How the Agness-Illahe Museum Started

       Back in 1992, Sally Fry Brock, Ella Sponaugle, and Bonnie Wood, a US Forest Service Ranger agreed that a museum in the community of Agness will not only be a tourist attraction, but it would preserve the roots of the people who have called Agness their home for more than a century. The US Forest Service Ranger Station that has been out of use for many years will be renovated and used as a museum. Sally said that everyone is anxious to preserve some of the history of the area. Susan Mathison, US Forest Service wrote a proposal for a grant. Members of the community will donate time and labor for remodeling and repairing the small building and constructing a barrier-free restroom facility. Walt Schroeder also attended, offering expertise from his background.

       Among some of the jobs performed by various people every weekend for one and one-half years to get the museum building ready to use are: Leveling the building and foundation, installing new indoor paneling inside the building, installing carpeting. Cutting boards for the outside, nailing them to the building, and painting the building green. Other projects were installing a new back door, wheel chair ramp, and building a fence around the perimeter of the new museum.

      The following people worked on various jobs, they area: Lee Fry, Denny Graves, Linda Graves, Sally Brock, Julie Scherbarth, Helen Planeto, Steve Brock, Buster Billings, Bernard Jackson, Willy Fry, Bernice Fry, Bill Scherbarth, Bud Wood, Butch Wood, Joe Clark, Lou Burkhalter, Gene Lammert, Tex Martinek, Steve Brock, Bob  Perkins, Dean Schiava, Bill Goit, Larry Bowen, Charlie Wykoff, Paul Stallard, Steve Foster, Joe Planeto, Janet Joyer, Helen Planeto, Victor Fry, Joe Joy, and the Agness Company.

       Three showcases were purchased, one curved showcase was traded to the Curry County Historical Society for another showcase, and Denny Graves built a large wall mounted show case with many shelves to display Indian artifacts.

       The first election had the Board of Directors choosing Sally Brock as president, Denny Graves as vice-president, Linda Graves as secretary, and Julie Scherbarth as treasurer.

       To help earn money, a garage sale was held at the Fairgrounds in Gold Beach, a can drive was held, and later on, the Agness-Illahe Museum sponsored the Sourdough, Chili, and Pie Contests as well as a men and women’s doubles horseshoe contest, and a coloring contest for children ten years old and younger. The Museum also sponsors a historical/wildflower hike at Big Bend.

       The Agness-Illahe Museum acquired seven Two Mile Creek Petroglyphs located on the Rogue River from the Curry County Historical Society and through a grant from the Collins Foundation received an interpretive sign to explain the meaning of the ancient petroglyphs.

       The present Board of Directors of the Agness-Illahe Museum are Denny Graves, Linda Graves, Marilyn Smithson, Bernice Fry, Bud Wood, Larryon Gerondale, Gini Berlant and Teri Durham.

       The Agness-Illahe Museum, Inc. is a non-profit organization and has a 501 ©3 filing and all donations are tax deductible.