For the week of May 21 - 27, 2003

Historical Museum
gets a face-lift

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By MATT FURBER
Express Staff Writer

Forget the cell phone and the fax. Come down to Hailey for a taste of the telegraph and the Corona typewriter.

If you have ever wondered what Hailey landmark replaced the Hiawatha Hotel or what a 1948 Olympic ski racers uniform looked like, you may want to take a trip down to the Blaine County Historical Museum.

Opening with new renovations this Memorial Day weekend, the museum is a source of historical artifacts that can jostle memories and spur imagination. Care to join in a bit of genealogy research?

Dressed in his World War II Navy blues "Hank" will greet you on the street.

"We are excited about the dramatic change," said Teddie Daley, president of the museum. "We have wanted to do this for years."

Volunteers at the museum have created new spaces that help visitors concentrate on different historical themes. There is a new scope with which to look into the history of the county.

"Ole Skinner was the head honcho," said Daley who had many words of praise for all those who helped with the transformation starting in January.

The renovation included hanging antique paper to breakup the wall space and building partitions to dedicate space to specific historical episodes.

One space has a display of military uniforms. Another shows a schoolroom complete with desks, scrolls of maps, pupils and a teacher. The counter of the old Hailey post office has been repositioned and you can still peak at a 1929 Ford Roadster.

Republican Joe Fuld’s political pins are on display in the front room. When you wander back for more of the new surprises or a tour of the centennial mine, take a gander at the Oregon Boot ball and chain to see how it compares to Angus Brooks’ bear trap from Willow Creek.

Can you imagine receiving a handmade, Indian Hackmore lasso for your 13^th birthday?

If after your visit you have not had enough, you may want to help reach the museum’s goal of replacing the remaining adobe wall or raising funds to expand into the neighboring building to make room for cataloging new accessions, computer searches and genealogy research.

This season the first Living History Celebration is scheduled for July 19. It will be attended by furriers, quilt makers, Dutch oven bakers and may even include a horse drawn historical tour of the city.

 

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