Museum Memo

The weeks leading up to the Christmas holiday have been quiet at Blaine County Museum, but they have not been completely without excitement. Wednesday, December 13th Jack Mattingly spoke about the history of the Chinook United Methodist Church, other Methodist churches around the county, and their ties to famed Methodist circuit rider Brother William Wesley Van Orsdel. Mattingly was hosted by the Chinook Senior Center, and a crowd of 32 attended this event. Senior Center Director Ginger Hansen has been a fabulous partner to the museum in hosting our “Off-Season” Speaker Series. She provided a variety of snacks and drinks she prepared herself, and she had decorated the Center in a warm, inviting, and very Christmassy manner. She has elevated the museum’s speaker series with her hard work and talent, and the museum board and I cannot thank her enough.

The museum’s next speaker will be Rod Benson on Wednesday, February 7th at 5:30 PM at the Chinook Senior Center. Rod has taught high school science at Hays-Lodgepole School for many years, and he will be sharing his “Readers Digest Version” of Blaine County area geology. He is known locally for leading hikes in east Blaine County, and he shares many of his excursions on social media and via his blog (Bigskywalker.com). Geology is something a little different from what the museum has brought to the public in the past, and we hope Benson’s presentation will help draw in a new crowd (in addition to lending some variety to our faithful “regulars”).

I’d like to thank the community for your continued support of the museum and our speaker series. Support for the speaker series in particular has exceeded my expectations. My hope is that we can continue to bring this program to the community annually. It would not be possible without your attendance, so I hope to see everyone again in the new year for the rest of the series! Merry Christmas

Samantha French,

Director, BCM