NEWSLETTER
AURORA COLONY HISTORICAL SOCIETY
FALL, 2004
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Annual Quilt Show Over 100 quilts, some of which will be for sale, will be on display throughout the five-building museum complex. Ranging in age from 1785 - 2004, the quilts will be listed in three classes: vintage & antique; contemporary; and "Summer in the Garden" theme. If you have a quilt you’d like to enter please call the museum for an entry form. This year’s featured quilter, Marjorie McCanse, will demonstrate her craft in the Kraus House living room and refreshments will be served in the museum's 1876 Steinbach Log Cabin.
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The theme for the block contest this year is Lewis & Clark’s Trail of Discovery. All blocks will be used to make up the 2005 raffle quilt or other quilted items to be sold by ACHS. The proceeds from those sales will benefit the historical society. Annette James, Quilt Show Chairman, invites you to stop by the museum any time to see the wonderful array of blocks that have been submitted for the contest. Entry deadline is Friday Oct. 15, so it’s not too late to take part. Call or stop by the museum or check the website for information. Nancy Fobert, a long time member of the Aurora Colony Quilters and the person who has taken on the responsibility of putting together the past several raffle quilts, will be retiring this year as the block contest chairperson. The Aurora Colony Historical Society would like to recognize her for her many years of dedication to the project and thank her for all her hard work. We’re hoping she will agree to be the quilt show’s featured quilter in the near future and that we will have the opportunity to see all of the raffle quilts she has masterminded on display all together! |
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“Preserving Oregon” Grant Award!
The Geisy Store, c. 1870, is the oldest commercial building in the historic center of Aurora. Without this much-needed grant, preservation of this treasure from the colony period may have been jeopardized. Brian Asher, Board President, will oversee work on the project.
Collier Arbor Care
Donates Tree Trimming |
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Bids for the project from several arborists ranged from $1200 to $1500. “You can imagine my surprise and pleasure when I read, No charge – Donation, at the bottom of Terrill’s bid. What a wonderful gift to the historical society!” said Joan Jacobs, Executive Director. Terrill’s interest in helping the historical society is the result of the influence of his mother, Elvera Scholl Collier. Terrill said she loved the museum and her involvement here and he wants to carry on the tradition of support. Sometime this fall Terrill will plant a new tree in the museum courtyard in her memory. |
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The community rallied together this year at the 2004 Auction & Dinner to benefit the Aurora Colony Historical Society. Mike Byrnes, auction co-chairman, stated that the auction is the society’s largest fundraiser and brought in over $30,000, the most money in its history. James Moore, historical society member, and auctioneer JillMarie Wiles set the pace for the evening. They kept the mood festive and light while leading the oral auction of 40 items, which were donated by members of the community and local area businesses. Auction attendees could choose to bid on items in a silent auction, oral auction or take their chances with the many raffles available. The silent auction and raffle items included gift baskets, nursery stock, Native American jewelry, collectibles, gift certificates and many other irresistible items. The oral auction’s big-ticket item, the Americana III quilt donated by the Old Aurora Colony Quilters, sold for a whopping $975. The auction committee did not overlook any opportunity to raise funds as even the table centerpieces were auctioned off. It’s impossible to accurately count the number of volunteers this year to organize this big event. Many historical society members and friends contributed countless hours of time over the 6 months leading up to the auction. PGE provided 5 volunteers who helped the evening of the event with the silent auction, handling auction items and selling raffle tickets. We thank each and every person who contributed to making this event a success. Volunteers are an invaluable and integral part of the society’s operation. In addition to the volunteers, we would like to thank everyone who donated an item, special trip or service to be auctioned off as well as all those who attended and bid on items. Without your generosity and support, the auction would not be possible. |
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The weather cooperated this year for the 2004 Strawberry Social. It was yet another successful event for the Aurora Colony Historical Society. With the help of nearly sixty volunteers the event brought in approximately $3000. A very special “Thank You” goes to PGE and James Moore who again helped to sponsor this event. PGE donated $500 towards expenses and brought seven volunteers who helped with set up, ticket sales, clean up, and dishing up the tasty dessert. Members of the ACHS were also on hand to volunteer their time to help with membership sign-ups, working in the kitchen and anything else that needed to be handled. The Aurora Colony Quilters were on hand to work on the quilt for the next raffle at the 32nd Annual Quilt Show in October. Members of the Willamette Valley Herb Society demonstrated how to create lavender wands on the back porch of the Kraus House and The Oregon Old Time Fiddlers provided foot-tapping music from under the shade of the oak tree. Mark June 19 on your 2005 calendar for the next Strawberry Social! We would like to thank all of the volunteers who have helped with many jobs this summer, at the front desk, in the office, with museum maintenance, display preparation, tours at the museum and Stauffer-Will Farm and during events; Strawberry Social, Aurora Colony Days. During July and August we had two groups of youth do service projects at the Stauffer-Will Farm, led by Jessie Turner and Coral Hammond. They cleaned the house and restrooms for a summer tour of exchange students and for the Board of Directors’, Sausage Dinner. |
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Have you ever wondered what it was like to live in pioneer times? Primary girls from the Cherry Park Ward, Portland Oregon Stake, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, learned first hand when they participated in community service at the Stauffer-Will Farm near Aurora, Oregon. The Stauffer-Will Farm is a museum where school children come to have hands-on colony experiences. The Primary girls did their service to prepare for students who will be touring the farm later this summer.
