April Fools' "Historically Inaccurate" Scavenger Hunt
Fort Walla Walla Museum is ready for spring! 🌼🌷
April is the start of our annual April Fools Scavenger Hunt. Practice your sleuthing skills by tracking down the historically inaccurate items hidden throughout the museum’s exhibits—keep track of these time-traveling objects and earn a prize in the Museum Store!
The scavenger hunt is a month-long event starting Wednesday April 1st. The Museum is open from 10am-5pm daily.
Don’t forget that members get in free!
African American WACs at the Walla Walla Airbase in WWII
During World War II, over 6,000 men were assigned to Walla Walla’s Army airfield base. Walla Walla Air Field was unique, in that it was the recipient of the first squadron of African-American WACS (Women’s Army Corps) ever assigned to an air base. About 100 of them arrived in August 1943, composed of WACs from different bases. Who were these black WACs? And what was their role at the air base?
How were the WACs assigned to Walla Walla treated, and what was their interaction with the community like?
Several Union-Bulletin articles, two air base newsletters and a long-forgotten microfilm of Walla Walla Air Field history uncovered at the Whitman College Archives helped reconstruct the WACs’ experience here.
Presented by Susan Monahan.
Bror Sornson, Follower of W.W. Davies Commune: Living History Presentation
Bror Sornson, played by his great-great-grandson Ron Klicker, will describe his family’s immigration from Sweden to Utah, where they became followers of Joseph Morris, a new prophet challenging Brigham Young.
After Morris and his followers were attacked by authorities and Morris was killed, many went into exile and in 1867 some, including Sorenson, followed William W. Davies to the outskirts of Walla Walla. Here, Davies proclaimed a piece of land on Scenic Loop near what is now Mormon Grade a consecrated place, where he established what he called “the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth” and revealed himself as the incarnation of the Holy Spirit.
In 1868, Davies proclaimed his newborn son the incarnation of Jesus Christ, and in 1869 identified another son as God the Father. After a diphtheria epidemic struck the religious commune in 1879 and his wife and sons died, several of his followers sued Davies in Walla Walla County Superior Court for the return of their pooled property and compensation for the labor they contributed to the community. After a trial, Davies’ land was sold to satisfy the judgment awarded against him, and the community was ultimately dissolved. Some, including Sornson, remained faithful to their prophet throughout their lives.
Living History performances take place on the Museum’s grounds or inside the Grand Hall. Visitors are encouraged to question re-enactors about their experiences and views, and visit the Museum’s many displays and historic buildings.
Yen Tom, Chinese gardener: Living History Presentation
Yen Tom lived in the Walla Walla Valley in the late 1800’s as a farmer.
Yen Tom will be portrayed by Galen Tom.
The Baker-Boyer Four: Living History Presentation
In this performance Dorsey Baker, Sarah Boyer and husband John Boyer are interviewed by journalist Nellie Day. They reflect on the early days of their mercantile business and the evolution the Baker Boyer Bank.
David Douglas, naturalist: Living History Presentation
David Douglas was a Scottish botanist who traveled North America, collecting and documentation the botanical life of the Oregon Territory. Oregon's state tree, the Douglas Fir, is named after him.
Douglas came to the U.S. as a botanical collector for the Royal Horticultural Society, making his trip in 1823; he later made several other scientific journeys, returning to the North American Far West frequently. He introduced roughly 50 new trees and shrubs and about 100 herbaceous plants into England during his career.
Ed Burlingame, ditch digger and developer: Living History Presentation
In 1893, Burlingame arrived in Walla Walla to inspect the plans for an ambitious irrigation project and stayed to dig the ditch that bears his name today. The Burlingame Ditch turned more than 5,000 acres of sagebrush into productive farmland. More than one hundred years after its completion, the Burlingame Ditch still conveys water by gravity within its earthen banks.
Ed Burlingame is portrayed by Tom Williams.
F. P. Allen, early architect: Living History Presentation
Come meet one of Walla Walla's early architects, FP Allen. Listen to him tell of the challenges of building with a vision, of making a city out of a settlement, and the importance of a community commitment. This allowed him to build a proper fire house, a prestigious manor home (Kirkman House), and a combination livery stable and opera house. He will also talk about the tragedy associated with that opera house and the controversy surrounding it. This self proclaimed great-grandson of a true American patriot will talk of the transitioning of Walla Walla from a settlement that supported an Army fort to a thriving city that was meant to be a capitol.
The Oregon Trail Game & Ice Cream Social
Are you ready to travel the Oregon Trail to Fort Walla Walla? 🐂🧺🌾
It's Fort Walla Walla Museum's annual Ice Cream Social and Oregon Trail Game. Pack your wagons and get ready to travel the Oregon Trail!
In this live-action version of the beloved 1985 computer game, you will begin at the museum’s General Store, packing your chosen supplies to help you overcome the variety of calamities you will face along the Oregon Trail. It will take a combination of pioneer skills, creativity, and pure luck to reach your destination. If you make it to Fort Walla Walla, you will be rewarded with your own 320 acres of land!
Don’t forget that members get in free.
Thank you to Columbia REA, Baskin-Robbins, and Yancey P. Winans Testamentary Trust for their sponsorship of this event.
