Skagit County Historical Museum thankful for a great year

Jo Wolfe has a lot to be grateful for this Thanksgiving.

The executive director of the Skagit County Historical Museum says that its recent fall party netted the museum about $25,000 – a new high for an event that is just three years old.

The new fire detection system, paid for by the raise the paddle segment of last year’s fundraiser, is up and running. When problems are detected, the system alerts Guardian Security, which calls the La Conner fire department, all in a matter of minutes.

Visitors and participants in museum-sponsored programs have skyrocketed, from 3,800 in 2023 to 6,000 so far in 2024.

Over 900 school children on field trips have come for docent-led tours of the museum’s collection or plunged into the 19th century at all-day Skagit City School experiences. “They play tug of war, jacks and pick-up sticks and have sack races,” Wolfe explained, “and learn about coast Salish life and the county’s agricultural history.”

July’s Public History Day at the former Northern State Hospital grounds drew 500 people. Some shared stories, photos and memorabilia about relatives who worked or lived there. Others wanted to join the docent-led tour of a building or learn more about former residents.

Public history days help fill what Wolfe calls “the Era Gap.” The Museum’s collection of artifacts is strong on the County’s earliest days, but thin on the 1940s and 1950s. Hosting public history days at Anacortes, Big Lake and Lake McMurray would uncover rich material about the two Anacortes oil refineries as well as the logging camp era. “A lot of the early guys who came to work at the refineries are aging and we need to connect with them,” she said.

Because more history is born every day, the museum’ seven-person staff puts on more exhibits than it did 10 years ago with six staff members.

A big new exhibit means an all-hands-on-deck focus for staff. For “Wick Peth and the History of Rodeo in Skagit County”, which closes in March, “everyone sat in on interviews with Liza and Dan Peth and helped choose items to display,” said Wolfe. Archivist Mari Densmore scanned photos and wrote captions. Collection manager Laynie Moran spent two weeks labeling and hanging the show. Volunteers – there are three dozen in all – were vital at every stage, from documenting, storing and scanning items and handling hospitality during openings. Once the exhibit opened, staff caught up on regular work they had set aside.

“Our programs keep growing and our exhibits get more successful,” said Wolfe. More staff hours are needed and she hopes the $25,000 raised for operations on Nov. 2 will expand hours for current staff or fund a new position.

Thanks to $110,000 arriving soon from the county’s Lodging Tax Advisory Board, the museum’s marketing and promotion is healthy.

“One hundred percent of our advertising/marketing budget is Hotel/Motel funds from Skagit County and Town of La Conner,” said Wolfe. “The money lets us invest in marketing without impacting our regular operations funding.”

Marketing makes a difference. “Some of our past exhibits have had splashy openings and little attendance afterwards,” she noted. “But this year, in part due to increased social media and promotion, attendance is steady.”

Attendance at the Wick Peth exhibit is still strong. Dan Peth and Liza Peth Bott showed their support for the museum by winning the bid for next year’s naming rights for the museum’s east wing, home to rotating exhibits. Wick and Dorothy Peck’s names have already been put on the wall.

“Thank you for preserving our legacy,” Peth Bott told party attendees.

Wolfe and her team are happy to oblige, saying, “That’s our job, to preserve and present County history.”