Libby's Heritage Museum celebrates opening day 2024
Rob Viergutz uses a drill to show how miners made holes into solid rock before being packed with blasting powder and fired to loosen rock in a mine Saturday, April 18, 2024, at the Heritage Museum's opening day in Libby. (Scott Shindledecker/The Western News)
Members of the Old Time Opera House Theater perform Saturday, April 18, 2024, at the Heritage Museum's opening day in Libby. (Scott Shindledecker/The Western News)
A young visitor got a piece of candy from one of the members of the Old Time Opera House Theater group Saturday, April 18, 2024, at the Heritage Museum's opening day in Libby. (Scott Shindledecker/The Western News)
Visitors have a look at the Libby Volunteer Fire Department display Saturday, April 18, 2024, at the Heritage Museum's opening day in Libby. (Scott Shindledecker/The Western News)
There were several quilts, made by members of the Kootenai Valley Quilt Guild, on display Saturday, April 18, 2024, at the Heritage Museum's opening day in Libby. (Scott Shindledecker/The Western News)
Big Sky Bows and Blowhards performed Saturday, April 18, 2024, at the Heritage Museum's opening day in Libby. (Scott Shindledecker/The Western News)
A blacksmith bellows and a logging choker are just two of the many artifacts that can be seen at the Heritage Museum in Libby. (Scott Shindledecker/The Western News)
Rob Viergutz shows two visitors how a rock crusher works Saturday, April 18, 2024, at the Heritage Museum's opening day in Libby. (Scott Shindledecker/The Western News)
Libby's acclaimed Heritage Museum opened to the public Saturday, May 18, with several interesting demonstrations, exhibits and performances that were popular with visitors of all ages.
Historic dress and textile expert M. Lynn Barnes presented her latest research project, “Bridal Belle of Libby? How the Erhard Family Brought French Fashions to Libby, Montana.”
Beginning opening day and continuing through June, the Kootenai Valley Quilt Guild will display quilts in the Tower Gallery. The gallery will house a changing exhibit throughout the summer with artwork by local artists during July and finish the season with photographs in August through the season’s end.
Libby author Jeff Gruber presented a preview of his upcoming book, “Our Hometown, Volume II.”
The second edition will focus on places and events outside of Libby but in Lincoln County. Topics and themes that will be included are exploration, fur trapping and settlement of Northwest Montana, mining including the development of the local vermiculite industry, hunting and fishing, homesteading, early transportation methods in the area including rail, steamboats on the Kootenai River, and early roads and highways. A large segment will chronicle the Libby Dam project.
The Old Time Opera House Theater began the afternoon with a rousing skit enjoyed by all ages. The Big Sky Bows & Blowhards band performed in the outdoor pavilion and vendors sold their wares on the museum grounds.
Lunch in the historic Sylvanite Cookhouse featured delicious hamburgers, home-baked pies and cold drinks.
A silent auction was held in the Swamp Creek Community Hall to benefit the Shay locomotive restoration.
The museum is open for the season through Sept. 30 on Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Sunday from 1-5 p.m. Admission is by donation.
For more information, call the museum at 406-293-7521.
Members of the Old Time Opera House Theater perform Saturday, April 18, 2024, at the Heritage Museum's opening day in Libby. (Scott Shindledecker/The Western News)
A young visitor got a piece of candy from one of the members of the Old Time Opera House Theater group Saturday, April 18, 2024, at the Heritage Museum's opening day in Libby. (Scott Shindledecker/The Western News)
Visitors have a look at the Libby Volunteer Fire Department display Saturday, April 18, 2024, at the Heritage Museum's opening day in Libby. (Scott Shindledecker/The Western News)
There were several quilts, made by members of the Kootenai Valley Quilt Guild, on display Saturday, April 18, 2024, at the Heritage Museum's opening day in Libby. (Scott Shindledecker/The Western News)
Big Sky Bows and Blowhards performed Saturday, April 18, 2024, at the Heritage Museum's opening day in Libby. (Scott Shindledecker/The Western News)
A blacksmith bellows and a logging choker are just two of the many artifacts that can be seen at the Heritage Museum in Libby. (Scott Shindledecker/The Western News)
Rob Viergutz shows two visitors how a rock crusher works Saturday, April 18, 2024, at the Heritage Museum's opening day in Libby. (Scott Shindledecker/The Western News)