Fred Stine, blacksmith and builder: Living History Presentation
Fred Stine represents one of Walla Walla's best “rags to riches” stories, he built the largest brick hotel in the Washington Territory and set up a lucrative blacksmith shop serving the needs of gold miners, Oregon Trail pioneers, and the military at Fort Walla Walla.
Sam Black, Hudson’s Bay Company clerk: Living History Presentation
Sam Black was the master of Fort Nez Perce at the mouth of the Walla Walla River from 1825 to 1830. He was 46 years old when he assumed charge of the Walla Walla post. He first came to North America from Scotland around 1810 and eventually joined the North West Company.
When the Hudson’s Bay and North West Companies merged in 1821, changing the post’s name to Fort Walla Walla, Black was not immediately rehired. He was eventually reinstated as a clerk. Because of him, we have a “vocabulary” of the Cayuse language that was the beginning of all later efforts to revive an extinct language; historians and anthropologists also gleaned other cultural and ethnographic information about regional Indian people from Black’s writings.
Sam Black is portrayed by Tom Williams.
Early History of St. Mary’s
Presented by Linda Andrews, author of In Order to do Good: The History of Providence St. Mary Medical Center.
Joseph Meek, trapper, lawman and politician: Living History Presentation
Mountain man Joe Meek first entered the Oregon Country in 1829 and he settled in the Willamette Valley. After the Whitman massacre of 1847 Meek made his famous winter ride to Washington, D.C., to plead for U.S. troops and a government presence in Oregon. As a result, he was appointed U.S. Marshal for the new Oregon Territory.
Maria Whitman, wife of first mayor: Living History Presentation
In 1862 Mrs. Whitman came to Walla Walla to join her husband E.B. Whitman, who had been recently elected as the city’s first mayor. She was born in Portland, Maine, in 1828, the daughter of a lawyer, and was educated in the Boston area where she met her future husband. The couple married and had two sons.
In 1850 Mr. Whitman traveled west to seek his fortune in the California gold fields. Mrs. Whitman remained in Boston to raise her children until E. B. had chosen a new location for the family. After 12 years, the couple reunited in Walla Walla where they were active in civic affairs and resided for the rest of their lives. Mrs. Whitman will share music of her time with Museum visitors.
Maria Greenwood Whitman is portrayed by Barbara Clark.
Lettice Millican Clark Reynolds, pioneer and leader: Living History Presentation
Lettice Millican was born in 1830, the oldest of 12 children. In 1843 her family headed west with a wagon train carrying 1,000 settlers. After her family settled in the Willamette Valley, she married Ransom Clark, who in 1855 obtained a 640-acre donation claim along Yellowhawk Creek.
Lettice and her husband came to Walla Walla to prove up their claim in 1855 but were driven out by the Indian War of that year. Ransom Clark died in Portland in 1859, and Lettice returned to Walla Walla the same year to complete their cabin, which is now located in the Museum’s Pioneer Village. She was the first white woman to reside in the Walla Walla Valley after the Whitman tragedy, later marrying mill owner Almos Reynolds and becoming a public benefactor who made substantial gifts to Whitman College.
Lettice Millican Clark Reynolds is portrayed by Pam Myers.
Edward Ball, dragoon sergeant: Living History Presentation
Living History performances take place in the Museum’s pioneer village on Myra Road, weather permitting, otherwise in the Grand Hall. Visitors are encouraged to question re-enactors about their experiences and views, and visit the Museum’s many displays and historic buildings.
Cushing Eells, Protestant missionary: Living History Presentation
Pioneer missionaries Cushing and Myra Eells arrived in the Valley in 1838. They settled among the Spokane Indians until the tragedy at the Whitman's mission in 1847, when they moved to the Willamette Valley.
They returned to the Walla Walla Valley at the close of the Indian wars in 1859 to reclaim the mission grounds at Waiilatpu, the Whitman Mission site. There, Cushing decided to found an educational institution, the Whitman Seminary. In 1883, the institution became Whitman College as a result of the Eells' efforts, which continued throughout their lives.
Reverend Eells is portrayed by Whitman College professor Rogers Miles.
Father J.B.A. Brouillet, Catholic Missionary: Living History Presentation
French-Canadian priest John Baptiste Abraham Brouillet, a Québéçoise, came to the Walla Walla Valley in September 1847, just a few weeks before the incident at Whitman Mission. He established his own mission about 25 miles south of the Whitmans shortly after he arrived. Although Father Brouillet and Marcus Whitman had some disagreements when Catholic priests first came to the valley, they nevertheless developed a friendship.
Brouillet was on his way to Whitman Mission to verify a rumor of a terrible occurrence and found the Whitmans’ bodies, along with eleven others, killed on the scene. A handful of Indian warriors responsible for the slayings were still present. When he arrived, Joseph Stanfield, a Métis, was preparing the bodies for burial, and Brouillet helped inter them. Brouillet also helped arrange the release of 60 captives taken at the Mission.
Father Brouillet went on to become a pioneer figure in Walla Walla’s Catholic institutions, purchasing the land for St. Vincent’s Academy in 1863 and founding Saint Patrick’s School for boys in 1865. He also founded Des La Salles school for boys, which later became Desales High School.
