ON THE SCHEDULE: 
All of our programs will begin at 1 o'clock at the Museum in the Union School at Curry. You may want to bring your own folding chair as these programs have been well attended.
FEBRUARY 2, Brian Olmstead, Twin Falls Canal Company Manager, will discuss the topic of the tunnels in the canal system. After the problem of getting water to the land was overcome, another difficulty developed. The ground became saturated and would not drain, making many acres unusable. During the 1920's the canal company addressed the problem by digging wells and tunnels to divert water back to the natural watersheds.
FEBRUARY 9, Jim Gentry's topic is "Twin Falls Booms, 1915-1916". As a former CSI professor and author, Jim is always very well prepared and the subject researched in depth. This is a new presentation to us so if you would like to learn how Twin Falls developed be sure to stop in.
FEBRUARY 16, Max Black will tell the exciting tale of Diamondfield Jack Davis. As the author of "Diamondfield, Finding the Real Jack Davis", Max has studied the court records and other documents extensively. He will explain Jack's background and the legal maneuvers by both the prosecutor and defense attorneys. Max was our guide on a field trip to the sheep herder murder site where we were able to see the actual place it all happened. 

Other events are still in the works, so be sure to check back often. I am hoping the Pioneer Button Club will be able to a presentation soon. If there are other speakers or groups you are interested in seeing, be sure to let us know.

There was plenty of interest in our last event with Alex Kunkel. The presentation dealt with the many forms of art of blacksmiths and cast metals, from twists in the handles to recycling of rifle and shotgun barrels. 

Alex Kunkel spoke to visitors at the museum today about what can be considered art in common items of the past. He talked about the workmanship in cast metals like branding irons and door latches as well as patent dates and how a blacksmith from the east differed from those in the west. It was very well attended and we look forward to doing more lectures soon. The next will be February 2 and February 9 with Brian Olmstead and Jim Gentry.
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This photo from the early 1930's shows a hay derrick with slips and slings. Horses pulled the load off the field to the stackyard where the derrick was used to lift the load off and swung over to the stack. Duane Ramseyer brought in the picture and his father is standing on the far left.

Since the heat is still working, we will be open from noon to five, Tuesday through Saturdays. You will be able to access the metal auxiliary building, but it is pretty cold out there! The smaller outbuildings with wooden doors will remain closed most of the time as the doors swell and are difficult to open and close. 
The museum will be closed when the sidewalks or parking lot are icy or snow covered. 
You are still able to call and schedule a tour for schools or other groups and we will do our best to fit to your schedule. 
The number for the museum is 208 736-4675 or the new cell number is 208 751-1165.

Still snowing today so it looks as though the museum will be closed at least December 26, possibly for the next couple of days. If the feather flag is flying out along the roadside, we are open!

A much needed improvement allows the museum to be open more hours during the winter months. The propane heating units are now up and running again after necessary repairs. We might be closed for a few days after Christmas if it snows, but will resume our noon to five, Tuesday through Saturday hours January 2. 

The museum will close during the winter due to inclement weather, but if the sidewalk is clear and our banner is out, we will be open. 

For those of you that call to schedule a tour, we will do our best to be here as planned.

We are working on lectures, the first will be January 12, followed by February 2 and 9. Check with us to see what is going on!

Things have been coming along for the Historical Society and Museum in the past few years and 2018 has been very successful. Much of the credit goes to the volunteers that have spent hour after hour on projects or museum tours and information. We can't thank them enough for all they do.

We hosted field trips again this year, going to Milner Dam and Recreation Area, Hagerman Fossil Beds, Murtaugh Lake, Clarr Tunnel, and the Stricker area. 2019 field trips are currently being arranged.

The newspapers - Hollister Herald, Kimberly Advertiser, and Filer Record have been taken to Boise for scanning to be made available to the public as part of the services offered by the Historical Society. Many thanks to the Seagraves Family Foundation and others that donated to this project. 

There is finally a source of heat working at the museum. For the past several years the roof tops units went usused, but now the propane tank is back and the building is can be open longer through the winter.

In April there was a history day at the museum and we will be doing this again in 2019 as well as more lectures and other events. 

Thanks to everyone that donated, participated or visited the museum in 2018.

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.