White River Valley Museum facts for kids
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| Established | 1996 |
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| Location | 918 H St SE, Auburn, Washington |
| Type | History museum |
The White River Valley Museum is a fun history museum located in Auburn, Washington. It's a great place to learn about the past of the White River Valley area.
Discovering History
The White River Valley Museum first opened its doors in January 1996. It was created by working together with the City of Auburn and the White River Valley Historical Society. Since it opened, the museum has been busy collecting and protecting old items and places that tell the story of the region.
One important place the museum helped save is the Mary Olsen Farm. In 2001, the museum successfully applied to have the Mary Olson Farm added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's recognized as a very important historical site! The museum also publishes a monthly newsletter called "White River Journal" to share local history.
What the Museum Does
The White River Valley Museum has a special goal: "The White River Valley Museum is a partnership with the city of Auburn and combines history and culture to create an exciting and educational experience for visitors." This means they want to make learning about history and different cultures exciting and fun for everyone who visits.
Exploring Exhibits
The museum has many cool things to see! They have exhibits that are always there, called permanent exhibits. They also change some exhibits four times a year, so there's always something new to discover. The exhibits teach you about the history of the local Puget Sound area, the culture of Native American tribes from the Northwest, and the stories of Japanese-American families. You can also learn about the Northern Pacific Railroad.
Here are some of the exciting things you can explore:
- 1924 Auburn Depot: You can see and experience what a train station and a caboose from the Northern Pacific Railroad looked like in 1924.
- 1915 Japanese Farmhouse: This exhibit teaches you about the Iseri Family, who lived in Thomas, Washington. You'll learn about their life on truck farms, including how some families came to America as picture brides, and what Buddhist home altars were like.
- Downtown Auburn in the 1920s: Step back in time to see what downtown Auburn was like almost 100 years ago. This includes a replica of the Auburn Public Market and the Auburn Hat Shop. You can even touch and try on some replica hats!
- Muckleshoot Indian Tribe: Learn about the Muckleshoot people, who were the first settlers of this region. This exhibit features a river canoe from around 1890 and a small model of a traditional winter house.
- Northern Clay Company: Discover the history of the clay industry in the Green River Valley. This exhibit shows how architectural terra cotta (a type of clay material used in buildings) was made for cities like Seattle and Tacoma.
- Tourist Hotel of 1924: See how Auburn grew quickly in the 1920s. This exhibit includes old photos of the mayor from 1924, Otto Bersch, and a conductor from the Northern Pacific Railroad.
The museum also has special temporary exhibits. For example, "On Track" showed amazing railroad photographs taken by Warren McGee between the 1930s and 1970s. They also have "Auburn 'Our Story' Videos" that cover many different local history topics.
Museum Collections
The White River Valley Museum keeps many important historical items. This includes the historic Mary Olsen Farm site. They also have an archive of their monthly publication, the "White River Journal."
The museum's photo collection is huge, with thousands of old pictures from the region taken between 1894 and 1982. Their small research library has old books, diaries, and local newspapers from the same time. The museum also has a large collection of items from historic Auburn and its people. Plus, they have objects from local Native American tribes, like the Salish and Muckleshoot tribes.
