Eagle Point Museum to celebrate 30th year with a two-day event
"New Life for an Old building" was the title of a two-page spread in the Eagle Point Independent Feb. 2, 1977 marking the move of the Long Mountain School (circa 1925 and known as District 37) to its final resting place as the Eagle Point Museum.
The Eagle Point Historical Society officially began Feb. 17, 1978 in the one-room Long Mountain School House. To mark its 30th year in Eagle Point and to coincide with the Heritage Day campaign, the museum will have a festive two days on Feb. 23-24. Hours will be 10-4 on Saturday and noon to 4 p.m. on Sunday.
Events will include live music, storytelling that will interest both young and old.
New Horizons of the Rogue, and their 30 members, will provide music
under the direction of Ivan Hollinghous at 2 p.m. Saturday. They will
be followed by dixieland music with Dixie Six.
Ken Thompson, part-time museum employee, will offer general interest
storytelling at 11 and 1 p.m. on Saturday and at 12:30 and 1:30 on
Sunday.
Everett Jennings has been invited to sign his Eagle Point, Oregon booklet featured in the Upper Rogue Independent several weeks ago. There will be celebration cake cut at 2 p.m. both days.
In order to understand the present celebration, one needs to start at the beginning—
Feb. 2- 1977, from Eagle Point Independent- The museum started as the Long Mountain School and many years later was moved to School District 9 and used as a storage building. The idea to save the building and to have a museum in Eagle Point was kicked off by the 1976 Bicentennial Committee and the Eagle Point Business Association.
Once the schoolhouse/storage building left District 9 hands, it passed into the hands of a historical committee, headed by former Eagle Point Mayor Ted Hoffman. Renovation began. Charter donors giving $25 or more were promised their name on a donor’s plaque to be displayed inside the museum.
July 8, from Eagle Point Independent- Ted Hoffman reported good progress on renovation. Forsythe Glass repaired all the windows free of charge. The Jackson family, of Jackson Electric, donated some wiring and installed a flagpole. An American flag was donated by Jess McFaddens.
Hoffman gave special thanks to District 9 students who worked on the building.
Gaynell Krambeal volunteered to act as a temporary curator.
By Sept. 1977, Hoffman sent out a plea for a plumber to donate his
services. He also reported that his sons, Dusty and Barry Hoffman, had
placed the bell in the old school’s belfry.
Pioneer memberships for $5 were offered to those whose families had been in the area as of 1877.
The Oregonian featured a full page story on the open house for the museum. They described it by saying "it was a real old-time, small-town family affair" and featured children playing in hay scattered around in front of the building searching for coins tossed out by a parent. There were around the block on a fire truck, artisans made pots of clay. The Old Time Fiddlers supplied the music.
A profit of $300 was realized and put against the $1,500 deficit accumulated as a result of the renovation.
The Oregonian reported the structure was on land donated by the Ed Dahack family, the building, of course, was donated by School District 9, cement and labor for the foundation was donated by Peter Crandall, who owned Butte Creek Mill.
Since its beginning as a one-room schoolhouse turned museum, there have been two additions, each 1200 sq. ft. in size. The first was made in 1993 and the last one in 1998.
The Walter Wood House was given to the Eagle Point Historical Society and went through some safety preservation. In years past it was a popular place for artists to paint. More recently it offers as a backdrop for art shows as well as a variety of antique car and farm equipment events.
Financial issues face the historical societies and in Jackson County. The financial support from the county to assist these groups has ceased and as a result a Heritage District is being proposed. All cities, except Shady Cove, agreed to allow their citizens the opportunity to sign a petition if they wanted to see the Heritage District on the November ballot. Should sufficient signatures be obtained and should it pass in November, there would be a seven cent
per $1,000 assessed valuation.
In Eagle Point, negotiations are nearing an end that would put the museum under the control of the city and the Wood House would be on its own; finishing the process is expected in the near future.