www.seasidemuseum.org
[email protected]
Autumn 2003
Vol. 24, No. 4
Making History Together
Board of Directors:
Joseph Schafer, President
Ken Ward, Vice President President's Message by Joe Schafer
Marjorie Diebolt, Secretary On behalf of the Seaside Museum and Historical Society, I wish to offer our extreme
appreciation to Darin Utti of Sign One, Ron Dean of Coastal Repair and Maintenance
Helen Gaston, Treasurer
Janis Hurd, Past President and Jerry Sisseck of Jerry's Home Maintenance for their donated work on the
museum's new sign.
Board Members:
Darin Utti designed the beautiful sign, and he and
Len Brooks
his employees spent many hours carving, sanding,
Mary Cornell
painting, and constructing the unique sign. Jerry
Roy Kirkham
Sisseck cut support posts and assisted in the
Micki Towell
installation. Ron Dean pulled out the old sign and
Sandy Winnett
supports, dug new holes, and poured cement to set
the new sign.
Staff
Photo: staff of Sign One
Mark Tolonen, Curator
The new sign is beautiful! It has been adopted as our logo for our letterhead, this
Gingerbread Teas newsletter, and our recently redesigned web site. Thanks again, Darin, Ron and Jerry for
to start in 3 months your benevolence.
Details about Gingerbread Tea
at the Butterfield Cottage will
be published in the Winter
newsletter. Until then, please
plan for these dates:
>> Friday & Sat., Nov. 28 & 29
>> Saturdays, Dec. 6, 13 & 20
>> Dec. 16 is reserved for a
Club meeting
>> Other groups may schedule
Gingerbread Teas on open dates
I also want to say "thank you" to Helen Gaston, whose tireless efforts brougt us another
popular and successful "Return of the Salt Makers" program. It attracted thousands of
visitors, and received rave reviews.
The 4th of July at Seaside
has become a Pacific Northwest family tradition
by Roy Kirkham
Through the efforts of the City of Seaside, the Seaside Chamber of Commerce and the
Seaside Museum & Historical Society, Seaside Oregon has become THE destination
for a full day of family fun on Independence Day.
Every 4th of July starts with the excitement of a parade, proceeds to an Old Fashioned Social (an intense four hours
of music, games, food, silent auction and raffle) and ends with a glorious fireworks display at dusk. Between
activities, visitors have the opportunityto enjoy Seaside businesses and play on the beach.
Many of our parade participants come from all over the Pacific Northwest, every year,and the list is growing.
They all tell me how much they enjoy the dynamic energy of Seaside on this special holiday.
We Need A Few Good Men or Women
by Peggy Kirkham
If you have three hours that you can fill one of the following
schedules, please contact Peggy Kirkham at the museum
(738-7065) or at home (738-8438). Thank you !
4th Monday, 10 a.m. to 1p.m.
2nd Tuesday, 10 a.m. to 1p.m.
4th Tuesday, 1p.m. - 4p.m.
All Fridays, both morning and afternoon
See What's New:
Visit us Online at
Silent Auction Report
www.seasidemuseum.org
Butterfield Cottage
by Helen Gaston
If you visited the Butterfield Cottage this summer you
probably noted some changes. Micki Towel and I with
the help of our curator Mark Tolonen have been working to try and make the Butterfield Cottage look more
realistic, as though someone was living in it. We are
researching what is in our collection that could be
used in the Butterfield. Everything we put on exhibit
should be 1912 or before. So each item has to be
researched to determine its age and then decide if
Emma DeGolia who was living in the house at that
time could have owned it. In the summer it was a
rooming house, so there also would have been the
renter's personal items. We are always looking for
items to add to the collection, so if you have
something you are will to donate that you feel might
be appropriate please bring it in.
The
by Peggy Kirkham
The Committee wishes to thank Helen Gaston for her
suggestion to hold theSilent Auction in the Museum,
instead of the Cottage. There was more room for
people to circulate and the event was a huge success.
Visitor appreciation was expressed for the
handicapped accessibility of this year's Silent Auction.
The Committee also wishes to thank all of the
businesses for donating to the Silent Auction and I
personally wish to thank the following persons for
helping to write over 150 "thank you" notes to the
contributors: Helen Best, Mary Cornell, Tracey
Kirkham, Betty Lewis, Edith Schwartz, Nancy
Taggard and Janet Willener.
Butterfield Cottage Road Show
by Micki Towell
This plunger is the equivalent of the agitator in a modern washing machine. The plunger
pictured is a small size for small items such as baby clothes. The Butterfield Cottage also
has a large one for items such as dresses and sheets. The handle is wood and the agitator part is
an allow of copper and tin.
Today washing is no big deal. You may do the laundry at any hour of any day of the week, at home or at a
laundromat, and have the clothes ready to wear in a couple of hours. In 1912, wash day was quite a chore.
Usually on Monday everyone washed clothes. The water was put into large vats and heated on the wood stove.
The SOAP needed to be chipped or shaved from a bar: detergent was not developed until 1916. [(During
World War I, fat, which is combined with ashes of plants for soap, was scarce, and a non-soap washing and
cleaning product (detergent) was "synthesized" chemically.) The wash was done by hand, with the washboard
and/or the plunger. Then it must be rinsed, wrung out, and hung on lines to dry. Some families had a large
wooden tub with a cradle in it which could be swung back and forth (by hand) to clean the clothes. The
Butterfield Cottage has one of these too. One washing per week meant that that "everyday" clothes were
usually worn for 1 week.
