Hands on History returns to Brownsville Aug. 26

BROWNSVILLE — The Linn County Historical Museum will host its annual Hands on History event, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, August 26, at Library Park adjacent to the museum on Park Avenue in Brownsville.

Admission is free.

All of your favorites are back — beeswax candle dipping, cornhusk doll making, panning for gold, photos taken with an old-time camera, Belgian Draft Mules giving you wagon rides — to name just a few.

A new treat will be an old-fashioned cake walk. 

Also, the Oregon Trail Lacemakers will be here for you to try your hand at lacemaking, sharing space under the weeping willow with the wool carding and spinning. There will also be a focus on logging history this year.

Not only can you try your hand at using a crosscut saw, but we will also be hosting an Early Logging History display with items ranging from late 1800’s to 1940.

A full day of activities:

• Candle dipping with Fred Selby
• Dying with plants with Melissa Selby
• Wagon rides with Tom Marquette, Linda Walker and Lizzy and Leslie
• Cross-cut sawing with Paul Winther, Jeff Brown and Clem
• Lacemaking with the Oregon Trail Lacemakers, Martha Osgood and Friends
• Spinning and carding (weaving?) with Barbara Andersen and Friends
• Oregon Black Pioneers with Gwen Carr
• Sourdough bread making interpretation and sales, Wild Yeast Bakery, Craig and April Watermelon
• Wheat grinding on the stone quern, Thompson’s Mill State Park, Rye Guessford, park ranger, arranging volunteers
• Old Time Photography with Jeff Smith and Nolan Streitberger
• Flint knapping with Don Day
• Kalapuya drumming, chanting and stories with Esther Stutzman and daughter Shannin
• Corn husk doll making organized by Mandy Cole
• Wash day with Joni Nelson and Friends
• Blacksmithing Chris Highfield
• Panning for gold with Mid-Valley Prospectors, Roy Houtz
• Pioneer toys with the Molks
• Pioneer transportation and travel songs, Strings of Antiquity, Matt Neely and Friends, 10 to 11:30 a.m.; Music of the Oregon Trail, Truman Price 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.; wandering Crazed Weasels, Judy Arter and Loren Ford, 1 to 2:30 p.m. and wandering Stories of Oregon History, Gordon Munro, 2:30 to 4 p.m.

Hands on History is a day with lots of character, loaded with fun. You will come away with life long lasting memories, it is a great time for young and old alike.

For more information contact the Linn County Historical Museum, 541-466-3390, lchm@co.linn.or.us.