PARKDALE — “This is the biggest arrowhead collection I have ever seen!” exclaimed a recent visitor to the Hutson Museum. Museum buffs can experience the museum collection in Parkdale at 4967 Baseline Dr. “six miles north of Mt. Hood’s summit in the fertile upper Hood River valley,” by visiting @HutsonMuseum on YouTube, where a series of “short, informative, and touching videos” tells the story of the Hutson Museum, or by attending community events.
The museum has “drawn visitors from around the world” to see its collection of knapped and stone tools, minerals and early Parkdale artifacts, according to a press release.
In the words of Oregon Geological Society chair Adrian Gray, the Hutson Museum has “a significant collection of rocks and minerals” gathered by Jesse and Winifred Hutson as a hobby, and then willed to the community of Parkdale. Community members raised funds to build the Hutson Museum and house the collection, and museum founders brought their stories of early Parkdale and their rock-hunting adventures to life.
One display, the “rockhound’s dinner,” is a meal composed entirely of food-shaped rocks. “This bit of whimsy captures the spirit of the Hutson,” reads a press release. “A display of fluorescent rocks is a favorite, along with preserved varmints.”
Museum visitors “travel through time,” beginning with geological specimens from ancient Parkdale. Following the timeline, the museum walks the visitor through First Peoples’ exhibits and then to early Parkdale.
Chet Bear, a Hutson family friend, contributed over 2,500 knapped tools to the collection. Bear gathered his objects along the Columbia River before the dams flooded Indigenous campsites. “Bear’s collection gives visitors a picture of the resourcefulness of Indigenous people, featuring net weights, bowls, grinders, household, and hunting items,” said a press release. Examples of woven baskets show the characteristic craftsmanship of the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs. A dip and set net show the fishing techniques that are used by local tribes. An old pennant from the Parkdale High School, roller skates, and household items give a flavor of early Parkdale life.
The museum, with the help of Oregon Parks and Recreation Heritage Department, is creating a new exhibit that tells the story of the logging industry and how it shaped the Parkdale community.
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