Letter To The Editor Accomplishments Of Beaverhead County Museum

Letter to the editor,

The Beaverhead County Museum has accomplished many goals during the past three years through the efforts of volunteers, Museum Board of Trustees, County Commissioners, Friends of the Museum, donors, and the public at large.  I am taking this means to enumerate some of these accomplishments as the museum belongs to you, the citizens of Beaverhead County. 

Through the efforts of the county commissioners, American Recovery Act money was used to paint the depot, main museum building, Argenta school, and storage shed.  The security system was upgraded, door locks fixed, and the theater seats repaired. Prior to this work, the depot and museum building roofs were re-shingled, and the outside railings replaced.   

Two major exhibits were added to the historic depot.  The “Indigenous Peoples and Archeological History of Southwest Montana” exhibit curated by Ron Loge is a state-class exhibit.  The “Ride the Rails” exhibit led by Donna Jones describes the early railroad history of Beaverhead County.  Wayne Carlson and Joseph Schukle are in the process of upgrading the model train and the city of Dillon exhibit depicting the 1930s to 1950s. These exhibits complement the Smithsonian quality “Audubon Birds of Southwest Montana” exhibit curated by local taxidermist Dennis Jones and the Lewis and Clark diorama designed by Rudy Autio. This amazing diorama, installed many years ago, has wax sculptures of members of the Lewis and Clark expedition.

Other recent exhibits include an upgrade of Leona Sander’s national award-winning cabochon gemstone display and a historical mining-geology exhibit belonging to mining & geology expert John Breen.  A self-guided tour system was installed  to provide more in-depth information on the displays.  A roof was installed over the medicine tree by Mr. Thomas.  Finally, every year during the winter staff and volunteers work on new exhibits in the main museum building for the upcoming season.   

Every year, school classes from multiple schools attend the museum on field trips and many people utilize the beautiful outside yard and rotunda. Volunteers Ann Egan and Chris Longley beautify the museum with plants and shrubbery around the museum. These dedicated women spend hours planting, watering, and weeding the flowerbeds at the museum during the spring and summer.

The museum is financed in approximate terms 40% by the county two-mill levy, 40 % to 50 % by donations to the Friends of the Museum, and the remainder by gate receipts, gift store receipts, research fees and bequest and memorial donations.  The Museum thrift Store, managed by volunteer Judy Carlson, has been a strong and important contributor to the Friends of the Museum group.  Maintenance, utilities, and salaries are the main cost components. 

Going forward, the museum has begun to bring in both local and outside speakers to give talks the third Thursday of each month during the year on interesting historical subjects.  The research room materials are continually updated, and the museum has one of the most extensive archives and photo collections in Montana.

The museum is officially closed during the winter, with office hours from 10 am to 4 pm Monday through Friday and the research room hours Tuesday and Wednesday 11 am to 4 pm or by appointment. If you would like to visit the museum during the winter the museum director can organize a tour of the exhibits. 

Sincerely, 

Candi Whitworth, Executive Director on behalf of the Beaverhead County Museum Board of Trustees.