A small museum chock full of interesting artefacts of the Douglas County area, we understand that the highlight of the collection is a meteorite which is part of a fairly comprehensive rock and gem collection which includes gems, minerals, petrified wood, meteorites and thundereggs (similar to geodes). The 73.25-pound iron and nickel
Waterville Meteorite, discovered in 1917, was the first to be recovered in the state.
On the southwest side of the building is a large mural depicting the use of an aerial tram in transporting primarily wheat down and materials and supplies up to Waterville from the Columbia River valley. The tramway was built in 1901-02 as there was not yet railroad service to Waterville and the tramway seemed the most economical method of transporting goods up and down the steep canyon into the valley. Blending into the mural is a reproduction of one tram tower, which supported the cables which carried the tramway. At the west corner of the mural is this plaque which explains the operation of the tramway.
Aerial Tram
Operated from late 1902 until 1910. The Columbia Tram Company let the contract for building the double cable 9200 foot tram to R.C. Riblett from Spokane. Built three miles north of Orondo on a bluff west of Waterville. Elevation at the top was 2400 feet down to 700 feet at river level. It extended two miles from the top to bottom across two deep canyons. A moving cable supported on wooden towers carried large steel buckets. The buckets were shaped like a bread loaf pan, nearly four feet long, three feet wide and two feet deep.
Thirty-six buckets held five or six sacks of grain for the trip down. Coal, lumber, and merchandise were hauled up. It is unclear when open carriers were added. The original idea was that the weight of the downward bound loads would operate the tram. Apparently this was not satisfactory because an engine and drum were installed at the top of the terminus.
W.E. Stevens was the operator.
Mural painted by Ron McGaughy of Manson, Washington.