Father Brouillet is portrayed by ski instructor, woodworker, and retired teacher, Jeannot Poirot.
Matilda Sager Delaney, Whitman Mission survivor: Living History Presentation
Matilda Sager Delaney, born in 1839, was but an orphaned child when the Whitman Mission at Waiilatput was taken over on November 29, 1846, by Cayuse Indian warriors, furious at a measles epidemic brought upon their vulnerable tribe by settlers, Many died in the attack, including Matilda’s brother Frank. Matilda was witness to that bloody day and was taken as a hostage among 50 until ransomed by the Hudson’s Bay Company. But her life of hardship had just begun. She returned after three marriages to the Whitman site to honor the 50th observance of the bloodshed at Wailatpu in 1897. Susan Matley portrays her for Living History.
E.B. Whitman, Walla Walla's first mayor: Living History Presentation
Dan Clark, one of the originators of the Living History’s successful presentations, breathes life into Walla Walla’s first Mayor, E.B. Whitman. He’s played this favorite character for many a season. You won’t want to miss his polished delivery to get a sense of Walla Walla’s interesting history as the oldest city in Washington state.
Josephine Wolfe, pioneer madam: Living History Presentation
Fort Walla Walla Museum brings back a favorite Living History character, turn-of-the-century madam Josephine Wolfe, the famed Walla Walla brothel owner and philanthropist.
In 1859, Wolfe, a 23-year-old German woman established one of Walla Walla’s first and longest-running brothels at 11 W. Alder Ave. With miners and speculators pouring through town, there was no shortage of clientele.
“Dutch Jo” lived in her business parlor, where she remained until her death in 1909. Described as charming and capable, she also had a reputation as a ruthless businesswoman.
She insisted that her women sex workers have proper health care. The women kept half their earnings, and the other half went to the house. Wolfe contributed generously to local charitable causes, and she provided a place for sick and injured firefighters to recuperate. She was known to have purchased cemetery plots at Mountain View Cemetery in Walla Walla for both firefighters and prostitutes, that they might have decent burials when they died.
Her business did well. City records show she paid county taxes in 1908 of $11,464. There are no photographs or portraits of Wolfe available, for her will stipulated destruction of all such images.
Henry Villard, president of the Northern Pacific Railway: Living History Presentation
Come with us on a steam-powered living history performance at our museum. The reenactment embodies the legendary Henri Villard “The Comet,” a pioneering railroad financier. Prepare to be mesmerized as Villard brings to life the incredible tale of immense accomplishment - the building of investments required for the construction of the Northwest, known as The Oregon Railroad and Navigation Company. Listen in when Villard recounts the moment when his dream became a reality, linking East to West with steel tracks and steamboats. Don't miss the chance to experience the thrill of Henri Villard's vision and immerse yourself in the captivating railroad history that shaped the Northwest.
After the performance, visitors can explore our museum's historic locomotive exhibit about The Blue Mountain, locomotive #4. This exhibit will leave you in awe as you bear witness to the magnificence of historic locomotives that powered the growth of our nation, transporting goods and people across vast distances.
Villard is portrayed by retired Whitman College faculty member Clark Colahan.
Capt. O.H.P. Taylor, dragoon at Steptoe’s Battle: Living History Presentation
A West Point graduate from the East Coast, Captain Taylor become versed in the ways of the West after fighting Indian tribes for whom it turns out he had sympathy. He eventually was stationed at Fort Walla Walla with his young family. He was one of the unfortunate soldiers tapped to go with Lt. Col. Edward J. Steptoe north of the Snake River to negotiate with the tribes who had stated they did not want a treaty. Come hear the tale of bravery in a harrowing time.
Living History presents Capt. Oliver Hazard Perry Taylor portrayed by David Bryant.
Walter H. Brattain, physicist and Nobel Prize winner: Living History Presentation
Walter H Brattain will be portrayed by John Jamison.
Richard Bogle, Jamaican immigrant, barber and businessman: Living History Presentation
Richard Bogle was born in Jamaica in 1835 where his parents were slaves. When he was 12 years old, he stowed away on a ship to New York during an anti-slavery campaign, and traveled to Oregon with a wagon train at age 16. When he was 22, he opened a restaurant and barbershop in Deadwood, California, where he also did some gold mining. On January 1, 1863, the day the Emancipation Proclamation was signed by President Lincoln, Bogle married America Waldo. The couple moved to Walla Walla, where he started a barbershop on Main Street, making him the first black businessman in Walla Walla on “proprietor of the tonsorial parlors at No.3 Second Street.” They had eight children and owned a 200-acre farm near Dixie.
Walla Walla was a segregated city when the Bogles arrived. African Americans could not get rooms at a hotel or eat in public dining rooms. Mr. Bogle often allowed African Americans who were temporarily in town to live in the rear of his shop, where they could keep warm and cook an occasional meal. Mrs. Bogle was said to be “a lady of estimable character, noted for her deeds of charity to the poor and suffering.”
He was a co-founder of the Walla Walla Savings and Loan Association.
Richard Bogle is portrayed by Earl Gooding Jr.
