Ron Yates has been working on the digital newspaper project for the past several months and the following is his report.
​Our newspaper scanning project is on track. Over 2000 pages of 4 different titles will be scanned. We are exited about The Hollister Herald, it is our link to the past for the Salmon Tract. You may know Hollister was the first Salmon Tract town site, particularly interesting are the reports of the next town sites as they were developed.  Rogerson, Amsterdam, Berger, Clover, (not on Salmon Tract irrigation). Reports from Jarbidge and Contact, Nevada tell us about stockmen and miners. The Hollister Herald issues were  4, 8 10 12 or 16 pages, usually 8 and during difficult economic times 4 pages. The lack of water behind Salmon Falls Dam was most often a headline. 
 
The Hollister Herald was the newspaper of record for the area. A “newspaper of record” is given all public notices, these city, county, state and federal notices were printed at the expensive open rate and were a sizable portion of the Heralds income. The publisher / editor must have angered many people because a second newspaper, “Hollister New Era” was published, it had more initial subscribers than the Hollister Herald and it was awarded the public notices. Wow!  Hollister had two newspapers.
 
Twin Falls, for your historic reference, at one time endured four simultaneous newspaper publications. The TF News, TF Times, TF Chronicle and TF Citizen.

December 1 was a work day at the museum and while things didn't go quite as planned, it was a fairly productive day. A ton of stuff was moved and I was going to rearrange this week, but instead, had a nice bout of pneumonia so the museum was closed a few days. I found out I need a better plan in case I get sick again. 

The Museum will be closed Thanksgiving Day, but we should be open on Friday, unless we have an accumulation of snow. If we do close for snow, you may call and leave a message to schedule a visit. Depending on how the roads and sidewalks are, someone may came to open the museum within a half an hour.

December 1, the Historical Society will have a work day to move items in the basement. Call 208 736-4675 if you are willing and able to haul boxes upstairs.

December 8 - Darrell Buffaloe will present a History of Railroads in Idaho
Most of us love the exotic sound of locomotives working in the distance as they travel with their mysterious cargos to far off places. Many of us have never stopped to wonder why the rails came here and not there and what impact it had on our current existence. Ever wonder why major towns were created nearly every 25 to 50 miles apart? Why would the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints build the first railroads to reach Idaho? The railroads of Southern Idaho have had a major impact on who we are. Learning what railroads are, how they were created and how they impact who we are today is an interesting and fun way to view our past and look at our present.

December 15 - annual decorating of the Christmas Sagebrush tree. This year we have nice, warm propane heat so your fingers won't be cold. Sage smells great and we will have refreshments, and maybe a movie after.

Ron Yates will be raising the flags at the points above Shoshone Falls again this year on Sunday, November 11, in honor of Veterans Day. Ron also sends the flags aloft on Memorial Day and Independence Day. While Ron is a member of the historical society, this is a project he has undertaken on his own and he deserves special recognition for this community service.

Saturday, November 10 at 1 o'clock, Darrell Buffaloe will give his presentation on oral history projects. The public is welcome to attend and admission is free.

We hope to have Darrell do a few other presentations during the winter, including one regarding railroads and another about higher education and how Idaho differs.

Saturday, November 10, at noon, the Twin Falls County Historical Society annual members meeting will be held at the museum. 
If you are a member and would like something put on the meeting agenda, please contact Laurie at (208) 736-4675 two weeks in advance of the meeting.
If you are not a current member, joining is easy!
Individuals are $15 annually.
Seniors $10, Families $25, and we also offer corporate sponsorships.
Please consider supporting the Historical Society by joining. Your dues help pay utilities, purchase cleaning supplies, paint, lumber, and all the sundry items necessary for general operations. 

TWIN FALLS COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY MUSEUM
 
 
DIRECTORS and STAFF:
 
Steve Westphal -       President
Alex Kunkel -    Vice-president
Doug Lincoln -         Treasurer
Teresa Sept –            Secretary
Gary Kaufman –          Projects
Andrew Vawser -            Media
Laurie Warren – Administrator
 
October 2018 Newsletter


September 15, the Historical Society took a trip to the east end of Twin Falls County. We spent a few hours at the Stricker Ranch, then toured one of the Twin Falls Canal Company’s power plants and the 10 ft. diameter siphon through Rock Creek. Judy, Curtis and Bee (Friends of Stricker guides) met us at the home site and allowed the group inside all the buildings. They were very hospitable and interested in making this an annual event. From there, we briefly stopped at the Rock Creek Cemetery, and then Louis Zamora from the Twin Falls Canal Company led us to the power plant and both ends of the major siphon through Rock Creek.

