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Historical society wins county recognition Volunteers' hard work opens Phoenix museum By WENDY SIPOREN PHOENIX -- From 1925 to 1978, the modest wood building was home to city government and then the Jackson County library. Now, it's again serving the city as the new home to the Phoenix Historical Society and Museum. The society and museum won official status from the Jackson County Historical Museum Association last week after passing muster by logging 400 open museum hours and attracting more than 50 members. The honor qualifies the group for funding through Jackson County historic funds during the next budget cycle. Historical society president and former city planning consultant Gary Shaff credits the work of many individuals in making the museum a reality. "There's a lot more heritage in ... the organization than meets the eye," Shaff said of the past year's work to organize the board, secure nonprofit status, create exhibits and staff the museum. "Betty Cox has been instrumental ... Dorothy and Cecil Claflin have acted as the unofficial Phoenix Historical Society for some time." Society member, former mayor and City Council member Otto Caster also credits the vision of former mayor Kathryn Standcliff for the group's current success. She persuaded the city to move the 22-by-22-foot building rather than tear it down when the new library was built. After sitting empty for the last 20 years, the building now holds a hodgepodge of Phoenix history: an antique doll collection donated by Michael and Nannette Wrede; a story about a weekly stock sale near the current post office; Christmas cards sent to Otto's grandmother, Enid Caster. Almost all of the materials are on loan. With such a small space, the group is trying not to accumulate too much stuff, says organizer Dorothy Claflin. Shaff hopes the museum will become a touchstone for the community, giving residents new and old a sense of community identity. "The museum itself is really a great resource ... for the community," said Shaff. "It can teach us the reasons we can take pride in the communities that we live in and (help us) grow to understand them." With county funding, Shaff says, the society would like to hire a historian to develop a historic context statement that would identify and help preserve important historic elements of the city. This would include everything from historic buildings to the heritage of individual families and how the economy or major businesses influenced the city's development. The museum's hours are Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1 to 5 p.m. and Wednesdays from 1 to 7 p.m. Claflin is currently seeking photos of Phoenix in the 1940s for the museum's next exhibit. Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, Oregon USA