County-shaped cookie cutters debut

NEWPORT — People coming to the Pend Oreille County Historical Society Museum in Newport want to buy things that that represent Pend Oreille County. The museum came up with Pend Oreille County-shaped cookie cutters.

“It was my brother’s idea,” museum president Sue Mauro told county commissioners Monday, May 19, referring to her brother Tom Owen. “We’re going to try to have more things people can buy.”

The cookie cutters are made on a 3D printer and sell for $4 each at the museum.

The museum also has copies of Pend Oreille County-centered books, such as “Breaking Blue,” Timothy Egan’s book about how Pend Oreille County Sheriff Tony Bamonte solved the 1935 murder of Newport Marshall George Conniff, who was killed in a burglary of the Newport Creamery.

Other books include books by local writers, including “Out Blanchard Way” by Sonny Poirer and “Jennie’s Tiger” by Eva Gayle Six.

The museum has an extensive collection of Pend Oreille County items, including buildings, machinery and things used in day-to-day life, along with things like school projects. One class from the 1930s put together a presentation called Weeds of Pend Oreille County, a collection of binders containing pressed leaves.

It also has a volunteer research department. Former County Clerk Winnie Sundseth put The Newport Miner stories and keywords into a searchable Excel database, with topics dating back to 1897.

The research department is currently working on a timeline for the Pend Oreille Valley Railroad and a project about the Riverside School District.

County commissioner Brian Smiley asked if they could work on research about the establishment of the Colville National Forest. He said he was especially interested in any opposition to the formation of the forest.

Mauro said yes, but he had to keep in mind that it was an all-volunteer crew.

The museum is frequently offered things, some of which they just can’t accept for a variety of reasons.

One of those was a huge surgical light that was used at Newport hospital.

“We have no place to mount it,” she said. They have offered it to the Circle Moon Theater at Sacheen Lake, where officials thought they might be able to use it for a stage light.

Another item they were contacted about was a coffin discovered in the attic of someone’s home in south county.

“The husband was finally brave enough to open it,” Mauro said. “It was empty.”

The coffin will go to a Spokane historical organization, she said.

The museum hosts Heritage Days, the first week of June. There was a time all of Newport participated, Mauro said.

“People would dress up and businesses would have contests,” she said.

Classes of Newport grade school children make the walk down to the museum, where they tour exhibits, including a fire lookout station. A gold-panning exhibit is especially popular.

Volunteers are especially welcome at the museum, which is currently seeking someone to staff a few hours at the gift shop. The museum just opened for the summer season.

Museum hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and 1–4 p.m. Sundays. Admission costs $6, with children under 13 admitted free. Find out more on their website pochsmusem.org. People can also call 509-4475388 or 855-983-1894 to volunteer or donate or for more information.