Pioneer Carousel Museum begins new season Thursday in Bickleton

BICKLETON -- The Alder Creek Pioneer Carousel Museum is scheduled to reopen for the 2009 season on Thursday.

There are new exhibits, including one featuring a peace pipe believed to have been used when Lewis and Clark camped in Rock Creek during their exploration along the Columbia River more than 200 years ago.

On loan is an extensive collection of arrowheads and other Native American artifacts from Montana, Oregon and Washington.

Other new attractions include a restored windmill and World War II memorabilia, among other items.

Of course, the museum's antique, handcarved, wooden carousel will also be on display. The Armitage Herschell/Herschell Spillman carousel, believed to be built around 1900, has been part of the community since 1929.

Back then, four men -- Charles Jensen, Chris Jensen, Sam Ganders and Soren Matsen -- went to Portland's Oaks Park to pick it up, spending four days dismantling and loading it into a boxcar. The men met the train in Roosevelt, loaded the pieces onto their trucks and carried them to the picnic grounds at Cleveland Park, where the carousel was reassembled.

The 3,400-square-foot, one-story, octagon-shaped museum opened two years ago at 4 E. Market St. in Bickleton. Its hours are 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday. Groups can call to schedule an appointment for any day.

Admission is $4. It costs $1 for children under 6, and there's a family rate of $10. Call 509-896-2007.