Monte Holm family preps museum for auction

Grandson: Holm was 'very clear'

MOSES LAKE - Moses Lake icon Monte Holm kept just about everything, his grandsons are finding out.

"From checks he wrote when he was running the junk business, to a car, he didn't let much go," grandson Steve Rimple said.

Holm died in 2006.

Eagle-eyed Moses Lake residents may have noticed the beginning of movement of large items at Holm's House of Poverty Museum Wednesday afternoon.

The items are making the move in preparation of an auction at the Grant County Fairgrounds June 27 and June 28. Chuck Yarbro Auctioneers is working on the auction.

Rimple, who is selling the items along with brother Larry, said "pretty much everything" from the museum will be auctioned off at that time.

"We kept some things that were personal mementos, that meant something close to our family," he said. "Basically, it was financially difficult on our family. It cost a lot of money to keep the museum open for free. And my grandfather never wanted it to be a burden to anybody. It's become a financially difficult thing to maintain."

Rimple believes seeing things actually happening at the museum makes a tough process even tougher.

"It's tough to see, it's tough to watch, but we know what we have to do for our family, and we're doing it," he said. "But it's kind of like having somebody show up to your house and start taking stuff out. I still feel my grandfather in the museum."

Rimple said Holm was very clear in telling his grandchildren what to do with the museum.

"We've done nothing wrong and we're following exactly what he wanted," Rimple said. "The people that knew him knew exactly what was supposed to happen. But still, it doesn't make it any easier."

Rimple said he's heard from people who tell him "It's really too bad," a sentiment with which he agrees.

"People I've talked to have been disappointed, but most people understand: Life goes on and you've got to do what you've got to do," he said. "(Holm) put a lot of money into that place and he enjoyed it. It was really for him."

Rimple said he talked with Moses Lake resident and historical enthusiast Harold Hochstatter, who was on hand helping out during the move, alongside other "phenomenal" family friends like Curt Franz and representatives from Central Towing. Hochstatter told Rimple Holm had loved to show the museum.

"It was really all about him," Rimple said. "It wasn't bragging rights, because he wasn't that type of person, but he was very proud of it. Everything he went through through his life, to be able to do that, to be able to do that meant a lot. He wanted people to see it. The heart and soul of that place went when he passed away. He was always the best part of the museum. Losing the museum and taking this step is nowhere near as hard as losing him. It became a very different place when he passed away. I think a lot of people know that, I think a lot of people understand that."

The museum property remains with the family. Rimple said there are no plans, although something will have to be done, whether it be incorporated into an extension of a business or otherwise.

"That's actually the next step," he said. "My brother and I, we're not experts in this kind of thing. It's the first and only time we're ever going to have this situation, so we're kind of learning as things go on."

The giant train in the museum yard will not be part of the auction. Steve Rimple said there are people interested.

"We're searching for the right, respectable home for it," he said. "We wanted to have control over it. We'd like to have control over everything, but we can't. We'd love to keep things the way they are, but we can't."

Rimple estimated nearly 1,000 items will be included in the auction.

"That's all from little things to giant bells," he said. "And there's a lot of stuff you miss. Every time you move something, you find something new."