Museum FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) 

Some of the practices of museum work seem curious at best to the general public. What follow are answers to some of the most common questions visitors have about museum work.

Why do you wear white gloves?

All museum staff wear white cotton gloves when handling most museum artifacts. Photographs, paper, wood, textiles and metal items especially need protection from the salts and oils on the cleanest of hands. These substances can cause damage and deterioration over time. Some artifacts, however are best handled without gloves. These include glass and ceramics which can be slippery and fragile, or brittle items which could actually be at greater risk if the handler is wearing gloves.

Why aren’t donor names put on items on display?

In museum exhibit labels the staff includes information which will be of interest to the largest number of visitors. Unless the identity of the donor is important in telling why the item is special or unique, museum policy is to concentrate on the significance of the item. The name of the donor will always be kept in the permanent museum records.

Does the museum take loans?

Yes, but only for exhibit or study purposes and only for a specified period of time. We have special loan forms which lay out all of the conditions of a loan and are signed by both the lender and the museum director.

If I donate something to the museum will it ever be removed from the collection?

Everything donated to the Sweetwater County Historical Museum becomes the property of Sweetwater County. It may be removed from the collection only under very specific circumstances. These are: (1) the item is not relevant to the museum’s Scope of Collections Statement, (2) the loss or involuntary destruction of the item, (3) the item has deteriorated beyond usefulness for either display or research, or (4) the item is transferred or exchanged to a more appropriate institution. Once removal is proposed, a formal process is followed to make the final decision for removal from the collection. The process requires the approval of the curator, museum director and, if the object is worth over $1,000, the museum board. The object is then disposed of in certain specific ways which include transfer to another museum or cultural facility, sale at public auction or destruction. This process is called deaccession and happens rarely at the museum.

What is the Scope of Collections Statement?

This is a policy document which guides the institution in the acquisition and preservation of historic objects that contribute directly to the museum’s interpretive themes. These themes include: Native American heritage, economic and civic development, material culture, cultural diversity, prominent individuals, and contributions to science and other disciplines.

How come so much of the museum collection is in storage?

We estimate that between twenty and thirty percent of the museum collection is on display at any one time. The remainder is kept in storage. There are several reasons for this. First, it is simply a matter of display space. We have as much material out as there is room for in our current gallery. When we move to the old Post Office at the completion of Phase I of construction, our gallery space will remain about the same. Phase II construction  will result in the completion of the basement space which will nearly double the gallery size. There is no time table yet for this completion.

Secondly, many of the artifacts in the museum are sensitive to light and it is better for them to have periods of rest in the darkness of storage.

Finally, the museum staff feels it is important to have something new for visitors to see each time they come. For this reason we have a commitment to rotating exhibits.

Can I check out or borrow items from the museum collection?

Unlike a library, the museum does not allow its artifacts and materials to be “checked out”. This is for purposes of preservation. Most of the items in the museum collection are unique and impossible to replace. For this reason we do not let them leave the museum except as loans to other qualified museums or as remote exhibits housed in secure cases.

How do you get items for the museum collection?

With the exception of a few photographs that we have paid to be copied, all of the collection items have been donated to the museum. We have no budget for purchase of items.

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Catharine Mudd Joins Museum Board

Every few years a museum board member rotates off of the board after a maximum of six years of service. This is always an exciting time for the museum staff. Each board member brings something different to the governance of the museum and it is always interesting to get input from someone new. As of July 1st a long-time board member, Suzanne Hermansen left the board and was replaced by Catharine Mudd. Catharine has lived in  Green River for sixteen years. She and her husband Lou are the owners of Elegant Images Photography Studio. She has two children, Michael and Anna.

 Catharine was born in Phoenix, Arizona, and was raised primarily in Colorado. She graduated from Adams State College in Alamosa, Colorado and earned a M.S. in Education/Guidance and Counseling from Montana State University in Bozeman.

Catharine formerly served on the board of Big Brothers/ Big Sisters of Sweetwater County.

Her hobbies and interests include spending time with her family, reading and outdoor activities.

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In Memoriam

On June 30th Daphne Perkins died from injuries sustained in an automobile accident. Daphne was the wife of Gary Perkins, Exhibits Coordinator at the museum. She was also a member of the Sweetwater County Historical Society and served on the board of the Sweetwater County Museum Foundation.

Daphne gave hundreds of hours in service to the museum and historical society. A master of the English language, Daphne was a great help to Gary in proofreading his exhibit text. According to Gary she probably spent over a hundred hours in the last year alone on this task.

Daphne and Gary became very active in the historical society shortly after their arrival in Green River three years ago. Daphne provided refreshments for the meetings many times and her culinary skills were considerable. She also served on the Scholarship Committee and was very active in seeking quality applicants for the scholarship. Her wide circle of friends also gave her many opportunities to recruit members for the historical society.

Daphne’s intelligence, dedication and inner drive made her a very special person and she will be missed. 

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Saturdays at the Museum

For over ten years the museum has been open on Saturdays in the summer. During the first few years it was not uncommon for the unlucky staff member working that day to see no one during the entire afternoon. Fortunately that has changed. With better advertising and simple word of mouth, more people know that the museum is open and take advantage of  the opportunity.  Many visitors here on weekends for community events, reunions and other celebrations take the opportunity to visit the museum and residents often bring in their visitors as well. The museum is open from 1-5 p.m. every Saturday through August 26th. The staff is friendly, the exhibits interesting and it’s air conditioned.