 
 


The Pioneer Cemetery is just west of the Stricker store and easily accessible by walking on the dirt path. The Rock Creek Cemetery is also the Veteran’s Memorial Cemetery and is about a mile east of the Stricker house. Stricker, Larsen and Crockett are just some of the names on tombstones at the Rock Creek Cemetery. The “Friends of Stricker” group volunteers on Sunday afternoons throughout the summer to allow public access at the site, although you may call anytime to schedule a tour. Twin Falls Canal Company Engineering Technician, Louis Zamora, was a delightful and enthusiastic gide, taking us deep into the realm of the turbines and generators at the power plant. We were also able to see both ends of the siphon and Louis answered every question we could come up with. The group was very happy with the tour and Dick Tucker kept the TFCHS museum open until our return.

 
Our field trips for 2018 were made possible in part by a grant from the Idaho Humanities Council, a State-based Program of the National Endowment for the humanities.

 
GRANTS AWARDED: The Janice Seagraves Family Foundation awarded our request for $2,500 for the digitization of newspapers such as the Filer Citizen Record, Kimberly Advertiser and Hollister Herald. The museum has a number of issues currently unavailable through other resources that are of great historical value for researchers and genealogists. Many thanks to the Seagraves Foundation for their continued support of our work. The Clif Bar Family Foundation also sent a letter of award for $1,000 for general support of the museum. This is the second year Clif Bar has awarded the Historical Society a grant. We can’t thank our local 501(c)3 donors enough as these donations expand the range of possible activities at the museum.
HATS, HATS, AND MORE HATS: Museum volunteer Patti Hurley met with Marion Posey to date and categorized some of the many hats in our collection. Many thanks to both!

They discovered ladies’ hats from the 1890’s, a Top hat from about 1910, a hat with monkey hair, hats with ostrich feathers, hats made of fur, felt, wool, straw, organza, silk, plush and velvet. Flowers, ribbons, and Bakelite accessories adorn many, very few are plain. Patti is working on a notebook of photos and descriptions for a sort of “traveling display” so our patrons can transport back in time and imagine what all the ladies and gentlemen would be wearing.

 COMING SOON:  The County Parks Department used a stump grinder to clear the path for the sidewalk that will take visitors from the museum to the metal auxiliary display building. County Commissioner Terry Kramer made the arrangements for grants from the Rotary Clubs and work is expected to commence in the next few weeks. Arrangements for repair of the heating system are also underway.
NEW ADDITIONS: Several items of interest were donated at the museum this month. A Jubilee Supplement to the North Side News from 1957, donated by Caroline Strom, contains information on the Milner Dam Irrigation Project and the Blue Lakes. We received a number of miscellaneous tools including a boxed socket set from around 1913, donated by Roger Okins. Gary and Lori Allison donated books and magazines that will enhance our publications collection, and also donated a number of tools and sundry items. As promised, Betty Slifer donated a prepared display of family ration books and tokens from WWI and WWII, which won a blue ribbon at this year’s county fair.
Museum Administrator Laurie Warren was asked to make a presentation to the 20th Century Club September 11, regarding prominent women of the past in Magic Valley. Most of the ladies were well versed in the subject, but some new material was covered. Volunteers Larry Koldewey, Mary Burgess and Patti Hurley are also generally available to speak at functions that promote the museum.
 
A large envelope of old postcards and stereoscope cards arrived recently arrived at the museum. Melba Hirai of Boise donated a variety of very interesting old postcards like the one to the right of the Malad River near Hagerman. Notice the automobile crossing the bridge. Other cards show the Filer Milling and Elevator Company and the city of Filer around 1918. There are also cards of the old High School, Lincoln School and Mount Hyndman.


 
 
It’s easy to become a new member!
 
Annual fees are only $15 for individuals, $10 for senior citizens, and $25 for families. Volunteers are always welcome too.
 
Membership benefits include access to research materials and the photo collection, discounted rate on materials copied, opportunity to participate in programs and events and availability of the grounds for special uses.

Looking for a special gift? BOOKS FOR SALE: Magic Valley Memories, Sucker Flat, The Perrine Stagecoach, the Badger Thurston series and several other historical books are available for purchase at the museum. (Cash or check only, please.)
 
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Historical Society received notification that Clif Bar Family Foundation has awarded $1,000 for general support of the museum and the check should arrive shortly.

Marion Posey worked with Museum Volunteer Patti Hurley to date and categorize some of the numerous hats in our collection. Marion is 89 years young and we had a wonderful time with her. Patti and I are anxiously awaiting her next visit.