Families visit Living Museum
Chrystal Doucette/Columbia Basin HeraldGrant County Historical Society Board Member Bill Robinson serves Kyle Francisco, 11, of Moses Lake, a soft drink at the Living Museum in Ephrata Saturday.
EPHRATA - The Living Museum offered education and fun side by side Saturday at the Grant County Historical Museum.
Volunteers were on hand to answer questions in each of the museum's 36 buildings, including charter historical society member Mabel Thompson. Thompson, 98, played the part of schoolmarm at the museum's one-room school.
She said she has played schoolmarm every year since the museum opened.
"Lots of these people I taught, and now their grandkids are here to see me," Thompson said.
Historical Society Treasurer Bill Robinson has also been at his role behind the bar of the museum's saloon for several years.
"I meet people that I haven't seen for years, in here," he said.
Nicole Thomas, 7, helped other kids wash towels on a scrub board using homemade soap. After washing the towels, they are brought through a wringer and then hung out to dry.
"I came here a lot and this lady told me that maybe you should help out next year," Thomas said. "And I keep coming here every year just to do it."
Nicole wore an older style dress, which she obtained through her aunt's costume business.
In addition to the demonstrations and buildings available to look through, the Grant County Sherrif's Posse conducted a mock shootout for visitors.
"We enjoy it and that's our job as a sheriff's posse member - to give joy to the community," said posse Captain "Rotton" Ron Tolison, who played a bank robber.
The museum is located at 742 Basin Street North in Ephrata. It is open for the season through Sept. 30 with hours of 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Admission is $4 for adults and $2 for children ages 7 to 17. Senior citizens are charged $3.