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A Wish List Update

Several people contacted us regarding our request for an old gas pump. We thank everyone who thought of us. Ed Varley of Point of Rocks has offered to loan us a beautiful old pump he has kept. Unfortunately, because the piece is close to twelve feet tall we will have to wait until we get into the new museum to install it. Our current ceilings are not high enough!

We are still looking for the other items mentioned in the last newsletter so keep us in mind.  

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Exhibits Roundup
Gary Perkins

A year ago I went on the Historical Society’s trek in the Red Desert. One of the stops that summer afternoon was the White Mountain Petroglyph site near Boar’s Tusk rock. Russ Tanner, Bureau of Land Management archaeologist, explained the importance of the rock carvings and mentioned that one, a picture of what appears to be a man and woman, had been accidentally destroyed several years before. He said that it was ironic that the petroglyph had been photographed for a BLM anti-vandalism poster titled “Once they’re gone...they’re gone forever.”

Hoping that the petroglyph was only “gone” from the mountain, I asked him if anything had been saved. He said that Bureau personnel had carefully picked up the sandstone pieces and the rocks were in storage in the Rock Springs office.  Museum Curator Amy Stroh and I wrote a letter to the BLM asking if they would loan the petroglyph to the museum for display in our Native American section.

The Federal government’s wheels move slowly but they do move. After a year we were given permission to borrow the rocks for display. However, our excitement faded when we opened up the storage boxes. The petroglyph was in hundreds of pieces ranging in size from hefty rocks to grains of sand. John Waggener, our summer intern, and I made a Plexiglas box and lined it with foam and muslin. Next, our exhibits volunteer Criss Staffa, an avid jigsaw puzzle aficionado, spent many frustrating hours trying to fit the pieces together.

Although about half of the picture is missing, the assembled pieces make an unusual and informative exhibit. We combined text and photos of the site with a copy of the BLM’s poster to make the point that although this art was created over 500 years ago, it can easily be destroyed by a moment’s carelessness or senseless vandalism.

We finished the “Army in Sweetwater County” exhibit with the story of Camp Pilot Butte in Rock Springs (built in 1885 to protect the Chinese community) and the little forts built to guard the stage line during the Civil War. Additionally, the exhibit tells the story of  the 1857 Mormon War and the tale of Wyoming’s “Torrey’s Rough Riders” in the 1898 Spanish-American War. Army rifles, swords, a period uniform, a pair of boots, a McClelland saddle and a rare Civil War painted drum complete the display.

On a lighter note, in our temporary exhibits area we set up two showcases of electric toasters. The museum has a nice collection of the ubiquitous appliances.

In another showcase, we created a display of long-time Green River resident Kurt Hoffmann’s butchering equipment and sign-painting tools. Titled “Working For the American Dream,” the exhibit tells the story of the 1920s German immigrant who owned a grocery store and motel before taking up his last trade as sign painter in Green River. Hoffmann’s children donated the items to the museum last summer.

We are starting to finalize the text and graphics for the railroad exhibit and are planning a renovation of the Native American display in the near future.

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Curator's Column
Amy Stroh

This quarter has been a busy one in the collections division. I have hired a graduate student from the University of Wyoming named John Waggener for the summer to help me with the photographic collection. John has worked on matching negatives to photographs in our collection in order to update our records. In addition, he is completing an inventory of the museum research library that will aid researchers in the future.

The museum has received several donations. These include: photographs, trophies and certificates from the Roosevelt Elementary School, and a quilt made by the wife of S.I. Field, founder of Green River. Anyone interested in becoming a museum volunteer and working with our collections can contact me at the museum.

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Volunteer Corner

Suzanne Hermansen just completed six years of service on the Sweetwater County Historical Museum Board of Directors. She came to board service in a similar fashion to most board members. She submitted a statement of interest for service on a community board to the Sweetwater County Commissioners and was appointed to the next available vacancy, the museum board.

Susie has lived in Green River for fourteen years and is employed as Business Manager for Southwest Counseling. Her strong accounting background and knowledge of the intricacies of public funding made her a definite asset to the board.

Susie’s family consists of her husband Tom and three children, Chelsea, Crystal and Kelly. Her interests and hobbies include sewing, counted cross stitch and gardening.

“I really enjoyed serving on the museum board. It involved a lot of challenges, but also rewards. I especially liked learning more about the history of our area.”

“I think that all people should serve their communities by becoming involved in some sort of public project. It is a good way to give back to the community.”

If you have an interest in volunteering at the museum please call Ruth or Amy at 872-6435 or 352-6715. Volunteers may choose to work as much as they wish, coming in on a regular schedule or just helping out for special events. If you have special talents and time to give we would love to hear from you.

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Board Message

I am pleased to report that in the most recent budget cycle the County Commissioners appropriated $250,000 for the completion of the old Post Office/New Museum renovation. This, in addition to $100,000 in carry over from the 1999-2000 budget, should be enough to finish the project to the point where we can move exhibits and administrative offices to the new location. As previously stated, the museum storage will remain in the courthouse until such time as a storage addition to the building can be completed.

Work on the building is going well. The plumbing for the basement restrooms has been roughed in. This involved cutting channels in the concrete floor for pipes and so was quite a job.

A problem with tap sizes was encountered when hooking the building on to the city sewer system. This has been resolved and the hole in adjoining Center Street has been filled and repaved.

The project manager is awaiting shop plans from the elevator contractor prior to pouring the foundation for the elevator shaft.

We do not yet have a projected date for completion of the renovation, but are confident that the project will proceed as quickly as possible.

We have already begun exploring some new options for making the museum better when we move into the new building. These include more hours of operation and an expanded bookstore and gift shop. We are looking forward to a bright future at the Sweetwater County Historical Museum.

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