Articles written by Roberta Mckern
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Queen Victoria's influence lives on at museum
When we enter the East Linn Museum, thoughts of England's Queen Victoria don't come readily to mind. Still, her era's influences directly reflect on our area and many of the artifacts on display...
'Niceties' from the past abound at East Linn Museum
The East Linn Museum contains many niceties. The first, of course, is its research room’s historical materials. The many articles in the museum’s collection reflect the lives of those who settled and lived in the area, as well as their more...
Minor mysteries add spice to life at East Linn Museum
"Which way?" "I think that's upside down." "Wait, something's stuck in there." "Looks like a piece of cork." "It won't shake loose." "No. I'll see if I can get it. I think I can." Two lady volunteers...
Oregon pioneers took the trail to where grass was greener
A book entitled "The Willamette Valley: Migration and Settlement on the Oregon Frontier" can be located in the research room of the East Linn Museum with a little effort. Written by geographer...
Museum harbors truths about lye and washerwoman blues
We hear the phrase "The more things change, the more they stay the same," and often we nod and echo, "Yes, yes." Should we? Likely not. Things do not hold steady and unchanged, as we can easily tell...
Old bottles tell all manner of tales from days of yore
This is a tale of old bottles. Once, a pair of 5-year-old twins lived in a little house with their mother and father and younger sister and brother. About two blocks south flowed a small river. On an...
Former forest ranger's local history a go-to for stories of old
Roy Elliott's 1971 book, "Profiles of Progress," ranks high on the favorite book list at the East Linn Museum. The best history of Sweet Home in the museum's research room, it includes sketches of...
Calapooia River has wound its way through lot of local history
In the East Linn Museum a large, hand-drawn map of Linn County backs a partition of the household room near the rear exit sign. Most of us would not notice it if our attention were not directed...
Museum parlor walls contain memories, mysteries
Let us suppose, for a moment, that you are back in the early parts of the 20th century, attending a family gathering at Grandma's. Grandpa is there, too, but the house is always thought of as...
Museum collection includes echoes of Christmases past
If fantasies about museums came true, in the quiet and darkness around midnight or early morning as we wait, from a display case we might hear the high, sweet voices of children singing Christmas carols any time of the year. If little china...
Museum’s collection has strong representation from local logging heritage
For The New Era “This is a logging town, so why don’t you have more about logging?” a recent visitor to East Linn Museum asked. Actually, the museum has quite a few logging artifacts in the hall... Full story
Despite family tragedy, mill owners played large role in community
In last month’s column I wrote about time’s alteration of a one-mile stretch of Highway 228 running west from the Crawfordsville Bridge and taking in a popular swimming hole sometimes called locally “the Crawfordsville Dam.” Many can associat...
Saw display offers flashbacks to days of old in the woods
If you were to ask, “Where can I find an intriguing collection of crosscut and chain saws?” a good answer is the East Linn Museum. Passing through the main room toward the back, you enter a...
Museum's quilt collection tells stories from history
On a chilled night, when rain mutters across the roof and grumbles down the gutters and a fog-bound wind plucks at the windows and doors, comes a realization: The best place to be is in bed, curled snug and warm beneath one of Grandma’s quilts. At... Full story
Finally: The true story of why firemen wear red suspenders
This month we continue with some excerpts from the very interesting book “The Golden Arrow and Other Stories” by Frances Isobel Horner, part of our collection at East Linn Museum. I’ve selected a few of these to share in this column, because... Full story
Digging Treasure at East Linn Museum: Portrait collection a good way to remember key figures of the past
For The New Era Most people want to be remembered and to remember others, especially when it comes to family. Until the 19th century, only the well-to-do held the option of posing for painted...
Museum’s collection of telephones brings back memories
Right up there with household electricity and the automobile, surely one of the big transformers of the 20th century was the rise of the telephone. Alexander Graham Bell is generally credited with inventing it, though others were also working in the...
