The Museum

The beginning of the Crowley County Heritage Museum was indeed a challenge. The museum would be in the basement. First of all it took a 30 ft. long dumpster to begin to remove the trash. Weeks of scrubbing floors, washing windows, repairing some of the chalkboards, putting a drop ceiling, putting wainscoting on the lower walls, and staining the wood. Many of the Crowley School Alumni were willing to give of their time to work on this project. Two people that gave many hours of work and began to bring in all their memorabilia they had saved over the many year's, were Clifford and Marcelle Newhouser. One day, they took on the old coal storage room and scrubbed shelves and floor all day. The pie saver cupboard in the upstairs kitchen was given to the Center by Thelma (Miles) Euritt. Clifford and Marcelle took on the job of restoring it, to a beautiful cupboard that we use for dishes. Many newspaper articles, pictures, and items of Clifford's family about the town of Crowley are on display. Clifford and Marcelle passed away one week apart in July 2003. Their enthusiasm to have a place in Crowley County to display our history and memorabilia is truly an inspiration. They will be missed, but as we view the memorabilia and history they preserved, a part of them will always be here.

Bob and Maxine (Wright) Hughes, from pioneer families of Crowley County, were also excited about the museum for the county. Maxine brought in the Dutch oven cast iron cooking pots that were used on the trail drives by her Granddad, Walt Wright and Father, Bob Wright. They are displayed in our ranch room. Dishes used by her Mother, Hazel are on display in the opportunity room upstairs. Also with the dishes is a pewter sugar and creamer set given to Maxine's grandparents by the cowboys on the ranch where they worked at the time they were married. An old trunk belonging to her Grandmother, Laura Wright has been restored and holds items for our fellowship room. A quilt made by Maxine's Aunt Letha Leach is very unique. It is made from bull Durham sacks and pieces of flower sack prints. Letha lived at the Cudahy Ranch when the quilt was made. Making this quilt filled many long hours of lonely evenings on the ranch for Letha. Many other items of memorabilia were also given. Bob and Maxine live in Sun City, AZ now, because of a heart condition of Bobs. Crowley County will forever be their home, though. They are missed, but remembered at the Center for their generous giving to the museum.

As the news spread around the county about the museum others began to bring in their items of memorabilia. In the ranch room, a saddle belonging to Ernest (Red) Lundahl is on display. The Lundahl's have six generations in Crowley County. Roy and Erlene (Lundahl) Hughes have been generous with their items from their families. On the grounds at the Center, the old weighing scale from the creamery in Crowley is on display. Roy had used the scale on his farm for many years. Roy and Erlene continue to help whenever the need arises at the Center.

Dean and Betty (Sapp) Rusher were also instrumental in helping to bring items into the museum. In the ranch room an old saddle (Spanish style) belonging to Dean's Grandfather, Edwin Grant Whitney, is displayed. Betty's Grandparents, C.H. and Rosa Powell were the owners of a hotel and café in Crowley. Betty has given the old waffle maker, which was used on a coal stove at the café and many pictures of the families. Dean and Betty also continue to help whenever the need arises at the Center.

This is just the beginning of the many who have brought in their items for display. From time to time we will tell of others who have been a part of giving to the museum. We want to say thank you to each and everyone who has been a part in making our museum a beautiful display of our counties history. Each town is represented, as well as the ethnic groups, history of the irrigation, war history, country schools and the schools in each of the towns before consolidation. We have histories of many of our early pioneers on record. Many old abstracts donated by the Foxley Company are here for research. The old volumes of the Sugar City Gazette and Ordway New Era are stored here. We are in the process of installing audio listening centers in the museum. Come and see us sometime.