The 11th annual “Friends of the Museum” campaign is underway with the goal of raising funds to continue the many remodeling and preservation projects at our local Oneida Pioneer Museum. To become a “Friend of the Museum,” just mail your donation to the Museum at P.O. Box 79, Malad, ID 83252, or scan the QR Code on the website:
www.oneidapioneermuseum.org. 

The levels of membership commemorate the methods used by pioneers to reach the Malad Valley:

$20-$49 – Annual

$50-$99 – Handcart

$100-$199 – Covered Wagon

$200-$499 – Stagecoach

$500+ -- Steam Engine

Located at 27 Bannock Street, the Museum is housed in the former R.B. Davis Drug Store, which was built in 1914. When the Davis family deeded the building to the Museum in 2012, it became the permanent home for hundreds of Oneida County artifacts.

The 110-year-old building needs constant upkeep and repair. Repair work on the parapets and cornices at the top of the building is underway (which meant unhousing a lot of pigeons) so that chunks of the roof will not fall off. The upstairs remodeling project continues so that the former boarding rooms can be used for exhibits. The foundation of the Museum needs repair. The large wooden sign will be ready to be rehung before the Museum opens in May.  Handrails from the old elementary school are being installed on the stairways to the top floor.

Several projects are underway to preserve some of the collections housed in the Museum. The hundreds of books, journals, histories, obituaries, pictures, yearbooks, and documents are being scanned and digitized, thanks to the efforts of Brent Bowen. The Museum’s collection of artifacts is being inventoried and catalogued so that items can be found more easily and displays can be rotated more often. The main floor is being reorganized to allow for easier access to the large collection of printed materials and includes a Welsh corner to celebrate the settling of Malad Valley by large numbers of pioneers from Wales. The pioneer-era portrait collection is one of the best in the state, and the Museum continues to receive donations of portraits that need preservation work. The clothing and quilt preservation project is almost completed, but more donations mean that more dust covers and archival boxes need to be purchased.

Some of these projects have been partially funded by grants from Idaho Heritage Trust, Idaho State Historical Society, and the Rocky Mountain Power Foundation.  However, most grants require matching funds, and some projects end up costing more than the grant amount. Therefore, the “Friends of the Museum” are invaluable partners in preserving the history of Oneida County and ensuring that future generations have the opportunity to see pioneer life through the artifacts, archives, and displays at the Museum.

In preparation for the seasonal opening of the Museum, the local camp of the Daughters of Utah Pioneers will assist in cleaning the main floor and mezzanine of the Museum to show appreciation for their using the Museum for their monthly meetings. The Museum will hold its annual bake sale on Saturday, May 23, to celebrate opening for the summer visitor season.