Refreshments in hand, 65 people recently toured the Mary Olson farm as part of the White River Valley Museum’s second Appletini event,
It was an opportunity for the public to learn about the farm’s history and of the city’s plans to open it as a living history and environmental learning park.
Capital Campaign Chair Judi Roland explained why the museum needs to raise $200,000 to complete the $1.64 million restoration budget. If all goes as planned, she said, the farm should open to the public in 2009.
Funds raised so far have supported several major projects, including stabilization of each of the farmstead’s historic buildings, with new roofs and foundations, complete restoration of the barn’s exterior siding and interior flooring for use as a classroom, and several environmental enhancement projects.
Projects currently are under way to fully restore the farmhouse’s interior and exterior for use as a visitor center, to rehabilitate the farmstead’s historic outbuildings for use in seasonal exhibits, and to create a parking area with visitor amenities.
More than $1.4 million has been raised from the following sources: 4Culture (King County Lodging Tax); Auburn Soroptimists; the Beardsley Family Foundation; the City of Auburn; the Capital Fund for Washington’s Heritage; the King County Conservation District; the King County Council; the King County WRIA 9 Waterworks; the McEachern Charitable Trust; the National Trust for Historic Preservation; the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation; and private donors.
Additional funding will support restoration of the farmstead’s cultural landscape, completion of interior restoration work on the barn, additional improvements for salmon habitat, interpretive exhibits, and other visitor amenities needed to open the farm to the public.
The Board of the White River Valley Museum oversees the fundraising and restoration and plans to hold another event for prospective donors in September.
The plan is to open the museum in 2009 as a living history and environmental learning site. It is a King County landmark and on the National Register of Historic Places. Significant features include an 1897 barn, a 1902 farmhouse, a century-old apple orchard and two salmon runs in Olson Creek.
