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Published: 27 June 2006

The West Jordan Historical Museum news

 The West Jordan Historical Museum has been very busy these last few months. In July, the museum played host to the Leather’s Children’s Playground kick off fundraiser which was a luau. It was a rousing success and a fun place to be that night. August continued the trend as the museum grounds were used to celebrate the wedding of Taina Matheson and Paul A. Price.  It was a beautiful reception with chickens clucking in the background. If you have a wedding coming up and are looking for a place to hold your reception, give us a call.

 Awhile back, Lee Watkins from Comfort Control installed our furnace and kept us warm during the winter. Lee returned in August and installed our whole house air conditioning unit. We now have relief from the heat and our artifacts have climate control all year round. If anyone is in need of quality heating and air conditioning repair or installation, give Lee a call at 562-9483. We appreciate his help and support.

 The Son’s of the Utah Pioneers (SUP) recently held their meeting and dinner at the West Jordan Historical Museum. We have just become the custodians’ of the SUP full size handcart which is now on exhibit by our barn.

 August was a busy month as two separate Cub Scout groups took the tour and enjoyed all the artifacts including the chickens. We also had a group of LDS Missionaries come who donated their time and labor to help spiff up the museum house and repair a fence. We thank them for the great service they rendered. We just signed off on an Eagle Scout project that yielded us two beautiful saddle stands to help display our saddles. Coming soon are Eagle projects that will add a flag pole and a sign for the front of the museum.

 There is still some dust blowing around the museum from construction on 78^th south and the renovation of the West Jordan Main Park as the new ring road under construction. Currently you can enter the museum from 78^th south and drive through to the back for parking. We are normally open Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays but it would be good to call ahead. 

 The museum is looking for old photographs of the Sugar Factory and the sugar beet fields in West Jordan.  Does anyone have any old tools used at the Sugar Factory? We are looking for residents who once worked at the Sugar Factory so we can arrange an oral interview of their experience. We are also looking for old farm tools used to plant and harvest the sugar beets. That includes beet toppers, horse drawn seeders and beet pullers. We are currently putting this special collection together with the desire of putting it on display at a renovated West Jordan Sugar Factory sometime in the future.   

 If anyone happens to have an extra 8’ A-frame ladder or a 12’ extension ladder, we could sure use them. We have many on-going service projects and it would be nice to have a couple of our own ladders so volunteers do not always need to bring their equipment.  We are a non-profit organization and appreciate the help and donations that come our way.

 We thank all the volunteers and friends of the West Jordan Historical Museum and Society. We welcome those who are interested in being part of our museum board or would like to serve on committees and help preserve our West Jordan heritage. Please call Linda Dalley at 568-2629 or 403-9030. 

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Written by Bob Dalley

Published: 27 June 2006

The West Jordan Historical Museum news

 The West Jordan Historical Museum Board would like to thank the many residents of West Jordan who have contacted us these last few months. They wanted us to know how much they appreciate what the museum is doing for the community. We are thankful for the residents who support us in this effort and look forward to many years of community support. Currently we have five Eagle Scout projects in progress.

 The museum is looking for old photographs of the Sugar Factory and the sugar beet fields in West Jordan.  Does anyone have any old tools used at the Sugar Factory? We are looking for residents who once worked at the Sugar Factory so we can arrange an oral interview of their experience. We are also looking for old farm tools used to plant and harvest the sugar beets. That includes beet toppers, horse drawn seeders and beet pullers. We are currently putting this special collection together with the desire of putting it on display at a renovated West Jordan Sugar Factory sometime in the future.   

 The West Jordan Historical Museum was able to return some community support to help out the rodeo. We happily supplied some extra parking space in our back lot for the rodeo contestants and their horses.

 If anyone happens to have an extra 8’ A-frame ladder or a 12’ extension ladder, we could sure use them at the museum. We have many on-going service projects and it would be nice to have a couple of our own ladders at the museum so volunteers do not always need to bring their equipment.  We are a non-profit organization and appreciate the help and donations that come our way.

 We are still looking for an old wooden wheel sheep camp, old farm tools, old dairy equipment, wagons, a working windmill, a wooden wishing well, ore cart, and a log cabin. We are also looking for old photographs of the downtown area of West Jordan (7800 & Redwood). We are interested in locating photos of the Anti-Freeze, The Flying ‘A’ Gas Station and any other businesses that came and went in this area. 

 We like to thank all the people who came to the West Jordan parade on the 3^rd of July. We enjoyed the cheers as we drove by in (Melissa Dalley’s 1974 Volkswagen “Thing”) all decked out in red, white and blue buntings. In fact the museum was awarded a 2^nd place trophy in the Civic & Club category.  Who says that miracles don’t happen?

