The Forest Service, the Museum and the Library

The November 12, 2015 Island Park City Council meeting produced several interesting bits of information.

Garth Smelser, Forest Supervisor for the Caribou-Targhee National Forest gave a presentation to the City Council regarding the sale of the Forest Service’s Island Park office. The Island Park Historical Society has expressed an interest in obtaining the building to establish a museum. Mr. Smelser advised that he has no authority to authorize a donation of building to the historical society. He did indicate that the building can be purchased pre-auction by an interested governmental agency but that the historical society does not qualify as a pre-auction purchaser. The only way to take advantage of the option would be for the Island Park Historical Society to purchase the building through the City of Island Park. That option should be explored.

I also learned that the Forest Service wants to maintain control of their two wells on the Island Park property, requiring the purchaser to drill a new well. There has been a moratorium on new commercial wells in the caldera since the late 1980's because the water rights are owned by agricultural interests in the Twin Falls region. There is a question of whether a residential well precludes most commercial entities from developing the property. The museum’s water use may make a residential well acceptable.

Also at the meeting was Robin Singleton, a spokesperson for the Fremont County Library Board. She addressed the impending move of the library to Last Chance. Her assurance that local patrons were excited about the move was met with some astonishment since no one knew of it until two months after the deal had been signed.

She also announced that the library is in the process of spending six figures on a bookmobile to service rural areas of Fremont County. It is unfathomable that in an era of eBooks, the library board is not spending the money to create an eLibrary, allowing the patrons to go on line and download whatever reading material they desire. Amazon is now offering Kindle Fires for under $43 each when purchased in groups of six. That seems a lot more cost effective than sending a bookmobile around the rural areas, dodging drifts in the winter and tourists in the summer. This proposal should require a little more thought.

Closure of the Island Park Forest Service Office

The Island Park Office of the US Forest Service will be sold in the spring of 2016. That is the proclamation from Garth Smelser, Forest Supervisor for the Caribou-Targhee National Forest at last week’s town meeting.

Mr. Smelser explained that the Island Park area is the only area under his control that maintains two office locations, Island Park and Ashton. The additional office requires two hundred thousand dollars a year in annual expenses to maintain which the USFS believes could be better utilized for other activities. Members in the audience inquired as to which office is utilized by the public more frequently. Liz Davy responded that the Island Park office is has much more public traffic.

That provoked the next question, “Why not close the Ashton Office?”  Mr. Smelser’s response left me shocked and bewildered when he reported that potential employees would rather not live in the forest. They require more “amenities”! AMAZING.

I have known many forest rangers throughout my life. A forest ranger was a plum job that provided a regular salary to one who dreamed of making their home in the forest. Current candidates for USFS jobs are willing to accept the position if they are allowed to commute to the forest. Apparently the reduction from 4G to 3G cell service is a deal breaker for recent job applicants.

Efforts are being made to convert the Forest Service Office into the caldera museum and house a small USFS office.  Hopefully out of the ashes the decision to close the Island Park location will emerge a new asset for the caldera.

Island Park Museum, It’s Now or Never!

The Island Park Community has been debating the nature of a local museum for several years. Every option has been considered: a stand-alone museum, a museum/community center, a museum/library and a museum/hardware store. The possibilities that have been explored were numerous and occasionally overwhelming. Circumstances have reached a critical mass this year. The Zollinger Family’s offer to donate ground for a museum at Elk Creek expires soon. The Gunnell’s offer to house the museum above a new lumber yard expires this fall. Finally, the Forest Service is looking for someone to take over their office building on the Buffalo River, southeast of Pond’s Lodge.

I would suggest that the best location for the museum is the Forest Service Building. The location would limit the initial construction costs, especially construction of a well and septic system. The building is also immediately visible on Highway 20 and has an adequate parking lot. Our congressional representatives could pursue the Federal donation of the building for the museum. Since the Forest Service would like to keep a seasonal office in Island Park, an offer of a one dollar-a-year lease for an office within the building as part of the deal would make the transaction more inviting. Housing the Forest Service and Island Park Museum within the same building makes sense since the experiences of the agency and the residents of the caldera are so intertwined. Not to mention that donating the building would make up for some of those tank traps that the Forest Service carved into our logging roads several years ago.

