Gathering Our Voice

Mansfield Museum

Welcome to the Listening Post at the Mansfield Museum. The Mansfield Museum and Historical Society is dedicated to collection and preservation of the history of the Mansfield area while also sharing that history with the widest possible audience. The Mansfield Museum is located on the corner of 1st & Main in Mansfield, Washington and open 1 to 4pm on Saturdays and Sundays from Memorial Day to Labor Day.

Visit this link to view the video of Mansfield’s story:
Or listen to the story here:
[audio:http://gatheringourvoice.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/museumaudio.mp3|titles=Mansfield – the town at the end of the rails]

Continue reading to see photos and listen to excerpts of an interview with board members about the history of the Mansfield Museum

Museum board members, Linda Bayless, Colleen Black, Helen Kemp, Elsie MacIntyre, Ethel Poole, Tom Snell, Doug Tanneberg, and Darold Wax, discussed the history of the Mansfield Museum during a Gathering Our Voice group interview May 24, 2010.

Scroll down the page to listen to audio excerpts from the group interview, click on photos for a larger view, and read the Mansfield Museum Chronology at the bottom of the page.

How did you get involved?

Darold Wax (MP3)
[audio:http://gatheringourvoice.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Darold-Wax-Getting-Involved.mp3|titles=Darold Wax Getting Involved]
Ethel Poole (MP3)[audio:http://gatheringourvoice.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Ethyl-Poole-Getting-Involved.mp3|titles=Ethel Poole Getting Involved]
Elsie MacIntyre (MP3)[audio:http://gatheringourvoice.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/ElsieMacIntyreGettingInvolved.mp3|titles=Elsie MacIntyre Getting Involved] Helen Kemp (MP3)[audio:http://gatheringourvoice.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Helen-Kemp-Getting-Involved.mp3|titles=Helen Kemp Getting Involved]
Colleen Black (MP3)[audio:http://gatheringourvoice.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Colleen-Black-Getting-Involved.mp3|titles=Colleen Black Getting Involved] Tom Snell (MP3) [audio:http://gatheringourvoice.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Tom-Snell-Getting-Involved.mp3|titles=Tom Snell Getting Involved]

Starting the museum

Colleen Black (MP3)[audio:http://gatheringourvoice.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Colleen-Black-Getting-Museum-Started.mp3|titles=Colleen Black Getting Museum Started] Linda Bayless (MP3)
[audio:http://gatheringourvoice.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Linda-Bayless-Securing-the-Building.mp3|titles=Linda Bayless Securing the Building]
Tom Snell (MP3)
[audio:http://gatheringourvoice.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Tom-Snell-Donors-Stepped-Forward.mp3|titles=Tom Snell Donors Stepped Forward]

Why is it important to preserve your history?

Colleen Black (MP3)[audio:http://gatheringourvoice.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Colleen-Black-Why-Important.mp3|titles=Colleen Black Why Important] Doug Tanneberg (MP3)[audio:http://gatheringourvoice.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Doug-TannebergWhyImportant.mp3|titles=Doug Tanneberg Why Important]
Linda Bayless (MP3)[audio:http://gatheringourvoice.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Linda-Bayless-Why-Important.mp3|titles=Linda Bayless Why Important]

What are you most proud of?

Darold Wax (MP3)[audio:http://gatheringourvoice.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Darold-Wax-Proud.mp3|titles=Darold Wax Proud] Linda Bayless (MP3)[audio:http://gatheringourvoice.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Linda-Bayless-Proud-of-People.mp3|titles=Linda Bayless Proud of People]

The museum and the story of Mansfield

Darold Wax (MP3)[audio:http://gatheringourvoice.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Darold-Wax-Story-of-Place.mp3|titles=Darold Wax Story of Place] Doug Tanneberg (MP3)[audio:http://gatheringourvoice.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Doug-Tanneberg-Special-Projects.mp3|titles=Doug Tanneberg Special Projects]

Working as a team

Darold Wax (MP3)
[audio:http://gatheringourvoice.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/DaroldWaxOpentoInput.mp3|titles=Darold-Wax-Open-to-Input]
Elsie MacIntyre (MP3)
[audio:http://gatheringourvoice.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/ElsieMacIntyreOpentoInput.mp3|titles=Elsie-MacIntyre-Open-to-Input]
Doug Tanneberg (MP3)
[audio:http://gatheringourvoice.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Doug-Tanneberg-Team-Effort.mp3|titles=Doug Tanneberg Team Effort]
Linda Bayless (MP3)
[audio:http://gatheringourvoice.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/LindaBaylessWorkofLove.mp3|titles=LindaBaylessWorkofLove]

Looking forward

Darold Wax (MP3)[audio:http://gatheringourvoice.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Darold-Wax-Looking-Forward.mp3|titles=Darold Wax Looking Forward]

Mansfield Museum Chronology

1998 — Building purchased from Alex and Bonita McLean with financial support from Douglas County Port District

1999 — Inaugural meeting held and election of officers: Darold Wax, President; Linda Bayless, Treasurer. They have remained in office to the present. Current Vice President, Tom Snell; current Secretary, Helen Kemp. Initial work on remodel – gutting the interior. Began conducting taped interviews with Mansfield residents resulting in approximately 20 interviews.

2000 — Received grant for building repairs from Community Foundation of NCW. Awarded first annual Award of Merit to Helen Jayne for collecting and preserving area history.

2001 — Won $11,000 grant from Washington State Heritage Resource Center for building restoration. Secured second grant from Community Foundation.

2002 — Consulted with Terri White, display curator at Wenatchee Valley Museum, about assisting in the development of display sites. Building restoration continues with furnace and ceiling installed and floor completed. Play Days display featuring Mansfield Apple Blossom Princesses.

2003 — Museum sign on exterior of building provided by Community Foundation of NCW. Work continues on development of display site ideas and collection of site pieces or artifacts.

2004 — Museum welcomes group of new board members including Ethel Poole and Helen Kemp. Interior building work proceeds with site partitions and platforms built and wainscoating in place. Plan for restroom approved. John and Doris Kinzel contribute bathroom fixtures including sink, bowl, mirror, etc. Taped interviews continue.

2005 — Permanent panels for display site are designed. Graphic work by Killer Kolor. Photos collected and organized for display site photo albums. Play Days marks official opening of Mansfield Museum. Sites organized, panels up and photo albums in place. Museum open every Saturday and Sunday afternoon through the summer.

2006 — Work begins on basement to prepare for pouring cement. Received $10,000 grant from Heritage Resource Center for basement and window project. Play Days presents first of annual special displays featuring the Play Days of the past.

2007 — Special display features the Garden Club.

2008 — Lyle and Mildred Hosier give $20,000 bequest. New windows installed.

2009 — Mansfield celebrates centennial and the arrival of the Great Northern Railway. Museum mounts special exhibit featuring the railroad.

2010 — Icicle Fund provides $8,000 grant to reconfigure the bank vault into an archive/storage work area and project completed in December.

2011 — Museum launches a program to collect family records to be stored and made available in the museum.

IRIS