dewitt museum

You could spend an awful lot of time here. Lots to look at. The original depot has many rooms and it includes a great collection of rocks and agates.

The best museum of this trip! Volunteer attendant was dedicated and gracious and most of the displays were interactive. My 13yo granddaughter was fascinated reading miscellaneous ledgers from the 1800's and we had to interrupt her when it was time to leave. The museum is located within the Canyon City Park block which has shade trees, great murals and a play area for young children.

We were lucky enough to arrive at the museum while it was still open (I am usually an hour late or traveling on the wrong day of the week) and the lovely woman working the museum kept it open at least 20 minutes late just to show us through and really explain things to us! She showed us big furry gloves made from bearskins and a laprobe made from coyote pelts. She allowed us to pick up and inspect any rocks that caught our eye in the a large DeWitt collection - so we saw more fossils and petrified wood than we had seen at the John Day Fossil beds! Another interesting exhibit was a doctor's examining table and various historic medical instruments. One of the first things we saw in the place was a model train engine and several train-related objects for which I have no words. There was a great photo outline of the day the station opened with all the crowds and travelers attendant upon the first train to make it all the way from Baker City. There was an old phone, a telegraph machine, and several old lanterns in the original depot waiting room.The museum is in the original train station of the Sumpter Valley Railroad, which I think was built in 1908. It is a full two stories, with the top floor originally used as the home of the station-master. The grounds around the station are also welcoming, with a static display of an old traincar and a small RV park and picnic area within walking distance.The museum is about three blocks south of the main highway through Prairie City, with plenty of dining and lodging options easily at hand. I would like to make a longer stay the next time we go through this area. Prairie City looks like a great place to have as the hub of several days of exploring this part of Oregon.

The staff was extremely well versed in local history, dedicated, and very willing to help. They found old town photos for the time period I was researching, did some research for me on Ancestors.com and introduced me to a cousin I had never met before (called and asked her to come meet me, which she did.). They had old histories of the town and cemetery records. They do active research in the cemetery and recently identified several Confederate soldier's graves. They are amazing!