houses more than 50,000 historic
items — from military weapons
and uniforms to Native American
baskets to antique clothing and
yes, even the old Linotype ma-
chine that once set type for the
Illinois Valley News , a weekly
newspaper that continues today.
In 1998, after operating the
museum under a long-term lease
agreement, Josephine County
ended its agreement and returned
the museum buildings and prop-
erty to the Women’s Club. With
many of its members no longer
physically able to operate and
maintain the museum and prop-
erty, a new nonprofit operating
group was formed, the Kerbyville
Museum Board of Directors.
In 1999-2000, this new group
secured a grant that funded the
construction of a Native American
pit house, and this structure serves
as the cornerstone of the mu-
seum’s Native American exhibit.
Since then the museum has
designed its exhibits into
“interpretive theme displays.” For
example, a selection of historic
mining artifacts is located in one
display along with descriptive text
and photographs to help educate
museum visitors on our valley’s
rich and diverse cultural and natu-
ral history.
Exhibits in the main museum
include a local wildlife diorama,
early communications room, mock
old school house, historic post of-
fice, and general store. Also, an-
tique clothing and quilts, Native
American basket and artifact ex-
hibit, historic mining and logging
exhibits that include a new model
train layout depicting a 1940s min-
ing and logging town, and a re-
search library.
There also is the newly dedi-
cated “Joseph A. Landry Memorial
Military Room” in honor of the late
Joe Landry, a longtime museum
volunteer and Korean War veteran
who died in 2008. The military col-
lection spans the American Revo-
lution (1770s) to Vietnam (1965-
1975).
Outbuildings include the his-
toric 1880s William and Nannie
Naucke house, listed on the Na-
tional Register of Historic Places in
1998/99, the historic barn and
blacksmith shop, historic miners
cabins built in the 1930s and
moved to the Museum by the U.S.
Navy Seabees in the 1980s, and a
large covered antique farming and
mining equipment shed.
Museum hours :
Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays,
Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Sunday hours are noon to 3 p.m.
The museum is closed on Tues-
days and Wednesdays due to the
lack of volunteer staffing.
The museum volunteers are a
dedicated group, and some have
lived in our valley for a long time.
Continued on page 23
The Taylor family
welcomes you to
visit & enjoy our fine
sausages - family
made since 1924.
Our store, located in
the middle of town,
serves breakfast,
lunch, & dinner 7
days a week. Big
meals, reasonably
priced, in a family
friendly place. Find
lots of great food &
local wines in our
full deli. On Friday
nights, come for live
local music & prime
rib or fresh fish &
more!
Cave Junction
541-592-5358
Stay with us, we have a 60-room motel, smoking & non-smoking rooms, cable TV,
in-room phones, internet access, electronic security locks, swimming pool.
Pets welcome. Affordable rates. Restaurant and Lounge adjacent.
19 miles from the ‘World Famous’ Oregon Caves.
Valley Visitor
15