The Women in our Lives

Don, our Operations Manager, is involved with a whole lot of things. He is in charge of the Store operations, our volunteer coordinator, program development, business sponsor program, events director and likely a number of other things not coming immediately to mind. He is among the hardest working, best organized people I've known in a lifetime of work. He's the "lone stranger" in today's photos.

Along with Don, I'm helping to develop our Women's History Day (August 23) into something beyond its original origins as a Living History program. We are hoping that a young woman of immense talent we know will provide some musical entertainment that day and I just got off the phone with a prominent women's history author whom we hope to bring to the event as a speaker as well as a book-signer. A fascinating conversation!

March is Women's History Month, but as Fort Walla Walla Museum is not open to visitation that month, it is difficult to create a proram at that time. Perhaps in the future when we can call ourtselves a year 'round museum that will change. We choose August for our event in order to call attention to Women's Equality Day August 26, established in 1971 by Rep. Bella Abzug. The day is in honor of the ratification of the 19th amendment to the constitution guaranteeing American women the right to vote.

The core of the day is to highlight the women in our Living History Company and have them tell of womens' lives from the eras their characters lived in. In past years we've featured the wife of the community's first mayor, an Indian woman who was among the first women to own property in this region (let alone among the first Indian people to do so), a leading suffragist, a former slave, and pioneer women of many backgrounds. Last year we featured one of the more enterprising businesswomen of her day, Josphine 'Dutch Jo' Wolfe, operator of an upscale bordello in early Walla Walla.

The Museum alters its usual rates of admission for the day; all girls 12 and under receive free admission and all adult women pay 77% of the going rates as a reflection of the disparity in men's and women's wages that still persists today. We also supply the lemonade and cookies ... pioneer women would always entertain in that fashion when receiving guests.

History Comes Alive!

We take history seriously at Fort Walla Walla Museum, but we're also aware that not everyone else wants a lecture on the subject. One of the most interesting and entertaining ways of learning a little about regional heritage is through our Living History program, the first of whose presentations occurs this Sunday at 2:00 pm.

It's important to learn from our past. As philospher George Santayana once wrote, "Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it." The Museum's Living History Company, through its more than 40 weekend presentations through the season, tells the stories of real people in their 'own voice' who helped create the community we have today. I get first nod of the season as I portray Lewis & Clark Expedition member John Colter. Next week, Charles Saranto portrays one of the best stories anywhere as pioneer blacksmith & hotelier Fred Stine.

Through the season, which features performance every Sunday, plus Saturday June through August, you can enjoy Captain Mullan from Mullan Trail fame, Madame Josephine 'Dutch Jo' Wolf, early brewmasters John & Catherine Stahl, Hudson's Bay Company trader William McBean, Suzanne Cayuse Dauphin who was one of the first Indian women to own property in this region, and many, many others. Included in the bunch are special presentations during Ice Cream Social, Women's History Celebration, Frenchtown Rendezvous, and a '19th Century Party' to conclude the season. The season has been described as "a 42-week course in Walla Walla history." Maybe so, but it sure is fun!

Today's photos, top to bottom, include Rich Monacelli as William McBean, Judith Fortney as Suzanne Cayuse Dauphin, Lois Hahn as 'Dutch Jo,' Charles Saranto as Fred Stine, and me, Paul Franzmann as John Colter.

Living, Breathing History

At Fort Walla Walla Museum, saying 'history comes alive' has some meaning. Each weekend (every Sunday, plus Saturdays June through August) during the season, you can experience more than 40 Living History performances. Some involve just one person, often telling of the past through an ancestor's eyes. Others are accomplished with two or three performers, and a some involve quite a few folks.

Most, but not all, of the characters portrayed lived in the 19th century. The 'rules' are that none of the performers has yet passed on, and are somewhat mystified as to how they 'travel through time' to be with the audience. Using 'talking sticks' to amplify their voices is technology beyond their ken.

Keeping in character is also one of the rules. Opinions on modern topics are not possible from those who lived 100 years or more in the past. It does, however, make you wonder what a real time traveler might think of modern ways of doing things or, better yet, how similar problems today were solved in the past.

All programs begin at 2:00 pm in the Museum's pioneer settlement. On the first and thrid Sundays of each month in the April through October visitation season, patrons can enjoy popular 19th century music with the Museum's own 'Oregon Trail Band.' The program has been described as a '40-course class in regional history.' I don't know about that, but the characters are always genuine, engaging, and ready to answer your questions. Oh, yes ... they're a lot of fun, too. A full schedule of programs can be found at www.fortwallawallamuseum.org/living_history.htm Come on out ... this ain't your high school history class!

Women's History

The Washington State Historical Society and Museum is about to kick-off the centennial commemoration of Washington State's women’s suffrage with the opening of "Women’s Votes, Women’s Voices" starting at 11 a.m this Saturday.

"Enter the Museum and transport back in time to a suffrage rally; join a women’s march, put on your women’s suffrage pin, and interact with costumed greeters and special guests. Enjoy performances from Living Voices, “Hear My Voice: Win the Vote,” and Linda Allen. Light refreshments will be served."

Schedule for exhibit opening celebration: 11 a.m. – Welcome, introductions, and exhibit acknowledgements 11:30 – Exhibit doors open after ribbon cutting 11:30 – 1 p.m. – Family art-making activity NOON – Refreshments served on the Mezzanine 1 p.m. – 3 p.m. “Women’s Voices” program in the Auditorium, featuring storyteller and actress Eva Abram, Living Voices, and singer/song writer Linda Allen.

FREE admission all day, special programming 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Visit WashingtonHistory.org for more information, hours and directions.

For the past few years, Fort Walla Walla Museum has been conducting its own "Women's History Celebration" in August, as we move within a decade of universal suffrage for American women. The women of the Living History Company explain the problems and successes, heartaches and joys of womanhood in their eras. http://www.fortwallawallamuseum.org/livinghistory/womenshistory.htm

To help honor the day, the Museum admits all girls age 12 & under for free and charges adult women 77% of the usual rate, to mark the fact that American women, on average, still earn only 77% of an average man's salary.

You might also wish to follow the saga of Narcissa Whitman in serial form as it appears in the Blue Mountain edition of Tidbits. Whitman Mission National Historic Site's Renee Rusler is spinning out the incredible story week by week.