Clack Museum re-opens after winter break

After a month of being closed for cleaning and changing museum displays, H. Earl Clack Memorial Museum Board Chair Judi Dritshulas said the museum has reopened.

The museum was closed Jan. 1 to Feb. 6, but is now open Tuesdays through Saturdays 1 to 5 p.m, she said.

For the past few years the Clack Museum has closed in January and into February when visitor traffic has traditionally been low so board members and volunteers can clean the museum, make needed repairs and alter displays.

This year will mark 100 years since the end of the First World War and the museum is urging people to come look at its display.

World War I, then known as the Great War ended in November 1918. and Dritshulas said the museum does have a small display about the war that the public is encouraged to come see.

The display at the museum, located in the Holiday Village Mall, included information on Robert Patterson, a Montana pilot in the war.

Board members and Emily Mayer discussed ideas to mark 100 years since the end of the war. Mayer said she has a list of area residents wounded in the First World War.

Board Vice-Chair Lela Patera asked Dritshulas if the museum had any items in storage from the era. Dritshulas said it would be worth looking through museum items stowed at their future location in downtown Havre in the Griggs Building.

Dritshulas added that she would like to have at least one of the featured speakers at this year’s Summer Speaker Series talk about the war, though she does not yet know who that will be.

She said this year retired Havre High School history teacher Jim Magera will be the third speaker in the series. He will give an encore presentation of his talk from last year about local places and their names.

In other business, the advertisement for the open position of manager of both the museum and the Wahkpa Chu’gn Buffalo Jump has been posted at the Havre, Dritshulas. said.

She added that the advertisement for the part-time position was taken to the Job Service and posted Jan. 25. The position will be advertised until Feb. 25.

Dritshulas said she has not checked to see if anyone has applied for the position,

The position of museum manager opened last fall, following the death of Manager Jim Spangelo. Three intermittent part-time employees have since worked at the museum.

The new manager will be tasked with overseeing both the museum and Buffalo Jump as longtime Buffalo Jump managers John and Anna Brumley retired late last year and moved to Salt Lake City.

Dritshulas said the theme for this year’s April 28 historical tea fundraiser will be “Building Havre’s Heritage.”

The fundraiser is meant to raise money to cover the cost of upgrades to the museum’s future location that now houses Griggs Printing.

“Building Havre’s Heritage” will celebrate well-known buildings in Havre, some that are still standing, such as the Hill County Courthouse and others that are not, Patera said.

In addition to serving tea, the event will include the display of pictures of the buildings, Dritshulas said. Pam Veis will provide a brief narration about the history of the individual buildings.

Karen Vosen will also provide a quilt featuring all the buildings honored and it will later be raffled off.

A smaller version of Hands on History will be held Saturday June. 2 during Havre’s annual Living History Celebration, Dritshulas said

The event will include activities for children and will take place in the museum.

Last year, the foundation’s traditional Living History fundraiser was not held.

The board’s next meeting will be 6 p.m. Monday, March 12, at the Havre Inn and Suites.