Annual cleanup efforts begin in T. Falls

Each year the Sanders County Historical Society holds a spring cleaning event to prepare the Old Jail Museum in Thompson Falls for the season. The Thompson Falls Woman's Club got an early start on cleaning over the weekend, raking leaves and cleaning gardens at the museum.

On Tuesday, historical society members and other community volunteers worked on the inside of the museum. "We just do a little dusting, clean out the dead bugs and spruce the place up a bit," said museum director Vonn Briggs.

The preparation will continue for the next few weeks until the museum officially opens on Mother's Day weekend. Part of the process includes assembling a new exhibit, which is placed in the sheriff's former living room and changes every year. This year, the exhibit will feature vintage clothing and apparel. Patti Jones-Bernhardt of Thompson Falls collects antique

clothing and will be putting her treasures on display for the museum's exhibit.

The Old Jail Museum uses the old Thompson Falls jail building that was built in 1907 and up until 1960, was also home to the sheriff. The building became a museum in 1980. The old jail is the oldest surviving county building in Thompson Falls. According to Briggs, the whole building was built out of steel and concrete, "which means in some rooms it is very hard to hang anything on the walls."

The museum will be open noon to 4 p.m. daily from Mother's Day until Labor Day, every day. Exhibits include mountain men, ladies fashion, agriculture, logging and the old jail itself. Admission is free, though donations are accepted to maintain the museum, located next to the Sanders County Courthouse. Briggs says the museum is always looking for volunteers, especially what she called "docent" volunteers. These are individuals who are unpaid tour guides for the museum. "Everyone has a different take on the exhibits, and they all bring something new to them." For more information about the museum or to volunteer, call Briggs at 827-4728.