The Two hundred thousand dollars that the historical society has available to apply towards a museum could be better spent on interior remodeling and exhibits than on basic construction costs.

This Friday, September 18^th at 5:30 pm the Island Park Historical Society will hold its annual meeting at the EMS Building. One of the purposes of this meeting is to discuss a museum location. I suggest that all members attend and if you do not belong to the IPHS, the dues are a whopping $10 for an individual or $15 for a family membership.

On Monday September 21^st at 6:00 pm members of Senator Crapo’s staff will be at the EMS Building to take suggestions about what to do with the Island Park Forest Service Building. If the community wants the building to be the home of the Island Park Museum, attendance is recommended.

Items related to our history are moving off the caldera with great regularly. Soon there won’t be enough artifacts to stock a museum in Island Park if an adequate location is not built to house them. If the community makes the effort now to develop the Island Park museum, they will be thanked by generations yet unborn. 

Exploring a Museum for Island Park

I had the opportunity to accompany several members of the Island Park Historical Society on a tour of several communities’ museums and community centers last week. The two day trip was sponsored by Fremont County and organized by Tamra Cikaitoga, Fremont County Parks and Recreation Director. Board members B.J. Hultz, Ann Kuck, Dennis and Ronnie Kennedy accompanied Susan McKenna (Forestry Technician, Forest Service), Tamra and me on the trip.

We toured the community centers in Leadore, Challis, Moore and Howe. These were mostly community event centers incorporating a large event hall and a kitchen. Some included libraries and historical displays. It was informative to see what small communities could build with the combination of community support and government grant money.

We also were able to visit the Sacajawea Interpretive Center and the Lemhi County Museum in Salmon, as well as the Land of the Yankee Fork Museum in Challis. Of all the locations that we visited, the Lemhi County Museum was perhaps the most relevant to the needs of Island Park. The curator, Hope Benedict gave our group a private tour and shared her passion for Idaho’s history. She schooled us on the importance of maintaining climate control for the exhibits, as well as the operation and marketing of a successful museum. Since Salmon and Island Park share several historical similarities, I found it easy to envision an Island Park museum while surrounded by the historical objects of Lemhi County.

The Island Park Historical Society has a decision to make this year. A trust was set up for a museum several years ago containing approximately $200,000 of donated funds. There are currently two site offers for a museum. The Zollingers have offered to donate property South of Elk Creek Station for the construction of the museum. Recently Glade Gunnell has offered to build a 3,600 sq. foot open horseshoe-shaped mezzanine (balcony) overlooking the sales floor of the new Island Park Building Supply. He intends to begin construction this fall. In exchange for the $200,000 dedicated for the museum, the space will be leased to the Historical Society rent/utility free for 100 years. Both offers are time sensitive.

The board members have a lot to ponder. There is a rich history in Island Park and the longer the community waits to construct a museum, the more historical artifacts are dispersed or destroyed. If you have an opinion on which direction the board should take, I suggest that you join the Island Park Historical Society. Take an active part in advising the board members. The board is made up of devoted individuals that share a love of Island Park and its history. They deserve our input, our support and our gratitude.

It is Time for the Island Park Museum

Island Park has a rich and colorful history. Mountain men, Indian tribes, pioneers, loggers, merchants and vacationers have all added to the area’s legacy. With the passage of time, many of the visible signs of the early residents’ life here are wiped away in remodels, rebuilds and development. Old family cabins are sold and many artifacts are dispersed or end up in the landfill. 

Island Park needs a museum to collect and house the historical artifacts. With such a large tourist presence, there is little doubt that such a museum would be well attended.    

Last week I had the opportunity to visit with Vickie Jones of the Island Park Historical Society. The subject of an Island Park museum came up. I was pleased to learn that a substantial trust was donated for the purpose of building such a museum and that a parcel of land has been generously offered as well. The delay in construction has been over the scale of the initial museum. It is understandable how an initial project in Island Park would be dwarfed by the large, elaborate visitor centers of Yellowstone Park.

Island Park is a humble place. Residents who made a life here have started very small and slowly built their enterprises. It would be fitting for the museum to begin the same way. Once the doors are open, it will grow as those who love the area visit. Donations of exhibits will be offered when they have a home. The Island Park Historical Museum’s time is now. Let’s say “thank you” to those who built the community by telling their story to all who visit Island Park.