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Close Window Interpretive Center focuses on valley's earliest history By Ann McCreary When it opens to the public on Saturday (June 9), the Methow ValleyInterpretive Center will be a work in progress – and it willremain a work in progress, said Carolyn Schmekel, executivedirector. Schmekel said the Interpretive Center at TwispWorks will continueto evolve as the center acquires new artifacts and develops newdisplays. "As with anything artistic or creative, you keep coming upwith things. It has to be a creative work in progress,"Schmekel said. The Interpretive Center will open to the public this weekend aftermonths of renovations to the building on the TwispWorks campus,bordering Glover and Fifth streets. The interior of the building,previously housing for U.S. Forest Service employees, has beengutted and renovated. Interior walls are painted in rich colors, new floors have beeninstalled, and the first displays are being developed. With the theme, "Unlocking the Mysteries of the MethowValley," the Interpretive Center will focus on the MethowValley"s natural history and geology and the nativeinhabitants of the valley prior to the arrival of white settlers. One room will be devoted to the native Methow people, Schmekelsaid. "We have a responsibility to honor the people that werehere, that have roots here," she said. Schmekel and her husband, Glenn, president of the InterpretiveCenter board of directors, were founders of the Heart of the MethowPowwow that takes place every August in Twisp. The powwow wasinitially held to create reconciliation between the nativeinhabitants of the valley and the non-native people who live herenow. Carolyn Schmekel said the Interpretive Center"s focus onnative inhabitants is a continuation of that reconciliationprocess, and the realization of promises made to honor the firstpeople of the valley. "One of the miracles of this (project) has been seeing thedescendents of the Methow feeling that ‘we"re finallybeing heard,"" Schmekel said. "What you"regoing to see here comes from native memory. We"re going totell their story." There are no longer any full-blooded Methow descendents living inthe valley, said Schmekel, but she has worked closely with peoplewith partial Methow ancestry in developing the new center. Spencer Martin, a Methow tribe descendent, will host the openingceremony at 10 a.m. on Saturday, and will speak about nativetraditions at 2 p.m. Elaine Timentwa Emerson, whose mother was a Methow tribe member,will share the native Methow language at 1 p.m. and willdemonstrate basket weaving at 3 p.m. Her sister, Tillie TimentwaGorr, will talk about family history at 11 a.m. and give a nativebeadwork demonstration at 4 p.m. The opening events continue Sunday with a presentation at 12:30p.m. by herbalist Rosalee de la Forêt on edible nativeplants. Guest speaker Jack Nisbet, a naturalist, teacher andauthor, will talk at 2 p.m. and lead a short hike at 4 p.m. The Interpretive Center will present permanent displays that arenow being developed. One will focus on Methow Valley geology andanother will focus on the Methow River watershed. A third displayabout birds will be created by the Audubon Society. The space devoted to the valley"s native inhabitants willinclude photographs, artifacts, native crafts and video. Displaysthroughout the center will be labeled in both English and theMethow language, with help from Elaine Timentwa Emerson, Schmekelsaid. Schmekel said she is hoping that anyone who possesses nativeartifacts will consider donating them to the Interpretive Center todisplay. Under an agreement with Trail"s End Bookstore, theInterpretive Center will have a small store with books about theMethow Valley"s natural history, geology and the people wholived here prior to arrival of non-native settlers. Native baskets,beadwork and other native arts and crafts will also be availablefor sale, Schmekel said. Renovation of the former Forest Service building was accomplishedthrough grants from the Methow Community Fund and Icicle Fund,Schmekel said. She said 90 people have purchased memberships tosupport the facility. Changing displays and events at the Interpretive Center will focuson different aspects of the Methow Valley and its history.July"s focus will be wildflowers, August will be the Heart ofthe Methow Powwow, September will be the Salmon Celebration,October is birds of prey, November is cats of the Methow. Thecenter will be closed in December and January. Planned exhibits for 2013 include how the valley was formed, nativestories and crafts, beavers in the Methow, and native foodgathering, preparation, and arrowhead knapping. With its focus on Methow history prior to white settlement, theInterpretive Center complements the Shafer Museum in Winthrop,which focuses on the valley"s history after settlers arrived,Schmekel said. Future plans call for the creation of a native plant garden on theTwispWorks grounds next to the Interpretive Center, Schmekel said.The project will be a collaborative effort of the Methow ValleyInterpretive Center, TwispWorks and Methow Natives, a local nurseryspecializing in native plants. Methow Natives will lead developmentand coordination of the native plant garden. The interpretive center is open Saturdays 10 a.m.-5 p.m. andSundays noon to 5. Admission is free and donations are appreciated.For more information, call 997-4904. Photo by Sue Misao: The Methow Valley Interpretive Center was busywith folks setting up displays for the upcoming weekend"sopening presentations. Here, Glenn Schmekel, left, takes a break toupdate TwispWorks director Amy Stork, center, on their progress,while a stuffed red-naped sapsucker, right, pretends to be focusedon sap and bugs. June 6, 2012 Date: 06-06-2012 Volume: 110 Issue: 4. The e-commerce company in China offers quality products such as China LED Rigid Bar , Dimmable LED Tube Manufacturer, and more. For more , please visit SMD Led Tube Light today!
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