Herbert Nicholls, the youngest WSP inmate: Living History Presentation
Herbert Niccolls, Jr. was the youngest inmate ever incarcerated at the Washington State Penitentiary. He was born into a troubled family, witnessed his father kill a neighbor lady, caused problems in foster homes, and was sentenced to the Idaho State Industrial School. When his grandmother gained custody, she often beat him and deprived him of food "because of his sins.”
At age 12, the boy ran away from her home wearing ragged overalls and a stolen gun. Cold and hungry that night, he broke into a local store to steal cigarettes, gum, and cash. When the local sheriff discovered his hiding place behind a cabinet and called him out, his blindly-aimed shot killed the beloved lawman almost instantly.
What followed was a drama that would gain national attention, including a campaign supported by Father Flanagan of Boys Town, who declared, “There’s no such thing as a bad boy.” His story included years in the penitentiary, a diploma from Walla Walla High School, and an eventual career as an accounting executive for Twentieth Century Fox.
The aging Mr. Niccolls will be portrayed by Chuck Hindman.
Mary Shipman Penrose, philanthropist: Living History Presentation
Diana May will portray Mary Penrose.
William Tye, assistant railroad conductor: Living History Presentation
William Tye is an assistant conductor working for Dorsey Baker's Walla Walla & Columbia River Railroad. Tye will be discussing his job working on the locomotives, including how these narrow-gauge steam engines operated and how they were configured (have you ever heard of a platform of dogs being used in place of a cowcatcher?). He will also give some history on the local railroad, how it was brilliantly financed by Dr. Baker, and what it took to bring the railroad to Walla Walla. He'll also describe how the track itself was constructed and explain exactly what "Rawhide Railroad" refers to, clearing up some myths and legends surrounding Dr. Baker's famous enterprise.
During their visit, guests can see one of the locomotives William Tye would have operated. The Blue Mountain is the last existing narrow-gauge engine from Dorsey Baker's WW&CRR. If the weather permits, William Tye will show visitors the train's components and describe the missing pieces that would have allowed the train to operate.
The marvelous Gary Lentz will be portraying William Tye.
Merry Christmas!
Fort Walla Walla Museum is closed Thursday, December 25th. We will reopen on December 26th.
Have a joyous holiday season!
Annual Open House (admission-free)
Enjoy a day of free admission to the museum! 🏛️🎟️
Fort Walla Walla Museum invites guests to come and see what’s new at the old fort—and to mark the official re-opening of the Pioneer Village for the warmer months!
With five exhibit halls and a Pioneer Village with historic buildings, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. This year holds a special exhibits as we honor the 250th anniversary of the US. Learn about the territorial prison, horse-era agricultural practices, the history of Walla Walla's many forts, and more!
Thank you to STCU for their sponsorship of this event.
Whispers from the Ghost—The Story of Captain Albert H. Rooks, The USS Houston, and Her Crew
Rook’s Park in Walla Walla is a beautiful spot for residents and guests alike to spend time. But have you ever wondered why there is a Navy anchor in the memorial of an Army Corps of Engineers park? And what of the story behind the park’s name? Welcome Gary Lentz, retired Washington State Park Ranger, who will answer these questions and more.
The USS Houston, under the command of Capt. Rooks, fought a valiant battle against overwhelming odds before being sunk in the Sunda Strait early in 1942. Survivors were sent to Japanese prison camps and forced to work in the jungles of Burma building a railroad. Two of the survivors lived in Walla Walla and its vicinity after the war.
We invite you to find out more about Captain Albert Rooks, the USS Houston, and their impact on the park we know and love.
Carmelita Colon: A Living History Production
A Vindication for the Unwritten – or How to Write Yourself Back Into History
written by Ana Maria Campoy
Meet Carmelita Colon. Born in Mexico, she arrived in Walla Walla, Washington Territory, with her husband Sebastian in the 1860s. For several years, they ran a mule train to the gold mines in Idaho. Later selling tamales and running a Mexican restaurant in Walla Walla.
What was life like in Walla Walla in the late 1800s? What was Carmelita’s life like? Might she have seen women’s rights pioneers Susan B. Anthony and Abigail Scott Duniway speak about suffrage when they visited Walla Walla in 1871?
Based on extensive research, Ana Maria Campoy has created a vibrant portrait of Carmelita Colon, from her childhood in Mexico to her migration to Washington. She has brought this early Walla Walla resident to life and written her back into history.
The program is part of KCPT’s Washington Women’s History Tour: Suffrage Lecture Series – a dramatic chronology of the suffrage/women’s rights movement across Washington State with a special focus on under-represented voices and little-known stories of BIPOC women.
Flavorful Authenticity—Ancient Grains for Health and Heritage
In the heart of the Inland Pacific Northwest, the rolling hills of the Palouse were transformed between 1860 and 1920 from undulating prairie into one of the nation's premier dryland farming and ranching districts.
Palause Heritage is based here, growing rare, time-honored grains using regenerative farming practices. Richard Scheuerman, a co-founder of the family-owned business, will discuss the significance of landrace crops and the origins of agriculture in the Walla Walla Valley. Explore what he calls the core principles of restorative agriculture, as applied by contemporary practitioners.
