Special Lewis and Clark program:
A Dismal Camp

May 24-25, 2008
Clark’s Dismal Nitch unit
Lewis and Clark National and State Historical Park
Pacific County, Wash.

Three corpsmen are landing a canoe at Dismal Nitch while others struggle to set up camp in a storm. Painting by Roger Cooke. (Washington State Historical Society)

Watch the adventures of Lewis and Clark come to life in A Dismal Camp, a special public program featuring historic re-enactments of the harrowing days of the Corps of Discovery at what Capt. William Clark called “that dismal nitch.”

Re-enactors dressed in period clothing will bring to life one of the most challenging moments of the expedition, as the expedition members hunkered down in a camp near present-day Dismal Nitch to weather a fierce winter storm in November 1805. A small working camp will be set up, complete with animal hide shelters, equipment from the period, and a dugout canoe. Visitors are welcome to interact with the re-enactors.

A Dismal Camp is FREE and open to the public. The program is sponsored by the Washington State Historical Society, Washington State Department of Transportation, Long Beach Peninsula Visitor’s Bureau, and Destination: The Pacific.

To reach the Dismal Nitch unit of the Lewis and Clark National and State Historical Park, take State Route 401. The Dismal Nitch Safety Rest Area is about a half mile east of the north end of the Astoria-Megler Bridge.

For more information about Dismal Nitch, including maps and directions, please visit the Lewis and Clark National Historical Park web site. To learn more about Lewis and Clark’s experiences in Columbia River Country, visit WashingtonHistoryOnline.org.

EXHIBITS

The West the Railroads Made

Brochure promoting travel along the route of the Great Northern Railway, 1933. (Washington State Historical Society)

Now through January 24, 2009

Take a fresh look at what the iron road created in The West the Railroads Made. Learn about how this one form of transportation reshaped the West and helped create a truly continental nation.

The West the Railroads Made recounts how the idea of a Pacific railroad grew through the 1840s and 1850s, how it came to life in the second half of the 19th century, and how it reconceived itself to survive new challenges by the late 20th century. The exhibit focuses on the battleground between the river cities St. Louis and Portland, and the railroad cities Chicago and Seattle/Tacoma. It features more than 80 artifacts, including rare railroad ephemera, photographs, paintings and other three-dimensional pieces.

This exhibit is generously supported by M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust, Burlington Northern Santa Fe, TTX, Click! Cable TV, Union Pacific Railroad, Ajax Foundation, The News Tribune, Tacoma Rail, Port of Tacoma, Dimmer Family Foundation, Candelaria Fund, Patricia & David J. Nierenberg Family Fund, FreightCar America, Inc. and Great Northern Asset Management, LLC.

Organized by the Washington State Historical Society and the Barriger Railroad Library of the St. Louis Mercantile Library at the University of Missouri, St. Louis.

Becoming American: Teenagers & Immigration

“We bring our culture with us and share it. Truly, it has been a bittersweet journey.” Lili Shek, age 18. Photo by Barbara Beirne (Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service).

NOW through June 1, 2008

What is it like to be a young immigrant in America? Fifty-nine teenagers share their stories through pictures and words in Becoming American: Teenagers & Immigration. This collection of black-and-white portraits, captioned by the subject’s own words, offers a thought-provoking exploration of immigration, acculturation and cultural diversity. Photographs by Barbara Beirne. Developed and circulated by the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service.

The exhibit also includes “In Their Words,” a film featuring interviews with members of the local Asia Pacific Islander community. The film was developed in partnership with the Asia Pacific Cultural Center and Bates Technical College, through a grant from the Smithsonian Community Grant Program.

Curators’ Choice

Orange peel basket, selected by Lynette Miller, head of collections (Washington State Historical Society).

NOW through August 17, 2008

Sneak a peak into the inner workings of a museum curator’s mind with Curators’ Choice. Six of our own staff members share their personal favorites from the collection of the Washington State Historical Society—whether they are historically significant, personally interesting or simply pretty! Thirty artifacts will be on display, including a contemporary basket made of dried orange peels, created by a well-known Puget Sound basketmaker; a first American edition volume of the Koran, read by fur traders posted at the Columbia River; and a lamp shaped like the Space Needle, a souvenir from the 1960 Seattle World’s Fair. Organized by the Washington State Historical Society.

Faces of Leadership: Presidential Portraiture

President Franklin Delano Roosevelt visits Tacoma, October 1937 (Washington State Historical Society).

NOW through October 5, 2008

Since the founding of our nation in 1776, artists far and wide have created images of our presidents and displayed them for all to see. These creative works surpass mere physical representations, providing historical continuity and a visible legacy for our nation. The exhibition features over 30 artworks and images from the permanent collections of the Washington State Historical Society, including sculpture busts, coins and medallions, and snapshots of presidents on the move. Organized by the Washington State Historical Society.

PUBLIC PROGRAM

Curators’ Choice Gallery Talk

Friday, May 2, 2008 @ 2 PM

Thursday, May 15, 2008 @ 6 PM

Learn more about the interesting items on display in the exhibit Curators’ Choice by attending a gallery talk. Curators and guides will discuss the stories behind the artifacts and why they were selected. Eight gallery talks are scheduled throughout the run of the exhibit, with sessions every first Friday at 2 PM and third Thursday at 6 PM. Registration is not required. Free with museum admission.

Other dates:
Friday at 2 PM: June 6, August 1
Thursday at 6 PM: June 19, July 17

COMING SOON

In The Spirit: Contemporary Northwest Native Arts Exhibit
June 19 through July 20, 2008

In The Spirit: Northwest Native Arts Market & Festival
June 28-29, 2008

For more information, please visit the In The Spirit web site.

Here comes the sun!

The History Museum resumes summer hours.

Take refuge from the summer sun and into the cool interiors of the History Museum, open every day of the week during the summer. Starting the week after Memorial Day (June 2) and until the week before Labor Day (August 25), the museum will be open Mondays from 10 AM to 5 PM.

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The Washington State History Museum, flagship of the Washington State Historical Society, is located at 1911 Pacific Avenue in downtown Tacoma, just off 1-5. The museum presents exhibits, programs, and events that bring to life the stories of Washington’s history. For more information, including hours and admission rates, please call 1-888-BE-THERE (1-888-238-4373), or visit our web site, WashingtonHistory.org.

Hours: Tuesday – Saturday, 10 AM – 5 PM, with extended hours and free admission every Thursday night, 5 – 8 PM; Sunday NOON – 5 PM. From June 2 through August 25, 2008, the museum will also be open Monday, 10 AM - 5 PM. Admission: $25 for families (two adults and up to four children); $8 for adults; $7 for seniors, age 60 and above; $6 for students and military with valid ID; children, age 5 and below, and members are always FREE.