Fireside Stories on tap in Sisters

In the early days of Sisters, during long winter evenings, families gathered beside the fireplace for light and warmth while sharing stories of their day.

Three Sisters Historical Society will re-create that cozy gathering on Tuesday, February 20, 7 p.m., at FivePine Conference Center with the family-friendly Fireside Stories - Oregon History Show and Tell. Oregon Historical Society Executive Director Kerry Tymchuk will be the entertaining storyteller as he shares his trunk of iconic antique artifacts and documents from Oregon's remarkable history. (See "Renowned speaker coming to Sisters," page 8.)

Attendees will also have the opportunity to learn more about the new historical society and can join in supporting their mission. A silent auction of framed copies of historic photos depicting the early days of Sisters will help with start-up funding. Items purchased must be paid for and taken home that evening. The photos were donated to Three Sisters Historical Society by a local supporter and history enthusiast.

A limited number of copies of the iconic Sisters history book, "That Was Yesterday," will be available for purchase. Dessert and beverages will also be provided.

Families are encouraged to bring their school-age children for what promises to be an entertaining, educational (and not too long) evening.

Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. to allow time for auction bids, book purchases, and large-screen viewing of a collection of historic Sisters photos of everyday life - sheep, farming, cattle, logging and sawmills, families, Main Street, the rodeo and fair, and the beauty that was and is Sisters. The auction will close during the presentation and open again for a short time afterwards before winning bidders will be announced.

The February 20 event is the first of three Fireside Story evenings. On March 13, Jan Hodgers of Bend will share "Camp Polk and Sisters: Life and Times of the Early Settlers." She is the great-great granddaughter of both the Cobbs and Hindmans, who played a crucial role in the settling of the Sisters area. She inherited all the family albums and boxes of photos belonging to her ancestors and will be sharing those and stories with the audience.

The April date is not firmly set yet, as arrangements are underway to secure an elder from Warm Springs to talk about the Native American presence in Central Oregon, both before and after the arrival of white settlers.

For more information about Fireside Stories or the historical society send an email to [email protected]