Gallery Tour planned for this Sunday at Phillips County Museum

For a current look at historic photos and artistic endeavors the place to be on Sunday, Sept. 22, is at the Phillips County Museum. The event, planned that afternoon from 1:30-4:30 p.m., represents the first ever Gallery Tour at the museum located at 109 S. Campbell in Holyoke.

The Gallery includes artwork and photography from many late area artists, photographers and collectors. Each person attending the tour receives a brochure with information about each piece and there will also be museum volunteers to answer questions about items.

The tour takes attendees past many other items housed and displayed at the museum, giving the opportunity to showcase many of the historic items donated to the museum by late citizens who lived in or around communities at both ends of the county as well as in the towns of Paoli and Amherst.

Museum volunteers have done an excellent job with displaying the numerous items donated over the years in order to depict the era from where each piece originated. Those displays include numerous cases of glassware and dishes, including a large selection of Depression Glass. There is also a huge collection of school paraphernalia and a large display of Indian artifacts from finds and digs around Phillips County.

A few of the many items those attending the tour can expect to see are an oil painting of pink flowers in a basket by Doris Abby, pencil sketches by artist Everette Harte, historic photos of Haxtun from the collection of the late Reon Chaney, historic photos of Holyoke, a panoramic view of a rodeo held at Paoli on Aug. 19, 1930.

Another item those attending might find of interest is a 12-inch by 75-inch composition of the Phillips County Clerks who served from 1896 through 2003. Former County Clerk Mary Louise Evans created the composition and donated it to the museum. Noted under the photos is the years each Clerk served. Evans served from 1963 through 2003.

There is no charge for those attending the Gallery Tour on Sept. 22. Also, for the convenience of area residents and others who live outside the area who would like to see the Gallery Tour, volunteers plan to keep the items in place for viewing for the entire month of October.

The museum is open each Wednesday from 1:30-4:30 p.m. To visit the museum at other times, call the museum at (970) 854-2129 or the Phillips County Commissioners' office at (970) 854-3778 to set an appointment date and time.