The Heritage Station Museum in Pendleton, Oregon is operated by the Umatilla County Historical Society. In 1987, Pendleton’s 1909 train depot was acquired to be converted to a museum. The Society’s mission statement:
“The Umatilla County Historical Society was organized to collect and preserve historical objects and stories unique to the Umatilla County region and uses them to strengthen present and future generations’ understanding of that history through exhibits and diverse programming.”
Like many small history museums, the Heritage Station Museum has on display a few artifacts relating to transportation.
Studebaker Wagon
One of the most important services in small towns and cities throughout the Americas in the nineteenth century was the blacksmith shop. In 1852, the brothers Henry and Clement Studebaker opened their blacksmith shop in South Bend, Indiana. Operating initially under the name H & C Studebaker, the business would eventually evolve into the Studebaker Brothers Manufacturing Company, the world’s largest manufacturer of wagons and buggies.
During the transition between the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, a new form of transportation began to emerge: the automobile. Hundreds of small companies entered into the business of manufacturing automobiles. In 1902, Studebaker began to make cars. They began manufacturing electric cars and the second car made by Studebaker was purchased by Thomas Edison.
For more about Studebaker see: History 101: The Studebaker Automobile
Fire Truck
With industrialization in the nineteenth century, inventors began applying industrial methods to the problem of fighting fires and developed what is now known as the fire engine. About 1822, a small engine was developed which drew water from a source and then sprayed it on the fire, thus rendering the old fire (bucket) brigade obsolete. The firefighters could drag or carry the pump to the fire, or, in some instances, the engine would be mounted on a horse-drawn carriage.
By the early twentieth century, with the increased availability of motorized trucks, it became common to mount the fire engine on a truck.
For more about fire engines see: History 101: Fire Engines
Sheep Boat
Oregon was, and still is, sheep company. One of the ways of transporting sheep was to use the Columbia River. The model shown below shows a horse-powered boat that was used to transport sheep.
Museums 101
Museums 101 is a series of photo tours from various museums.
Museums 101: Manifest Destiny in the High Desert (Photo Diary)
Museums 101: Romanian Royal Artifacts (Photo Diary)
Museums 101: Auguste Rodin in the Portland Art Museum (Photo Diary)
Museums 101: Wasco County Historical Museum (Photo Diary)
Museums 101: Hall of African Mammals (Photo Diary)
Museums 101: A Collection of Railroad Artifacts (Photo Diary)
Museums 101: Some Montana History (Photo Diary)
Museums 101: Hagerman Valley Historical Museum (Photo Diary)
Museums 101: Aviation Memorabilia (Photo Diary)
Museums 101: The North Lincoln County Historical Museum (Photo Diary)