Richard Scheuerman was recently honored by the Northwest Historians Guild with their Lifetime Achievement Award. His writing includes Harvest Heritage: Heirloom Crops and Agricultural Origins of the Pacific Northwest, co-authored with Alex McGregor through WSU Press.
Lost Cities, New Tech, and the LiDAR revolution: The Case For An Earth Archive
We have archives of films, newspapers, even seeds -- what if we could make one for the entire surface of the earth? Changes to the Earth’s biosphere have reached a critical mass and it is now clear that we can no longer halt these that are resulting from human-induced earth system modifications. The resulting climate crisis, coupled with human population growth and land
use changes, are fundamentally altering our planet and as a result we have a limited time to record the Earth’s surface and the distribution of biota. Here we call for a massive international effort to 3-D scan the entire land mass of the planet (29.2%) to create a digital Earth Archive to provide a comprehensive baseline database of the Earth’s surface, and everything on it, at a high resolution that is accessible to as many as possible. Drawing on his experience mapping an ancient city in the Honduran jungle, archaeologist Chris Fisher makes the case for scanning the whole planet with LiDAR—a technology that uses lasers shot from an airplane to map the ground—in order to preserve our cultural and ecological heritage.
This will be a virtual presentation. Guests are invited to join us in the Grand Hall, where they can watch the lecture live and ask questions.
“Hudson's Bay Company Agrigulture” Museum After Hours
Wheat has been harvested in the Walla Walla Valley since the mid-1800s, first grown on the Hudson’s Bay Company farm. Hear from Tom Williams about farming and preserving this historic site.
Pioneer Santa & Holiday Fun
Join the festivities happening at Fort Walla Walla Museum!
Meet Pioneer Santa for pictures and holiday stories in the Grand Hall. Kids can enjoy a creative crafts table, and refreshments will be served with a side of holiday cheer. The event is admission-free for visitors looking to shop the Museum Store and participate in the holiday festivities without touring the museum.
Staff and volunteers are pleased to offer complimentary gift wrapping for all holiday purchases made in the Museum Store on this day, and all store purchases help support the museum.
The perfect family activity for when it gets too cold outside!
“Webs of Steel and Copper: Walla Walla in the Worldwide Information Network” Museum After Hours
Technological innovations have always paralleled how quickly we can communicate with each other, from carrier pigeons to phone calls and text messages.
Presenter John Jamison will share how the invention of the telegraph became interwoven with the history of railroad expansion.
Haunted Halls of History, a Living History Radio Performance
The “What If” radio is airing again!
For those of you who remember the fun (and frights) of last year’s “The War of the Worlds” performance, you are in for a treat! The What-If radio will be brought back to broadcasting life once again.
History is populated with 'ghosts'. Ghosts who created the past but are no longer physically among us. On the "Haunted Halls of History" we will resurrect a few of our local 'ghosts' and share them with our listening audience.
Tune in to KFWW, 1859 on your radio dial, and listen in.
Enjoy light refreshments, included with admission. Tickets start at $10 for Fort Walla Walla Museum guests and $5 for Museum members.
“Surviving the Sands: Hope & Heartbreak History of 1950s Columbia Basin Farmers” Museum After Hours
How did the Columbia Basin desert become a breadbasket to the world?
1950—Much of the Columbia Basin grew sagebrush, sandburs, horned toads, scorpions, and rattlesnakes. In 1952, the first irrigation water arrived from Grand Coulee Dam. Grateful for irrigation, new pioneers broke sod. At first, many lived in shacks or tents while they looked forward to bountiful harvests to supply money for food and for building adequate housing. These farmers arrived with varying assets, varying motivations, and varying knowledge of farming.
Some farming methods that worked well in other areas proved disastrous in the desert. Sandstorms slashed young crops and buried many farmers’ dreams. Some settlers stayed ‘till they used up their assets, then moved back to previous endeavors or moved on to new enterprises. Some planted their family roots deep in their dreams… and in their sand.
The families who stayed understood well that none of the roads were named Easy Street. They worked hard. They struggled… experimented… innovated. Finally, they won—now the desert holds miles and miles of productive croplands.
What were the early farming days like? Come explore them with award-winning author Helen Heavirland—one of the farm kids who lived the trials and the triumphs.
Day of the Dead; No Me Olvides
Fort Walla Walla Museum is happy to host again an exclusive exhibit in our entrance hall. Starting October 28th and continuing through the traditional Día de los Muertos celebration, the exhibit will close on November 16th.
Día de los Muertos is a Mexican holiday devoted to remembering and celebrating loved ones who have passed. This multi-day festival includes honoring the deceased using marigold flowers, building home altars called ofrendas with the favorite foods and beverages of the departed, and visiting graves with these items as gifts for the deceased. The celebration is not only about honoring the dead. Giving gifts to friends, such as candy sugar skulls, and sharing traditional pan de muerto with loved ones is also common.
Fort Walla Walla Museum is honored to help share this beautiful tradition. We will be displaying family altars and art made by the valley’s talented Hispanic artists. Please take the time to stop by and join us in celebrating Día de los Muertos.