The visit began in the living room of the 134 year old farmhouse. Hand finished log walls surrounded them as they sat on a rug by the fireplace. Old time portraits hung on the wall. How different they were from the pictures we have in our homes today. A butter churn caught the attention of the girls and they learned about getting up very early in the morning and milking the cows, then skimming the cream and making butter.
Dressing in long skirts and aprons added to the Primary girls’ pioneer spirit. The girls learned some important things they had in common with the family who built and lived in the two-story log house. The Stauffers loved the Lord and lived by the teachings of the Bible. They shared and took care of each other. They loved music and they worked hard.
The farmhouse had no electricity, so the Primary girls rolled up the heavy rugs and worked together to haul them to the porch where they swept them down. Then they swept and dusted the rooms where the eight daughters and parents once slept. Now days children learn about quilt making, spinning and weaving in those rooms.
It took hard work and teamwork to move and clean the rugs. The Primary girls learned that life in pioneer times was fun and hard all mixed up together. They felt good about cleaning the farmhouse so that others could enjoy learning about Aurora Colony life. -By Jessie Turner
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Quilt Show Summer is over and the students have gone back to school, which means our 2nd largest and longest running event will be here soon. The 32nd Annual Quilt Show, “Summer in the Garden” is scheduled for October 13-17, 2004. During the five days of the show it takes many volunteers to staff the buildings, greet visitors, provide quilt-related demonstrations & educational programs, and serve refreshments. In addition many volunteer hours go into planning and setting up the show. Volunteers are needed before the show to assist with checking in quilts, setting up our Country Store, help with setting up the display cases and signs in the buildings, hanging quilts, and providing cookies. The Old Aurora Colony Quilters have spent many hours at the quilt frame and on their sewing machines putting together the quilts and wall hangings that are raffled or sold to benefit the museum. They have been busy with the blocks from the “Summer in the Garden” block contest, with the raffle quilt ready to be given away to the lucky ticket holder at the end of this year’s show. The Old Aurora Colony Quilters would like to invite anyone with an interest in quilting (beginners to experts) to join them on Tuesdays at the museum to help with the many projects and be involved in our wonderful quilt show. Colony Tea and Tour December 12th is the date for the Colony Tea and Home Tour. Volunteers are needed to help with the planning, preparation and serving of the tea, working as greeters in our buildings, serving cookies and coffee in the Steinbach cabin. Handy Person Needed!! If you are a handy individual and have time to donate, the museum is looking for someone to help out with minor repairs around the property. We need someone for light tasks, such as fixing a hinge on a gate, replacing damaged doorknobs, tightening a loose light fixture, etc. on an on-call basis. To volunteer please contact Elizabeth – 503-678-5754 or email Elizabeth@auroracolonymuseum.com Mark your calendars for December 15th for the Volunteer Social. This is an evening set aside not only to recognize volunteers and the service they provide to The Aurora Colony Historical Society, but also a time of fellowship and a chance to visit with other volunteers who share an interest in preserving a part of Oregon history. The Old Aurora Colony museum’s holiday event will be the Tea and Home Tour, on December 12th from 1:00pm – 5:00pm. Visitors may sit down and enjoy an old-fashioned tea, with tea sandwiches and desserts, in the Old Aurora Colony Museum. The self-guided tour will begin at the museum and include several of Aurora’s early homes. The cost for the tea and self-guided home tour is $25.00. Reservations are required for the tea, which will be served throughout the afternoon, with 20 people at each seating. Tickets for the home tour alone are $15.00 and will be available in advance or at the door. |
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