The Journal of Fort Walla Walla Museum
My own dear Ollie…
A collection of Captain Oliver Taylor’s letters, along with a few personal items of his, were donated to Fort Walla Walla Museum in late 2023. Museum Volunteer Karen Summers had the exciting opportunity to help the museum transcribe these personal letters and learn more about the early life of Captain Taylor during the 1800s. Below are excerpts from the transcription project, which is still ongoing. These documents help us understand who Taylor was, and how he found himself in the Walla Walla area. The excerpts below lay out some of Capt. Taylor’s early life.
Wheelchairs at the Turn of the Century
“Taking a Closer Look at People and Items Lost to History “
Fort Walla Walla Museum holds lots of treasures in its collections. One such treasure is a wheelchair. We don’t know much about its individual history, but there are plenty of clues about its past.
Becoming Capt. Taylor’s Confidant
A collection of Captain Oliver Taylor’s letters, along with a few personal items of his, were donated to Fort Walla Walla Museum in late 2023. Museum Volunteer Karen Summers had the exciting opportunity to help the museum transcribe these personal letters and learn more about the early life of Captain Taylor during the 1800s. Below are excerpts from the transcription project, which is still ongoing. These documents help us understand who Taylor was, and how he found himself in the Walla Walla area. The excerpts below lay out some of Capt. Taylor’s early life.
A brief story of Dorsey “Doc” Syng Baker
Doctor Dorsey Syng Baker had a singular determination to make a name for himself. Through his own inventiveness, keenness, and his commitment to the betterment of Walla Walla, he has achieved a legacy like no other.
A brief biography takes us from his home in Illinois, across the Oregon Trail, and eventually into his chosen home of Walla Walla.
Celebrating a Semiquincentennial
To celebrate our nation’s 250th anniversary, we have joined a Washington State initiative that invites “museums to partner with their communities to identify and exhibit [one] object, image, or artwork from their collection that reflects the American experience.”
We need your help deciding which artifact will be our “one.” Learn which artifacts we are considering and vote for your choice.