With several themed collections, the Magrath Museum does a good job of recreating various aspects of life as it was from the inception of the town at the turn of the twentieth century up until more recent years gone by. As well as static displays of everything from covered wagons and farm machinery to radios and appliances to kitchen utensils and ladies' corsets, the museum has a collection of recorded music from days of yore, old movies and family films, and hundreds of photos of life as it was in Magrath and area.
Operated by the Magrath History And Museum Association, the museum is housed in an unusual looking building. While the main building is a pretty standard hipped roofed single story stuccoed building, standing at its front, and acting as the entrance, is a three story tall tower with a crenellated railing running around its flat roof. Architecturally, one could call it Italianate in style, if they were so predisposed.
Here at the Museum
Magrath Days! What a great time to create memories that last a life time. The parade, the rodeo, the free food, the festivities, the town program, the softball/baseball games...it really is a magical time. What I love most about this now and then...is that they aren't too different.
Here at the museum we have lots of stories regarding Magrath days in the past. We have several movies celebrating them. ( We also have movies dating back to the 1930's that you won't want to miss! Now Playing!) Anyways, back to Magrath days. It seems to be that Magrath days has always been about celebrating our heritage surrounded by the people we love. There has always been places to gather such as a program, a rodeo... really any excuse to be with people was used.
Here at the Museum we have been working hard to set up our new Media Room! While doing so, I have had the opportunity to examine some of the artifacts, including Cameras from the early 1900s.
If you look to your very far right, you will see what looks like a wheel that has a metal stick pointing out of it. It took me awhile to realize what this thing of beauty functioned as...when the answer came to me it was magical. I have since learned that it is a dentist drill. There is a foot pedal that would spin the wheel and allow a tiny drill at the end to come in and out and work on your teeth. Imagine if the dentists foot got tired half way through drilling!
The museum needed a bit of sprucing after all of the muddy weather. As I was cleaning up, I walked into the room with an early washing machine. This machine was found by Joan Karren's farm. To work this machine you take the handle in front and move it back and forth, giving the clothes a good toss and tumble around that clean, soapy water. Once that was finished they would ring the clothes out (using the gadget that looks like a rolling pin) and hang them up to dry.
Here at the museum we have several yearbooks dating back earlier than the 1950s! Come on in and see for yourself.
From The Museum