Who made the Old Fashioned Social Jazz Concert possible?
Everyone enjoyed the jazz concert, performed by
the new Pacific Jazz Band, from the porch of the
Butterfield Cottage. While the children played the
old fashioned games, the parents enjoyed treats
from the food booths and sat under the big tent
listening to the jazz concert. Who do we thank for
paying the bands fee? They are:
Sundowner Motor Inn
Pacific Title Company
Seaside Aquarium
Hillcrest Motel
We hope you will drop in to these businesses and let them know how much you enjoyed the jazz concert,
and how you appreciate them for making it possible.
Seaside's Independence Day Parade
by Roy Kirkham
The Saltmakers Return
by Helen Gaston
Tehra Peace, of the Daily Astorian, reported on Seaside's
4th of July Parade in the July 7, 2003 edition of the
newspaper. Tehra started her report with my remarks
about line-up changes which are taking place from 8 AM
up until 11 AM, when the "Move Out" order is given and
the procession heads out through the cheering crowd.
There were 45 groups when the parade moved out.
The saltmakers did return in July & August. Over 4,500
people participated in the program. We continue to get
raving reviews on the program. Many saying it's the
best first person presentation they have ever seen. The
men have really studied their characters and the culture
of the time period, which makes for a very realistic
presentation.
Many spectators start arriving at 9 AM to watch the
parade taking shape. When the last element of the
parade passed them by, they headed south to the grounds
of the Seaside Museum, waiting for the parade to return
to the Museum's Old Fashioned Social event.
People are already coming for the bicentennial. Many
have followed the trail across the country and tell us
this is the end of their trail. Plans are being made for
next year's programs when we are expecting even more
participation.
Seaside's parade started with the Red, White and Blue in
a massive display. The Color Guards, in order, were
from the Seaside Volunteer Fire Department, American
Legion, Seaside Elks and the Clatsop County Sheriff's
Mounted Posse.
One thing that is happening at our program that hasn't
occurred at other first person program is the bartering
that goes on between the visitor and the characters.
Many times they will come down empty handed and
then return one or more times with trade items. As the
only people that visited the Saltmakers were Native
Americans, the guests are put into that character.
Traditionally the Seaside Museum starts organizing and
coordinating the 4th of July Parade in March, each year.
Often unseen and not reported are the major
contributions of effort by others. I want to be sure to say
"Thank You!" to the City of Seaside, Seaside Police
Department, Seaside Volunteer Fire Department and the
City Shops. All of these organizations see to it that we
have street banners displayed, parade route restriction
signs posted, police escort, intersection control, all of the
elements for public safety. Because these folks did their
part exceptionally well, the citizens of Seaside and our
thousands of visitors enjoyed a great Independence Day
Parade.
The greeters try to suggest that the items they bring be
appropriate for the time period. For the August program
we will have a handout sheet with suggestions for trade
items, using quotes from the journals.
One mother told me she had to really talk her teenage
boy to stop on their way to the beach. Once he got their,
he became really involved. She came up to the greeter's
station and he was still visiting with the saltmakers. It's
a fun way for all ages to learn their history.
Garden Clippings
by Nancy Berry
“A rose is a rose is a rose” may have been true
for Gertrude Stein, but it certainly is not true at
the Butterfield Cottage. Popular opinion,
hands down, declares our gate-flanking
Rugosa roses the favorites. Their wonderful
fragrance and double crimson blossoms
welcome all visitors to the cottage. This
particular Rosa rugosa is Hansa. It blooms
freely all summer and in the autumn, is
covered with large round red-orange hips.
Rose hips have as much as twenty times the
vitamin C of orange juice. It’s no wonder the
pioneer families made rose hip tea. It is made
by chopping up the entire rose hips, covering
with water and boiling for 30 minutes, then
straining. Most recipes suggest adding a bit of
honey to the tea.
Along the far picket fence, we have two
additional Rugosa roses, another Hansa and a
white Alba, both of which have crept under the
fence and continue to expand on the rocks.
A few years ago when I was doing some
research on heirloom roses, I came upon a
limerick written by Edward Lear (1812 –
1888) which seems so appropriate to our
Rugosas that I would like to share it with you:
“And this is certain; if so be
You could just now my garden see
The aspic of my flowers so bright
Would make you shudder with delight.
And if you voz to see my roziz
As is a boon to all men’s nozizYou’d fall upon your back and scream"O Lawk! O cricky! It’s a dream!’”
The thick leathery leaves are disease resistant
and tolerant of salt winds so it is an ideal
coastal rose. Its biggest fault is that it loves to
spread out and will send up suckers wherever
it can, often in the lawn.
Giftshop Update Marjorie Diebolt has restocked the gift shop
with Seaside & Gearhart Pictorial History Books and sea salt packets
with the Lewis & Clark saltmakers story. We also now carry Myrtlewood items and clean, ready to display, sand dollars. The store is also
stocked with suitcase-size books and souvenirs related to history of
Seaside, Lewis & Clark, Historic Highway 101, and general Oregon history.