:
- A very complete prairie schooner that traveled on the Oregon Trail in 1851.
- A piece of hemlock tree with a carving from 1867.
- The original staircase from the county courthouse built in 1898.
How the Museum Started
The Early Years: 1937–1950
The idea for a county history museum began in 1935. A man named Cal Young, often called "Mr. Lane County," helped make it happen. Cal Young was famous for leading the "Oregon Trail Pageant" every year since 1926. This pageant featured historical costumes, ox teams, and covered wagons. He also collected many old items from pioneer days on his farm, including a prairie schooner.
In 1937, there was a plan to use an old post office building for the museum. However, during World War II, other government groups needed the space. So, the old items were stored in the basement, and the building was never used as a museum.
The first real Lane County History Museum was built in 1951. It was a small warehouse at the Lane County Fairgrounds, built to hold all the growing collection of pioneer items. A few years later, in 1954, they added more space to display large logging wheels and other vehicles. In 1957, the oldest building in Lane County, the Lane County Clerk's Building, was moved to the museum site.
Cal Young was the caretaker for the museum in its first few years. When he decided he was too old for the job, Mrs. E. E. Foss became the museum's first official curator.
Growing and Changing: 1950–1999
In the early 1950s, the Lane County Pioneer Society was created to help the museum grow. Later, in 1984, a group called "Friends of the Lane County Historical Museum" formed. They were a non-profit group that worked hard to keep the museum going, especially when there were money problems.
By 1996, Lane County made a deal with the new Lane County Historical Society (LCHS). The LCHS took over managing the museum. They received some money from a special county tax on hotel rooms, which helps promote tourism.
The Museum Today: 2000–Present
In 2003, the Lane County Historical Society hired Bob Hart as the museum's director. He wanted to make the museum bigger and update the exhibits. In 2006, the Lane County Historical Society and the Friends of the Lane County Historical Society officially joined together.
Under Bob Hart's leadership, the museum has shown many different exhibits. These have included topics like local police history, "Tie Dye & Tofu," "Weird and Wonderful," wine, and even toys! The museum also created fun, interactive programs for schools, like a "Hands-on U.S. History Traveling Trunk." They also had special events where Director Bob Hart dressed up as historical figures like Thomas Condon or Joseph Meek.
In 2009, the museum started making its huge collection of 300,000 historic photos available online. This means more people can see these amazing pictures from the past.
Even with some money challenges, the museum staff has worked with other local museums. They even helped the Springfield Museum by sharing a part-time curator. The Lane County Historical Society is still working to either make the current museum bigger or find a new location for it.
See also