Doc Baker’s Railroad 150th Anniversary
All Aboard! 150 Years of the Rawhide Railroad
Fort Walla Walla Museum and Baker Boyer Bank invite you to mark the 150th anniversary of the completion of the Walla Walla & Columbia River Railroad with an admission-free, fun-packed day at the museum.
Join us for a day of fun, food, and community spirit!
The museum will open at 10:00 a.m., with La Monarca food trucks arriving at 11:00 a.m. There will be a Living History walking tour of the grounds, where historical characters will share their insight on the railroad and its creator, Dr. D.S. Baker.
The anniversary ceremony is scheduled to begin at 1:00 p.m. The first 1,000 guests will receive free food vouchers up to $10 per person, commemorative coins, and tote bags.
Selected student project entries will be displayed and honored at the celebration, and children can ride a mini train around the museum’s grounds from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., courtesy of Costume Creation’s “Chugga Chugga Choo Choo” train.
Community organization partners will also be present, offering information and activity booths that will excite everyone in the family. These include Northwest Grain Growers, Dayton Historical Depot, Children’s Museum of Walla Walla, Kirkman House, and Columbia Rail. Learn more about Dr. D.S. Baker and his “Rawhide Railroad,” which connected the agricultural powerhouse of Walla Walla to the world.
Columbia Rail will be bringing several pieces of locomotive history to share, including two cabooses, the historic Abraham Lincoln business car, and the SW1 #104 (manufactured in 1939 and one of the oldest in-service diesel locomotives).
Please check our Facebook page for the most up-to-date information. To learn more about the Blue Mountain, check our blog. If you would like to support our preservation efforts, you may make a donation through our website.
Schedule of Events
All Day Free admission, kids activities, community partner tables
10 a.m.–12 p.m. Columbia Rail train tours
10 a.m.–2 p.m. Living History Walking Tour
11 a.m.–2 p.m. Chugga Chugga Choo Choo mini-train rides
11 a.m.–2 p.m. La Monarca food trucks
Noon Railroad Songs with Glenn Morrison & Jimmye Turner
1 p.m. Anniversary Ceremony
3 p.m.–5 p.m. Columbia Rail train tours
Thank you to Baker Boyer Bank for sponsoring this event.
Captain Adam Badeau, Union Army officer & diplomat: Living History Presentation
Born in New York City on December 29, 1831, Badeau later became a clerk in New York City's Street Department.
In 1862, Badeau joined the Union Army during the American Civil War and was commissioned as a captain. Badeau joined the staff of Ulysses S. Grant as a brevet lieutenant colonel and military secretary in 1864.
During this time, Badeau and Grant became close friends. Badeau took part in the Wilderness and Appomattox campaigns and received promotion to brevet colonel. He remained on Grant's staff until 1869 and left the Army for disability; he held the permanent rank of captain and the brevet rank of brigadier general.
Among Badeau’s talents, he studied law and attained admission to the bar in 1855. He was a prolific author of both fiction and non-fiction, as well as authoring newspaper columns and magazine articles. Later in life, Badeau assisted Grant with the research, fact-checking, and editing of his autobiography.
Stan Southern will portray A. Badeau.
William McBean, Ft. Walla Walla Chief Trader: Living History Presentation
William McBean was born in Canada about 1806 and came to the Walla Walla region in 1846. He became the chief trader in charge of the Hudson’s Bay Company fort at the time of the Whitman killing in 1847. He left Fort Walla Walla in 1855 during the Indian Wars and later returned to the region with his Indian wife and children. McBean continued to reside in Walla Walla and was active in assisting various Catholic institutions until his death in 1892.
McBean will be bringing his display of trade goods to share with visitors. Questions are always appreciated.
Closing Early!
Fort Walla Walla Museum will be closing at 3p.m. on September 28th for a private event.
Historic Northwest Garrison: Living History Weekend
The Ol’ Fort will welcome back the Historic Northwest Garrison this September. Guests can immerse themselves in the early history of the region through reenactments of traditional tinsmithing and broom-making, accompanied by an infantry and artillery demonstration.
The garrison will be returning with their mountain howitzer cannon, a museum favorite.
“Green Gold: The Green Pea Era in the Blue Mountain District” Museum After Hours
From a single acre planted in 1932 on a dryland farm outside Athena, Oregon, the green pea industry in the Blue Mountain District grew through the throes of the Great Depression to eventually encompass over 100,000 acres.
At its peak in the early 1960s, 20% of the nation’s canned green peas and over 25% of its frozen products came from the Tri-State area of Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. Innovations such as vine-compressing truck beds, harvesting equipment, and plant automation machinery spawned millions of dollars in economic activity. The over two hundred growers and the numerous processing plants employed thousands of seasonal laborers and hundreds of year-round employees. The processing plants—eighteen at the height of production—changed the communities in which they resided. A culture grew up around the harvest with a Pea Queen crowned in an annual Pea Festival held in mid/late May before harvest started. Numerous ancillary industries sprang up or expanded to handle the late spring/early summer crop.
Few signs of the vitality of the industry are still visible in the District; plants have been razed or re-purposed, farms have been converted to other crops or placed in conservation reserve programs, even the growers—some generations in the business—are disappearing. This month’s presenter, Al Cummins, author of The Green Pea Era has undertaken to preserve memories and facts of the era for current and future generations.
