Iron County Historical Museum offers festive open house to visitors

By P.J. GLISSON

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Hurley - "It all started with this tree," said Gail Buccanero, a volunteer at the Iron County Historical Society Museum.

Buccanero was explaining how the decision to place a Christmas tree in the museum dining room inspired volunteers to offer an open house on Saturday, complete with fragrant coffee and a variety of holiday treats.

"I made paper chains," said volunteer Bobbie Jaresky of the red and green garland on the tree, which also includes a homemade popcorn string.

"I started volunteering in July," said Jaresky. "I was dusting and cleaning for Heritage Day and I was only going to stay for the month, but it was so much fun."

Among the ornaments on the tree is a collection of angels, made from materials including wood, paper, styrofoam, and cloth, and donated by the family of Doris Soine of Kimball, a museum volunteer who died in 2016.

The angels hang like gentle guards within the strong building, which, according to a history written by Taimi Wainio, was built in 1893 as a town hall for Hurley (originally known as Vaughn) and then later was used as the Iron County Courthouse before the Historical Society received the deed in 1976.

According to Buccanero, the museum previously was housed in Upson and in Montreal.

In addition to its Christmas tree, the museum dining room features several dozen framed portraits on the wall, as well as other charming artifacts such as a display of antique dolls.

It borders a fully equipped pioneer-style bedroom that includes a full-size bed, along with a large crib and numerous cozy details such as a colorful quilt and an open armoire filled with old-timey attire.

That's just a couple of the multiple museum rooms. Each of them is loaded with artistic displays, lovingly displayed in ways that beckon the heart to simpler times.

"I like to come here cause you never know what you're going to see," said regular visitor Robert Massoglia of Saxon. "And everyone is so friendly."

Massoglia said that his great grandparents settled in Kimball in a location known for its many Italians.

Buccanero said the museum is possible due to the generosity of local supporters. "We do have one benefactor once a year who gives us a nice check, and I don't know what we'd do without that," she said, adding that Doris Soine also left the museum funds.

Beyond that, she said, "The girls sell rugs," and those sales, which amount to thousands of dollars each year, help to pay the museum's utility costs and other bills.

Bette Berga, who is one of the women who makes rugs on the museum looms, explained that "people can come in and pick out what fabric they want," along with their preferences for length and width.

"Sometimes," she said, "they bring in dad's old flannel shirts or whatever" and ask that the material be incorporated into a keepsake.

"We also do place mats and table runners," said Berga.

Ellice Wallom also volunteers within the large rug room, which includes a number of side closets within which an array of fabrics in various colors and materials, such as chenille, fleece, polyester, denim, etc., are stored.

"I don't weave," said Wallom, "but I help everybody, from picking out materials to cutting and a lot of selling. We have very, very pleased customers."

The ladies claimed that everyone who works in the museum does so on a volunteer basis, and they contribute in a number of ways, from doing research and bookwork to maintaining the many rooms.

Their dedication pays off, as Buccanero said the building is a source of pride that many visitors note has too much too appreciate in a single day.