Museums 101: Saddles and More (Photo Diary)

The Wasco County Historical Museum is located the River Gallery from the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center. The Museum has replicas and period objects from Wasco County’s history. The Museum’s displays about the County’s cattle past include saddles and barbed wire.

Saddles

According to the Museum display:

“Heavy Spanish War Saddles, with high back cantles and high front swells, were adapted in the New World from colonial and military saddles to stock saddles designed as a tool for working cowboys.”

Shown above is a Lawrence Saddle which features a hand stamped design with basket weave ground. This saddle sold for $90 in 1915.

Shown above is Garth Bonney Saddle made about 1950.

Shown above a Victor Marden Saddle made about 1900.

Saddlemakers often made holsters for guns and knives.

Shown above is a leather embossing machine used in making belts and saddles.

Shown above is another leatherworking machine.

Shown above are some leatherworking tools.

Barbed Wire

The invention of barbed wire transformed the West. Joseph F. Glidden obtained the first patent for barbed wire in 1874 and, with Isaac Ellwood, founded the Barb Fence Company. According to the Museum display:

“Barbed wire became a critical player in the spread of settlement across the treeless Columbia Plateau. Wire enabled stockraisers and farmers to fence their lands, manage livestock and protect crops.”

Shown above is an advertisement for barbed wire.