What Lies Beneath: Victorian Layers
A Walla Walla Sweet Onion may have many layers, but a smartly dressed Victorian-era genteel lady may have more. Some of you have heard described the many layers of clothing a woman of the 1880s had to wear to be considered properly dressed. Good clothing cannot be too revealing. Fashion and function both feature an appearance in this ensemble. Come watch as the layers are thoroughly explained as they are removed down to intimate garments. Of course, the disrobing will be done in the most modest and ladylike manner and is guaranteed to be a family-friendly performance. Join us for an hour of entertainment and education about the delicate nature of Victorian-era modesty and style.
Historical re-enactor, Living History performer, and historical fashion maven Diane Somerville will lead this educational Living History event. She is known for her past performances portraying Walla Walla’s Madame, Josephine Wolfe, locally known as Dutch Jo.
ATHS Annual Walla Walla Truck Show
Not too long ago, horses were replaced by “speed wagons”, motorized vehicles. Fort Walla Walla Museum is excited to recognize that history with the American Truck Historical Society, which will host its annual truck show.
Come out for the day and see locally owned, vintage trucks, pickup trucks, vintage cars, and “old iron” on display. Meet the owners and enjoy stories about their vehicles and equipment. The Annual Truck Show includes the Blue Mountain Chapter members’ vehicles and equipment, which reflects the road transportation history, and the connection with the region.
The Blue Mountain Chapter of the ATHS organizes and runs the truck show. Forty to fifty vehicles, including farm trucks, pickups, and semis, are expected to be on display, along with small engines, tractors, and other transportation items.
Incorporated in 1971, the American Truck Historical Society preserves the history of trucks, the trucking industry, and its pioneers. An annual convention has been held each year since 1972, with a public antique truck show added in 1980. If you are interested, have stories to share, or enjoy seeing and “feeling” old trucks and cars, we look forward to meeting you!
This is the perfect event for families. There will be live music, food, fun, and all manner of fine vehicles.
Living History: Mary Anne Walla Walla, daughter of Peo Peo Mox Mox
Mary Anne Walla Walla will make her debut at Fort Walla Walla Museum on Sunday, September 7th. The daughter of Peo Peo Mox Mox, the head chief of the Walla Walla tribe, Mary Anne will speak of her family.
Mary Anne Walla Walla is portrayed by Judith Fortney
“The Curious Mr. Matsura, Revisited” Museum After Hours
Dan Lamberton is a retired Walla Walla University professor and former Humanities Washington speaker who has recently finished an in-depth study of Japanese photographer Frank Matsura.
In the early 1900s, Mr. Matsura emigrated to Washington and settled in Okanogan County. There, he embedded himself in a community of Native people and homesteaders, documenting the community that welcomed him.
Frank Matsura's photographs reveal not only photographic mastery, but also an intimate decency toward the region's citizens. His humor, his soulfulness, his accuracy, are unmatched among photographers of the early 20th-century west.
Living History: Sister Catherine, superior of St. Vincent's Academy
When Mother Joseph and Sister Catherine arrived in Walla Walla in late 1863, they found a small town of only 50 families. These Sisters of Providence had great vision, though. “That place promises to become important,” wrote Mother Joseph.
Edmund Barron, a local banker, donated two blocks of land for a hospital, academy, and institutions. A year later, St. Vincent Academy opened. There, the sisters taught school and took in women boarders, while visiting the sick and homebound. It was to be a great undertaking, the Walla Walla Statesman noted the sisters had “hardly a dollar of their own to purchase the first brick.” But the townspeople rallied.
Portrayed by Susan Matley.
Lewis & Clark: Living History Weekend
From August 9th to 10th, the Museum will host our annual Lewis and Clark Days. During this two-day special event, the Pacific Northwest Living Historians (PNLH) will demonstrate the tools and skills employed by the explorers of the epic Lewis and Clark expedition.
Captain Meriwether Lewis and Captain William Clark were sent by President Thomas Jefferson to explore the newly acquired Louisiana Territory and to seek the best route to the Pacific Ocean through what we now call the Pacific Northwest. During their voyage of 1804 – 1806, they led the Corps of Northwestern Discovery overland from St. Louis, Missouri, to the mouth of the Columbia River and back again. With no means for resupply, the Corps (a U.S. Army unit of 31 men accompanied by Sacagawea and her infant child, Jean Baptiste) needed to use diverse skills and the right tools to survive.
Dressed in clothing of the style and materials worn by Corps members in 1805-1806, PNLH interpreters will demonstrate and discuss various tools and skills, including handling flintlock firearms, camp cooking, leather crafting, and canoe paddle making. Visitors can learn about the history and stories of the Lewis and Clark expedition, the Native people they met, the unfamiliar territory they traveled and mapped, and the strange new animals and plants they encountered.
The program will take place all day Saturday and from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. on Sunday. Thank you to Columbia REA for sponsoring this event.
“Maya Lin, Public Art, & the Confluence Project” Museum After Hours
Whitman Professor Matthew Reynolds’ book about Maya Lin and the Confluence Project came out last spring. The first scholarly monograph devoted exclusively to this vital work of contemporary public art, this book examines Maya Lin’s Confluence Project through the lens of environmental humanities and Indigenous studies.
