Aberdeen Museum of History artifacts trucked to new storage facility on Port Industrial

By Dan Hammock • September 23, 2019 4:30 pm
A bell made for the First Congregational Church by a Baltimore bell-maker rang in the New Year in 1891. Here it returns to Aberdeen after having been stored in Kent after the Aberdeen Museum of History burned more than a year ago.
A bell made for the First Congregational Church by a Baltimore bell-maker rang in the New Year in 1891. Here it returns to Aberdeen after having been stored in Kent after the Aberdeen Museum of History burned more than a year ago.

An 1855 Old Tiger fire cart, a ship’s wheel and a bell that rang in the New Year in 1891 were among the Aberdeen Museum of History artifacts recovered and stored in Kent after the June 9, 2018 fire. Monday, those and other items were delivered to a new storage facility on Port Industrial Road.

According to a statement from the City of Aberdeen, the city hired Restoration Management Company to retrieve the museum’s artifacts after the fire. That company cleaned and stored the property at its Kent warehouse. Monday, the process to bring the artifacts back to the storage facility secured by the city began. More trucks were expected Tuesday.

The fire cart, bell and a plywood boat were carefully plucked from a tractor trailer truck Monday and transferred to the storage facility.

The bell was made by the McShane Bell Foundry of Baltimore, Maryland, and shipped to Aberdeen for the First Congregational Church, said Museum Director Dave Morris. Morris said that bell company is still in business and making bells using the same molds and formulas used in the 1800s.

Inside the storage facility, racks were set up and museum archivist Dann Sears and Morris watched as some paper items were returned, along with a carousel horse and some very vintage pianos. One of the pianos is purported to be the first ever to make it to Aberdeen.

Sears said now it can be determined what needs to be done to restore some of the damaged items. Meanwhile, the Washington State Archives has the documents and photos retrieved the day after the fire and continues its work drying and pressing those items, according to the city.

Dann Sears, left, archivist of the Aberdeen Museum of History, and museum Director Dave Morris stand in front of the first load of exhibits to return from storage in Kent to a new space on Port Industrial Road.

Dann Sears, left, archivist of the Aberdeen Museum of History, and museum Director Dave Morris stand in front of the first load of exhibits to return from storage in Kent to a new space on Port Industrial Road.

Photos by DAN HAMMOCK | GRAYS HARBOR NEWS GROUP An 1855 hand pumper from the Aberdeen Museum of History was moved from storage in Kent to a new storage unit on Port Industrial Road Monday.

Photos by DAN HAMMOCK | GRAYS HARBOR NEWS GROUP An 1855 hand pumper from the Aberdeen Museum of History was moved from storage in Kent to a new storage unit on Port Industrial Road Monday.

A bell made for the First Congregational Church by a Baltimore bell-maker rang in the New Year in 1891. Here it returns to Aberdeen after having been stored in Kent after the Aberdeen Museum of History burned more than a year ago.

A bell made for the First Congregational Church by a Baltimore bell-maker rang in the New Year in 1891. Here it returns to Aberdeen after having been stored in Kent after the Aberdeen Museum of History burned more than a year ago.

Dann Sears, left, archivist of the Aberdeen Museum of History, and museum Director Dave Morris stand in front of the first load of exhibits to return from storage in Kent to a new space on Port Industrial Road.

Dann Sears, left, archivist of the Aberdeen Museum of History, and museum Director Dave Morris stand in front of the first load of exhibits to return from storage in Kent to a new space on Port Industrial Road.