Grant county - established in 1903 - is located in the central portion of Washington state.
The WSFC collection highlights many artists and cultural landmarks of the area - one of the more concentrated counties the council surveyed. The works and landmarks documented in the collection demonstrate the diversity of citizens in a county determined in agriculture despite it's otherwise dry environment.
Wooden Corral
Royal Slope, Grant County
Ada Whitmore
Soap Lake, Grant County
"Ada Whitmore of Soap Lake learned to make cornhusk dolls from her family when she was very young. Ordinary cornhusks are dyed and sewn and glued together and design seems to be limited only by imagination. "When you make one you've got ten more ideas in your head." Cornhusk dolls are found all over the world where corn is grown, especially in the American Midwest and in Eastern Europe. It is probably not a skill that is diffused from place to place. Instead, it may simply be a technique that is suggested by the physical qualities of the corn plant itself and that is therefore subject to reinvetion in many places. "
- artist bio from WSFC archival files, author unknown, ca. 1983-1989.
Faye Morris
Quincy, Grant County
"Faye Morris of Quincy learned to make "safety-pin woven" rugs after seeing them in bazaars and craft-shows in Central Washington. She sought out a weaver whose work she admired, Betsy Powell of Bridgeport, who taught her the technique, which uses a safety-pin as a shuttle. These rugs are often mistaken for braided rugs, which are superficially similar. "Safety-pin-woven" rugs are far more durable and less likely to warp after washing."
- artist bio from WSFC archival files, author unknown, ca. 1983-1989.
Richard Peterson
Ephrata, Grant County
"Among the most remarkable woodcarvers in the State of Washington is Richard Carl Peterson of Ephrata. Mr. Peterson specialized in carving narrative tableaux of frontier and Western scenes, many of them based on true incidents that he heard about or experience himself. A representation of a Native American killing a grizzly with only a knife is based on an experience of a Blackfoot friend. Mr. Peterson was the recipient of a 1988 Governor's Award of Commendation. Scores of his carvings are on display at the Grant County Historical Museum in Ephrata, where he donated them out of a desire to share his stories with the public."
- artist bio from WSFC archival files, author unknown, ca. 1983-1989.
Emil Gehrke
Electric City, Grant County
"For years, the late Emil Gehrke worked for the Bonneville Power Administration at Grand Coulee Dam. During much of his life, he assembled found objects, including teapots, coffee cups, hardhats, funnels, and the like into humorous miniature windmills ("whirligigs" or "mole-chasers") which he designed himself. TOday many of Mr. Gehrke's creations are displayed in the B.P.A.-owned park in Electric City, near the dam. Others are owned by Puget Light and Power Company, which displays some of them at a transformer substation in Seattle."
- artist bio from WSFC archival files, author unknown, ca. 1983-1989.
Iron Grave Marker
Warden, Grant County
Dave Goodwin
Hartline, Grant County
Michael Schaefer
Coulee City, Grant County
John Gross
Marlin, Grant County
