16
AUG. 3ÿ10, 2022
CULTURE & HERITAGE
CELEBRATING THE HISTORY
OF EASTERN OREGON
Miracle cure, anyone?
Interpreter Mike Follin
returns to Baker City as
Dr. Balthasar
By Lisa Britton
Go! Magazine
BAKER CITY — The slick-talking
salesman known as Dr. Balthasar is com-
ing back to town with his miracle cure for
whatever ails you.
That’s right — a cure for anything.
And if you believe that ...
Mike Follin, who worked as an educa-
tion interpreter for the Ohio Historical
Society, has portrayed Dr. Balthasar for
40 years. He’s brought his show to Baker
City since 1993 when he o rst performed
at the National Historic Oregon Trail
Interpretive Center.
He returns this week as Dr. Balthasar,
and an additional character he’s never
performed in Baker City.
The o rst new show is Friday, Aug. 5.
Follin, as Sean O’Shaughnessy, will share
his story “Saints Preserve Us! The Irish
in America.” The show starts at 6 p.m. at
Crossroads Carnegie Art Center, 2020
Auburn Ave.
In character, Follin takes his audi-
ence back to the 1800s as he tells the
story of Sean leaving Ireland during the
1840s potato famine with his young
bride, Mary.
<Learn about their diï cult and sad
journey across the Atlantic and the
reality of coming to America, the land
with the door of golden opportunity —
arriving in New York City only to o nd the
doors of opportunity shut tight,” Follin
said. “Hear how Sean traveled to Ohio
and made a new beginning and life for
himself and his wife.”
For his weekend performances, Follin
will bring back Dr. Balthasar’s Traveling
Medicine Show to “peddle elixirs and
gossip — just like any good doctor along
the Oregon Trail.” Catch his Dr. Balthasar
show at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug.
6, and Sunday, Aug. 7, in Geiser-Pollman
Park.
Follin said when he developed the
character of Dr. Balthasar, he did re-
search for about six months and chose
the name “Balthasar” from a Cincinnati
newspaper printed in the 1820s.
“I wanted to pick a name that was
equivalent to a medicine man,” he said.
THE CENTER
The National Historic Oregon Trail
Interpretive Center is closed for renova-
tions, but a temporary Oregon Trail ex-
Travel Baker County/Contributed Photo
Mike Follin will perform as Dr. Balthasar Aug. 6-7 at Geiser-Pollman Park in Baker City.
hibit is on display at the Baker Heritage
Museum, 2480 Grove St. (across Grove
Street from the park).
The museum is open 10 a.m.-4 p.m.,
Monday through Saturday, and noon-
4 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $9 adults, $8
seniors, $5 ages 6-12 and free for 5 and
younger.
AIRPORT ANTIQUES &
THE FURNITURE LADY
Children’s
Museum of
Eastern Oregon
400 S Main St.,
Pendleton, OR
541-276-1066
cmeo.org
HOURS:
Tue. - Sat.10AM - 5PM
Closed 1-2PM for cleaning
1816 NW 51st St.
541.278.0141
Tuesday - Friday 10:30am - 6pm
www.pendletonfurniturelady.com