News: Colby - Rural Arts Museum (4 June 2017)

Transcriber: Robert Lipprandt
bob@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Name: Kaschinska

----Source: The Tribune - Phonograph (Abbotsford, WI) 5/31/2017

The Rural Arts Museum in Colby will open its 2017 season on Sunday, June 4, from 1 to 4 p.m. with strawberries and ice cream served to visitors.

The museum’s monthly meeting will be the following day, June 5, at 6:30 p.m., in the Heritage Building.

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Mysteries at the museum can be solved by visiting

By: Lee Kaschinska, President of Colby Rural Arts Museum

I feel it’s unfortunate that, for many, the Rural Arts Museum, and what we have on display, is a mystery.

Please consider coming out to join us on any first or third Sunday, June thru August. We especially invite you to our opening, on Sunday, June 4, from1-4 p.m. Come and enjoy strawberries and ice cream, and tour the museum to see the changes we’ve made and our plans for even bigger changes during the coming year.

There are a number of things happening this year at the museum, which we fell would made a visit worthwhile for you. We have several new exhibits in the Heritage Building as well as changes to some of the exhibits that we already have.

One new exhibit is a display of some license plates from as early as 1914. These plates themselves tell an interesting story. You can see the changing shapes, especially during World War II when they were reduced in size to save on metal and, for the first time, were not issued on a yearly basis.

We also have move many items, which were on the floor and not easily identified or easily seen, onto wall displays and labeled them for you.

The two biggest changes coming to the museum this year are first, a project between the museum and the Colby firefighters and EMT’s, who are planning to build a replica firehouse and put two antique fire engines on display. Additionally, there will be firefighting items and equipment on display.


Secondly, we are going to begin construction of a large storage area, built to resemble a barn. This additional spaced will allow us to reduce the number of items currently on display in the four existing buildings.

For instance, in the baggage area of the depot, there are several displays but this area has been closed off simply because so much is stored there. Once they can be moved to the new storage area, we can open this part of the depot for tours. Reducing the number of items will allow us space for better, more accessible displays.

It is our hope the museum will not remain a mystery to you and will serve to increase your understanding of the heritage of this area.

Please note: We are looking for new members because, many hands make light work, and we want to continue preserving, displaying and cataloging the items we have. If you have an interest in history, there are many opportunities available to you.

Consider attending our monthly meeting, held on the first Monday of the month at 6:30 in the Heritage Building, or visit us when we are open for tours.