Matthew Reynolds provides a detailed analysis of each earthwork, along with a discussion of the proposed final project at Celilo Falls near The Dalles, Oregon. The book assesses the artist’s longtime engagement with the region of the Pacific Northwest and explores the Confluence Project within Lin’s larger oeuvre. Several consistent themes and experiences are common amongst all the sites. These include an emphasis on individual, multi-sensory encounters with the earthworks and their surrounding contexts; sound as an experiential dimension of landscape; indexical accounts of the multicultural, multi-species histories of each place; and an evocation of loss.
The book will be of interest to scholars working in art history, contemporary art, environmental studies, environmental humanities, and Native American studies.
Escape from the Territorial Prison! Family Game
WANTED, DEAD OR ALIVE: Seasoned criminal Orvy Whipstitch Horvath—known to keep company with lowlifes and horse thieves—has escaped Walla Walla’s territorial prison. Gather up a search team and help the law track him down! If you find where the criminal is hiding on the grounds, you will be rewarded with a prize in the Museum Store.
This family-friendly event is a clue-based hide-and-seek puzzle that takes place throughout the Museum. Find the clues detailing Orvy’s escape plans, bring your wits, and trace Orvy’s trail to discover the ne'er-do-well in his hiding spot!
We are grateful to our sponsors—Columbia REA and the Yancey P Winans Testamentary Trust—for their support of this event.
Living History: Grace Isaacs, fundraiser and suffragist
Meet Grace Isaacs, Walla Walla's early local leader, suffragist, and all-around go-getter. She organized the Women's Park Club, whose campaign financed our Pioneer Park. (If you have questions about who really designed the park, Grace can set you straight. It might not be who you think.) Wondering about the history of women's suffrage in Walla Walla? Grace will tell you about that time Susan B. Anthony visited here and was refused a place to stay the night.
Grace will look back and recount the early goings-on at the Women's Reading Club and the Art Club. She was a world traveler and will share some of her experiences with you. She'll also have valuable business advice to share, having been an entrepreneur herself. Get the lowdown from Grace Isaacs, one of Walla Walla's most interesting women.
Grace Isaacs is portrayed by Susan Monahan.
Sergeant F. C. Gurney, 4th US Cavalry: Living History Presentation
After decades of conflicts between the military and the Indian People in the Willamette Valley, a period of peace came to Fort Walla Walla in the 1890s. The life of a soldier changed from action packed old western skirmishes into a mundane daily routine of parade drills, horse training, guard duty, kitchen duty, and base clean up.
Sergeant F.C. Gurney can tell you exactly what it means when his superiors give the order to do yet another day of parade drills and cleaning the stables. Those are the kinds of things soldiers do as part of the 4th Cavalry stationed at Fort Walla Walla. Go ahead and ask Sgt. Gurney what he likes to do or where he likes to go on his time off. Thanks to a few bad apples amongst the ranks, his options might be limited.
The year was 1898 and Sgt. Gurney sat by the bonfire, casting long shadows on the hillside near Fort Walla Walla, as he recounted old tales of bravery and camaraderie. With a twinkle in his eye and his warm voice carrying the weight of years of soldiering, he painted vivid portraits of his fellow 4th Cavalry soldiers, capturing the spirit of their shared experiences on the rugged frontier.
Sergeant F.C. Gurney is portrayed by Living History re-enactor and history enthusiast Delbert Draper.
World Wars Encampment: Living History Weekend
Attention, history enthusiasts and adventure seekers!
Get ready to experience an immersive journey into the era of World War I and II, as over a dozen passionate and talented reenactors descend upon Fort Walla Walla Museum.
This thrilling event presents a golden opportunity for families to engage with history like never before. Picture yourself walking amidst the atmosphere of the 1940s as you interact with passionate reenactors who embody the spirit of the era. As soldiers, their dedication and attention to detail will transport you back in time.
Engage in conversation, ask questions, and gain a deeper understanding of the sacrifices made during this momentous period. Don't miss out on this unforgettable experience, where entertainment and education merge, fostering a love for history and connecting generations. We invite you to join us at Fort Walla Walla Museum, where history comes alive!
See weapons, tools, uniforms, and vehicles (including a half-track). The reenactors will represent multiple nations’ militaries.
“Pacific Northwest in the Gypsy Brigade of World War I” Museum After Hours
Fort Walla Walla Museum volunteer J.D. Ray discusses the service record of the 66th "Gypsy" Field Artillery Brigade during World War One and the history of the two French 155mm GPF guns now on museum grounds. The two regiments in the 66th (146th and 148th Field Artillery Regiments) were first formed in 1917 with National Guard units from Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. They would ultimately see more combat in 1918 than any other American outfit equipped with French 155mm cannons; the entire American military in World War One expended 264,000 rounds of 155mm artillery shells, and the 66th Field Artillery Brigade accounted for over half of that number.
The Oregon Trail Game & Ice Cream Social
Fort Walla Walla Museum is welcoming the Oregon Trail Game back for another year, just in time for the start of Summer! Help your family ride the wagon train to Walla Walla, overcome the calamities of the trail, and celebrate your success with a cup of ice cream.