 We thank all the volunteers and friends of the West Jordan Historical Museum and Society. We welcome those who are interested in being part of our museum board or would like to serve on committees to help to preserve our West Jordan heritage. Please call Linda Dalley at 255-3116 or 403-9030. 

Details

Written by Bob Dalley

Published: 27 June 2006

The West Jordan Historical Museum news

 I am sure West Jordan residents have noticed the great weather we have been getting lately. The snow is off the ground and the museum is looking for volunteer help to get the museum and the grounds back in shape to open again after 7800 south road widening is completed. All along the South side of 7800 south, there will be new landscaping, a meandering sidewalk, new trees and a new white picket fence in front of the museum. One of the new street lights will be near the front of the museum and there will be some parking available on 7800 south when it is completed.

 During the winter snow storms and wind, we had a lot of large tree limbs come down on top of several of our buildings. Damage to the museum building was minimal. We have had many volunteers force involved in keeping us safe during the winter months. We are now looking for help with some volunteers to help clean up the yards and some of the buildings. If there are Boy Scout troops that are looking for Eagle projects, we have many things that can be done. To date the museum has been the site where 35 West Jordan Eagle Scouts have completed their projects. In some cases we need some help from those who are specialized in construction, electrical and the welding trades for some projects we need to have done in the spring with donated labor. If there are any community clubs, churches, schools etc. looking for service projects, we could use your help. We once again thank all the volunteers who have made the museum a success with their hard work and donations.

 Currently our wish list for items needed for the museum include: A wooden wheel sheep camp, old farm tools that we do not currently have, old dairy equipment, old wagons, more family histories, old West Jordan photographs and historical West Jordan Artifacts to use in the museum and have on file.  

 Again we thank the many volunteers and friends of the West Jordan Historical Museum and Society and invite those who are interested in being part of our museum board and serve on committees to help to preserve our West Jordan heritage, or donate items for display, please call Linda Dalley at 255-3116 or 403-9030. 

Details

Written by Bob Dalley

Published: 27 June 2006

The West Jordan Historical Museum news

 The West Jordan Historical Museum would like to thank the many residents of West Jordan who have contacted us these last few months. They wanted us to know how much they have appreciated what the museum is doing for the community. Others have called and helped with clean up and constructions of projects. Many have commented on how much they enjoy reading the West Jordan Historical Museum News column in the West Jordan Journal. We appreciate the residents who have supported us in this effort and look forward to many years of community support. Now onto what has been going on the last few months.

 We have been informed that the 7800 South road widening (south side only) should be completed during July. This will be happening just in time as the West Jordan Main Park will be closed for construction of a ring road though the park which will cut off our access from the park. We will be open during construction and access will be available from 7800 South.

 Back in April of this year, there was an article that appeared in the Salt Lake Tribune about the popular McCurdy Doll Collection which was located in Provo for many years. The couple who ran the museum is retiring and are looking for a new Utah home for the collection. The West Jordan Historical Museum was one of many Utah museums who would like the collection moved to their museum. In a follow up article about the McCurdy collection, Linda Dalley, President of the West Jordan Museum, was quoted saying “We could do the collection justice.” We hope to find out soon as to who gets the collection. We at the museum have our fingers crossed. On another note. The museum at Gardner Mill is closed. The family who furnished some of the items for the Mill display are now moving the artifacts to the West Jordan Historical Museum. We will have them on display very soon.

 We have two more Eagle Scout projects starting within the next month or so. We are happy to provide these young men an opportunity to complete a project that benefits the whole community.  We still have more projects available, so if you are interested doing your Eagle project at the museum, please give us a call.

  Recently we have two service projects completed by local LDS wards. A new metal roof for the outdoor chicken coop was completed. Next winter the chickens will be protected from snow coming through the top or large tree limbs. These groups also helped do a spring cleaning inside the museum house. We appreciate those who have given their time to make us successful.

  Some of our projects need help from those who are specialized in construction, electrical and welding trades for some projects we would like to complete this year with donated labor. One project includes the restoration of the John Deere tractor which was recently donated to us and restoring the old water tank tower.  If anyone in the community, clubs, churches, schools etc. is looking for service projects, we could use your help. We once again thank those volunteers who have made the museum a success with their hard work and donations.

 Currently our wish list looks like this: Wooden wheel sheep camp, old farm tools, old dairy equipment, old wagons, more family histories, old West Jordan photographs and historical West Jordan artifacts. We are still looking for a windmill, a wooden wishing well, ore cart, and a log cabin.

 Again we thank the many volunteers and friends of the West Jordan Historical Museum and Society and invite those who are interested in being part of our museum board or serve on committees to help to preserve our West Jordan heritage. Please call Linda Dalley at 255-3116 or 403-9030.