Friday, August 3, 2012

Inside the Pioneer store.

Imagine stepping back in time to 1923 and making a stop at the local general store. Well that's what going to the Pioneer Store Museum is like. When the store was abandoned in 1923 it was easier to just to board the building up with the merchandise on the shelves than to pack it out of there and that just what was done. Now, thanks to the present owners, Don and Dona Edmund and their daughter Linda,  we have a real glimpse into life at the turn of the 20th century.  Here is some of what is seen in the store and the 16 pictures should save me about 16,000 words.


(double click the pictures to enlarge them)



A baby coffin behind the stove and to the left of the safe.

This 6,000 pound safe traveled 60 miles by wagon from the rail head in Engle to arrive here. Imagine that journey.











The problem I have with seeing these 'antiques' is that I remember many of them being used during my youth. I guess there is a message in all that.

I have enough pictures left to make one more post of odds and ends seen around town tomorrow. For today and in accordance with the laws of decency and public nudity I will be doing laundry and then it on to enjoying the good life.

20 comments:

  1. They have really gotten a lot straightened out since my tour there in 2007. My favorite item is still the oak and brass transit that can be seen in a couple of your pictures. It is a fantastic journey back in time. I need to return there now that a lot of the area is more accessible. Camping there seems like the best way to go to me.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The campground is nice except for the lack of internet and at $15.00 per night for full hookups it worth it.

      Delete
  2. I'm not buying it...this isn't in black & white. Wasn't everything in life black & white back then??
    (how cool is this to stumble into though!!)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I took MY camera with me when I stepped back in time, we time travelers can do that you know.

      Delete
  3. Amazing that the store was not pilfered over the years. Bet I have some cans on the shelf in my MH that are older that the ones in the store, you know, how sometimes things get lost in your cabinets.

    You should have taken that safe along with you so you could keep all your million$ in it. :c)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think the safe might have rendered me a bit overweight, besides I have a piggy bank that more than holds my fortune. As for the cans in your cabinets, who knows what treasures you might have there.

      Delete
  4. How cool seeing all that stuff and it is like going back in time..

    ReplyDelete
  5. I am going to send this post to my dad. He will love looking at the photos. Great job!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Could have spend hours in there. I love anything old. Amazing everything (or most) was intact and in good condition. Im sure they spend days or weeks cleaning cobwebs off though. Baby coffin....a sign of their times. Too many died.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The present owners like to joke that the only occupants all those years were bats and rats. It took 4 years to clean everything up, but it was worth it.

      Delete
  7. Reminds me of some photos from when my dad was young, he's 90 this year. The clothes are the kind worn then. My Dad always says, "Those aren't antiques! I still use them." He probably does have some of that stuff still at home. :) Thanks for the photos, really interesting.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I agree, how can that stuff be museum quality antiques when we used some of them in our younger days.

      Delete
  8. I could spend hours in there I bet. Thanks for the pictures.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Well done John, thanks for the tour. Truly amazing that they kept it the way it was, very special.
    During our last vacation we stopped at several museum's and like you were surprised at not only how many items we recognized but that we actually used way back when!

    ReplyDelete
  10. That is a great place to visit... I could spend hours there!

    ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
    Karen and Steve
    (Our Blog) RVing: Small House... BIG Backyard
    http://kareninthewoods-kareninthewoods.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  11. I expect it would be hard for you to leave Karen.

    ReplyDelete

Blog Archive