Official Newspaper of Eddy County since 1883
Official Newspaper of Eddy County since 1883
In the fall of 1965, the Dodds Schoolhouse was transported from the Hulbert Farm to an empty lot on the west side of New Rockford.
The museum site in 1966. Since then, the surrounding area has been developed with housing and businesses.
The history of the Eddy County Museum begins in the 1960s when three community groups came together with a vision to preserve the county's history for future generations.
Those future generations include every one of us. We are the future, filled with uncertainty and promise. So why should we care about the past?
Individually, we all have our own reasons- many of which are tied to our experience and heritage. Collectively, our reasons aren't that different from the museum pioneers in the 1960s. Preserving the past offers new reflections, new ways of understanding, and perhaps most importantly- opportunities to share and connect with others.
All those years ago, the Eddy County Museum began as nothing more than an idea. In fact, for the first year and a half of its existence, the museum lacked any kind of space to contain the artifacts or to host its patrons.
In the autumn of 1965, the Dodds Schoolhouse (formerly located on the Hulbert Farm) became part of the museum and has been housing artifacts ever since.
On July 3 and 4 of 1966, upwards of 600 visitors signed their names to the guestbook. That's right, 600 people visited the museum in the matter of two days.
A good number of the visitors reported being from New Rockford. Many traveled from Sheyenne, Oberon and Carrington. Some visitors reported living as far away as Montana, Washington and even Nome, Alaska.
In a matter of just two years, museum founders had created a dynamic social space in which people could appreciate the changes that occurred through time.
Today, the museum has expanded to include three buildings and nearly 3,000 artifacts. However, the number of visitors is only a fraction of what it once was. Does this mean people no longer care? Not at all.
Museums across the country are finding new ways to engage patrons. These weekly articles are just one example of how the Eddy County Museum is changing the way patrons can engage with the past.
