Speaking of history … More chances to help honor it

Big day at the Southwest Seattle Historical Society‘s Log House Museum this Saturday – the LHM is participating in West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day (sale #70 on the map) 9 am-3 pm, and from 11 am-1 pm will be hosting its monthly informational event for prospective volunteers. And from SWSHS executive director Clay Eals – some specific ways you can help:

Just in time for the warmth of late spring and summer, the Southwest Seattle Historical Society is ramping up its tour schedule and native-plant garden — and volunteers are welcome to help out.

Volunteer committees have formed to focus on tours and gardening. The leaders are Mark Lewis for tours and Carol Vincent for gardening. Here are details on both:

TOURS: Volunteers are sought for a committee that is organzing a coordinated series of entertaining tours of our peninsula. The tours would begin this summer, continue annually and be open to residents and tourists alike.

“The idea,” says committee leader Mark Lewis, “is to create fun, educational, outdoor recreational opportunities, with an emphasis on our geology, flora and fauna, culture, history and philosophy.”

One example would be a tour of West Seattle’s urban forests, which could last 90 minutes with a stop for coffee halfway through. Another example would be an indoor/outdoor tour of the Nucor Steel plant and surrounding neighborhood. Lewis also seeks other ideas, spanning all neighborhoods on the peninsula.

“We are looking for volunteers interested in creating, writing script, and/or guiding walking tours and/or researching and writing scripts, for themselves and for others,” Lewis says.

The next meeting of the committee will be at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, May 16, at Uptown Espresso in the West Seattle Junction. To learn more, go here.

GARDENING: In the 16 years since the Southwest Seattle Historical Society’s Log House Museum opened, its native plant garden has flourished with colorful flowers and greens admired by all.

A volunteer committee is working to take the garden to the next level — a well thought-out plan to enhance it as an educational resource and community gem that will draw visitors to the museum in its own right.

“We have often talked about how delightful it would be to have ‘Tea in the Garden’ as a premier event once the garden is fully ship-shape,” says Carol Vincent, membership secretary for the organization.

The museum long has had a native-plant garden as an educational component on the museum grounds. The garden is an official Alki Wildlife Habitat site, and identifying signs are placed near various species of plants.

“Improving the garden is a way to ensure that current and future generations can get a glimpse of bygone eras,” Vincent says. “The garden helps the museum serve as a community focal point and provide cultural enrichment while preserving local history.”

If you would like to help develop and implement a plan to make the garden a first-class attraction, visit: http://www.loghousemuseum.info/blog/would-you-like-to-help-revitalize-and-maintain-our-museums-native-plant-garden/.

2 Replies to "Speaking of history ... More chances to help honor it"

  • Randy May 7, 2013 (9:25 am)

    Speaking of the garage sale, when is the printable map expected?

    • WSB May 7, 2013 (9:50 am)

      Today as soon as I finish checking for what special notations we need to add (overlapping markers for neighboring sales) – have had to replace the screen grabs three times due to something the software service changed, unannounced, since last year. – TR

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