Feel a piece of county history
Published 10:41 pm Thursday, June 14, 2007
It’s a thrill when someone’s dream comes true, and everyone may share in the bounty.
Jerry Senner of Snohomish began his quest more than 45 years ago, and it’s soon to be shared with the world.
A new Western Heritage Center Interactive Museum is being organized at the eastern end of the Evergreen State Fairgrounds in Monroe. It aims is to honor history of transportation, logging, agriculture and mining in the Sky Valley.
And all in such a fun way.
Outside is a working water wheel, hay baler, old tractors and a steam engine. Inside, find antiques, a wringer washing machine, sepia photos from the old Monroe Logging Co., a spar tree display and tools you can touch. Visitors will be able to walk through an old mine shaft, use a printing press and an antique corn sheller.
Senner, 65, from Snohomish was raised on a farm. He’s collected agricultural memorabilia for more than 45 years. The retired machine operator owned a dairy farm and sold real estate.
Though he has donated literally tons of equipment, he still has goods and tractors stored at his house.
About 20 worker bees are pitching in to help complete the center. It should be open on a regular schedule by mid-July, according to Mark Campbell, manager of the fairgrounds.
The center got a financial boost in May from the Snohomish County Farm Bureau. Eric Klock, with the bureau, said the $5,000 donation was unusual for the agency.
“Normally, the FB deals with practical and informational issues germane to agriculture,” Klock said.
“This board has been very focused on the preservation of open spaces and farmlands over the past 15 years and presently heads up a ‘No net loss of farmlands’ effort involving the county government and state.”
Senner and supporters approached the Farm Bureau with their vision for the center and the bureau was impressed, Klock said. They formed a committee to assist the museum financially and with acquisitions.
Klock said few resources have been devoted to the preservation of our local history, particularly the years 1860 to 1920.
Volunteers are giving generously of their time to create displays, are working to make sure it’s not just a static see-and-read museum, and soon will expand the building.
Volunteer Steve Rizzo, 54, from Monroe said eventually there will be an old farm kitchen. Instead of just showing the fascinating innards of a barn, visitors will be able to lift hay in and out of a wagon.
“We’ve got old monkey wrenches on the wall,” Rizzo said. “We are filling every nook and cranny.”
He built the working water wheel with Senner, who recently returned from doing missionary work in Africa, where he donated a much-appreciated corn sheller.
“A big part of the center will be seeing how things work,” Rizzo said. “We always want motion, movement.”
The dream takes money.
Bid on a tractor, tools, trips and more at the Western Heritage Center Interactive Museum benefit silent and live auction planned for 6 p.m. Saturday at the east end of the Evergreen State Fairgrounds, in the Cattle Pavilion, at 14405 179th Ave. SE, Monroe.
Meet folks at the auction who are devoted to making Senner’s dream come to life. Summing up the mission of the Western Heritage Center Interactive Museum, volunteer Ty Costa, 63, from Snohomish said the exhibit will have a unique place in our county.
“It celebrates our heritage,” Costa said. “We were not built by Boeing, housing and Microsoft. This area was built by people who worked the land.”
Columnist Kristi O’Harran: 425-339-3451 or oharran@heraldnet.com.
Auction Saturday
Bid on a tractor, trips, tools or other goods at the Western Heritage Center Interactive Museum benefit silent and live auction at 6 p.m. Saturday at the east end of the Evergreen State Fairgrounds, in the Cattle Pavilion, at 14405 179th Ave. SE, Monroe.
