Everything Old is New Again

(This was one of the columns I wrote for our local paper.)

If you want to add a little spark to your own history, which you might think a bit hum-drum, see it through the eyes of a child.

Our seven-year-old had been begging for the outing all summer, and two days before school began, we finally got to it: a trip to the Pioneer Museum.

Annika had been there during school last year but wanted to go again and show us everything she had learned. I love history so it wasn’t really twisting my arm to go.

So we packed the mini-van with one mom, four small daughters and one stroller, and off we went.

As we walked up to the museum, I noticed the stained glass windows, granite columns and cornerstone dated 1903 from the original Carnegie library in town that once stood where the current library is. While I wish the original building still stood, I am glad parts of it still remain in town. The girls were not quite as fascinated as I.

However, as we entered the lobby and saw the photo collection of homes in the area, they were more interested as we saw one of 310 Woodland Avenue, a home we had toured last year when it was for sale, and we were planning a move to Fairmont. It’s a beautiful home (made even more stunning lately by the current owners) with great dark wood throughout. It was fun to learn that home had been the carriage house for the Wohlheter mansion next door before being moved and added onto.

Past those pictures and the rock and roll memorabilia, including the swamp monster poster, we found the Pioneer Room with toys from that era and a very small bed for the parents. My highlight was explaining how the icebox worked. Annika’s highlight was the large ostrich egg around the corner.

As we entered the Brodt room with the information on Fairmont Railway Motors, my five-year-old noticed the rotary dial phone on a table connected to the wall. It was the first thing she spied. She stopped, excited and exclaimed, “Mom, look! A really old cell phone!”

Annika found it amazing that all wedding dresses were not white as we toured the Welcome Room and saw a dark dress that had been worn by Mrs. August Filberg in 1885 for her nuptials. I am fascinated, and want to learn more, about Fairmont resident and active historical society member Mrs. Brodt who attended Ike Eisenhower’s inaugural ball in a gown now at the museum.

In the Carlson room in the basement, we saw a 1923 American LaFrance fire truck. Because the girls’ grandfather is a retired Minneapolis firefighter, this was a great find, along with the body basket used by funeral homes, and the model of the covered wagon, just like at the Pizza Ranch (that was the three-year-old’s addition to the tour).

This room also has a jail display, complete with the old solid jail door which had one small door at the top so jailers could slip food trays into the inmates. The upper door is then surrounded by a rounded metal cage for additional security. I wanted to see if my girls could come up with what the little glassless window at the top was for. Lauren, the five-year-old, came up with a very clever, but innocent response: “Of course, Mommy. That’s so the jailbirds can fly in and out.”

The 1912 Wagner motorcycle, the 1950 Baby Tiny Tears and the 1874 Wooton desk (one of only 150 made) also are pretty cool and provide something for everyone.

So if you want a new, if not historically accurate, perspective on your past, I recommend bringing your kids or grandkids with you to the museum. If you don't have any of those, borrow a neighbor kid. Since three of our girls can’t read all the signs yet, about one hour was a good amount of time for us to spend there to see all three floors of the museum. It’s open regular business hours, it’s free, and it can be very entertaining.