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		Yakima’s History Showcased At Area Museum Reprinted from January 2006 Issue -by ROSSELLA BRINA During a recent trip to Yakima, my family and I had the opportunity to immerse ourselves in local history and, at the same time, enjoy some old fashioned milkshakes while visiting the Yakima Valley Museum. Located at 2105 Tieton Drive, about two miles west of the North Front Street Historic District, the Yakima Valley Museum offers historical displays that focus on the natural history, the Native American culture and the early pioneer life of the Yakima Valley, and the roots and development of the valley’s fruit industry. The Native American collection includes beadwork, basketry, woven bags, parfleches, costumes and horse regalia from the tribes of the nearby Yakama Nation Indian Reservation and the neighboring cultures of the plateau region. One of the largest collections of horse-drawn and early motorized vehicles west of the Mississippi is also on display, with authentic originals such as the Conestoga covered wagon, the Concord stage and mail coaches, and the Overland Express Wagon. Next to this impressive display, exhibits of historical tools, household items, clothing and furniture helped my children understand the details of everyday life in the late nineteenth century. A historical display on former Yakima resident, Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas, includes a reconstruction of the Washington, D.C. office of this prolific and controversial statesman, environmentalist and writer, who served in the Supreme Court for 36 years, starting in 1939. We also enjoyed a beautiful collection of masks created by various contemporary artists, as well as artifacts from as far as Australia, China, Alaska and New Guinea. My son, the natural history buff, took special interest in the Ice Age exhibit, which, among other things, displayed bones of mammoths and other ancient animals. Within the museum is the Children’s Underground, an interactive learning center equipped with museum-related educational activities and programs for children ages 5 to 15. Displays, videos, computer programs, interactive games and play areas provided my children with an opportunity to experience the natural and cultural history of the Yakima Valley while having fun. My daughter enjoyed putting on spurs in the dress-up area and spinning the wheel of the ìWind Machineî, where she learned how farmers protect their crops from frost using windmills. Among the services the museum offers, the most tantalizing for our tastebuds was the operating 1930’s art deco soda fountain furnished with salvaged and restored parts. Walking into this shop was like stepping back in time. My children were never happier to have visited a museum than when they were presented with thick fresh fruit milkshakes, topped with whipped cream and the traditional cherry. The Yakima Valley Museum operates the nearby Horace M. Gilbert Homeplace, located only three blocks away at 2109 W. Yakima Avenue. Built in 1898 on a 20-acre plot in the residential area west of Yakima Avenue, this late Victorian farmhouse has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places. Now filled with period furnishings, the house gives the visitor a taste of life in the early twentieth century, when families like the Gilberts were planting orchards and Yakima was growing. The H.M. Gilbert Homeplace can be visited by appointment only. To set an appointment, call the Yakima Valley Museum at 509-248-0747. The Yakima Valley Museum is open Monday through Saturday from 10am to 5pm, and Sunday from 11am to 5pm. Admission is $5 for adults, $12 for families, and $3 for students and seniors. Children under 5 are free. Group rates and tours are available. For more information call 509-248-0747, or visit the museum’s website at www.yakimavalleymuseum.org. For more information about Yakima, visit www.visityakima.com.