"Bringing the past to life in Washington State's oldest town"

About Us
NON-PROFIT STATUS 

The Steilacoom Historical Museum Association is a nonprofit 501 (c ) (3 ) volunteer organization formed as an educational resource with special emphasis on the history of Steilacoom, Washington, the first incorporated town in the Territory and State of Washington.

                                          STATEMENT OF MISSION 

The Steilacoom Historical Museum Association serves the public by preserving local culture, thereby enabling present and future generations to learn about and maintain the heritage of the Town of Steilacoom.  To implement this mission the Association will: 

• Educate the public about the Town’s historical significance and advocate the preservation of symbols of that significance,
• Operate a cluster of museums and collect, preserve and interpret materials that exemplify the history of Steilacoom according to the Collections Policy of the Association,
• Identify, restore and maintain historical structures, as well as preserve the memories of longtime residents,
• Present public and private events that celebrate Steilacoom’s characteristics and promote a sense of community,
• Work toward fiscal self-sufficiency,
• Carry out all objectives and activities in accordance with the Code of Ethics for museums of the American Association of Museums.

THE ASSOCIATION 

In 1963 a citizens’ committee, headed by Clyde V. Davidson, worked to turn the Steilacoom Town Hall Auditorium into a museum of rare photographs from historic Steilacoom.  The first eleven enlarged pictures were hung during the fall of 1963.  Thanks to the efforts of Clenda Davidson and others, seven additional pictures were hung the next February.  The efforts of this informal “picture committee” were the beginning of the movement which resulted later in the formation of the Steilacoom Historical Museum Committee in January 1970.  The Town Council gave permission to the new committee to use one room in the basement of Town Hall.  That space opened as the new museum in October 1970.   The first important effort of the new Association (by this time incorporated as a non-profit organization) was to assist the Town in organizing the Steilacoom Historic District, later officially recognized by the State of Washington and the United States governments.  The Bair Drug and Hardware building was donated to the Association in 1973 by the descendants of its original owner, W.L. Bair,  G.L. “Cub” Bair and his sister, Eudocia Leech.  The following year the Association purchased the historic Orr Home and orchard.  The Orr home was opened to visitors in March 1975. 

Soon after taking possession of the Bair store in 1973, SHMA began an extensive restoration of that much-deteriorated building.  “The Bair” was reopened in 1976 as part of the Bicentennial celebrations.  During the 1980’s the Association received several small grants in support of developing and curating several of its growing number of collections.  SHMA also expanded into the publishing business, producing most notably, Town on the Sound: Stories of Steilacoom, a book of essays, which is even today, a popular item sold in the Museum Stores. 

The decade of the nineties was a very productive period in terms of SHMA’s preservation efforts.  The Wagon Shop, located on the Orr property, was reconstructed in 1992, and the Bair Store was “upgraded” in the middle of the decade.  The Orr Home was severely damaged during efforts to replace the old foundation, resulting in a complete rehabilitation of the structure beginning in 1997.  Recently, the old garage located on the Orr Home property was found to be “beyond hope” in its deterioration.  It was removed and a new museum was built on that location.  The “new museum” is now open.  Hours of operation appear elsewhere on this website.

Steilacoom Historical Museum Association
Officers 2008