Othello Community Museum

06/19/2026

🚨 ‼️ Othello Community Museum Update ‼️ 🚨

With the generous help of Friend of the Museum and local cattle rancher Mike Para, our historic cattle brand exhibit (circa 1900s–1940s) has been carefully relocated and reinstalled.

The original display was curated by Bill Morris during his 30-year tenure as Museum President.

We moved the branding display to make room for our new Time-Line exhibit created by Freya Liggett. By doing this we are continuing our mission to honor the pioneers of Othello and the region’s early farmers and ranchers.

We now have space for six additional historic brands. If your family has a brand to contribute, we’d love to include it.

We also welcome donations of branding irons to expand our growing collection.

We are open every Saturday from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM.

To schedule a private tour, please contact our Project Manager, Rebecca Mohs 509-431-5840.

06/13/2026

The Othello Community Museum is continuing to make great progress with facility upgrades and improvements!

A special thank you to Becky Mohs, our project manager, and Freya Liggett of Eastside Art and Heritage LLC for staining the handrails and timeline display, helping preserve and enhance these important features.

We also appreciate Steve from Steve’s Refrigeration for performing maintenance on our AC unit and helping keep the museum comfortable for visitors.

A huge shoutout to Richard Popchock and Tim Popchock, who did an outstanding job installing new handrails and repairing the steps leading up to the altar. Their craftsmanship and dedication have made a significant difference.

We were also delighted to welcome the 5th and 6th graders who stopped by to explore our exhibits and learn about our community's history.

Thank you to everyone who volunteered their time, skills, and effort over the past month to help maintain and improve the Othello Community Museum.
Your support keeps our local history alive and ensures that future generations can continue to enjoy and learn from it.

We are grateful for each and every person who has lent a helping hand!

04/30/2026

This effort wouldn’t have been possible without our incredible volunteers.

A special thanks to McCain Foods, the Elders from the Othello LDS Ward, and Johnson Glass for helping move displays and tackling some much-needed deep cleaning.

We’re also deeply grateful to Freya Liggett from Eastside Arts & Heritage LLC for her outstanding work updating and enhancing our museum displays.

We truly appreciate everyone who contributed their time, energy, and expertise to help bring our museum back to life!

Othello Museum opens for 2026 with new, refurbished exhibits
https://columbiabasinherald.com/news/2026/apr/28/othello-museum-opens-for-2026-with-new-refurbished-exhibits/

04/27/2026

We’re so grateful to everyone who joined us for our grand reopening this past Saturday! It was a wonderful success! ✨

A special thank you to the Greater Othello Chamber of Commerce Jackie Wilhelm for sharing such meaningful words during our ribbon-cutting ceremony. Also, to Rebecca Mohs, and Molly Popchock.

We’re excited to welcome you moving forward! Open every Saturday from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM through October.

Interested in a private or group tour? Reach out to Rebecca Mohs at 509-431-5840 to schedule an appointment.

Thank you all for your continued support! We can’t wait to see you again soon!

04/25/2026

🌟 Happening TODAY! 🌟

Join us this afternoon as we celebrate the grand reopening of the Othello Community Museum! 🎉

🗓️ Saturday, April 25th

✂️ Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
🕧 12:30 PM

🏛️ Open House
🕐 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM

📍 250 E Larch St, Othello, WA

Come be part of this exciting moment for our community ❤️
Explore the beautifully refreshed space, updated exhibits, and a BRAND NEW display!

Let’s celebrate local history, community, and a fresh new chapter together 🌸
We hope to see you there!

04/24/2026

A huge thank you to the team from McCain Foods for volunteering at the Othello Community Museum!

We’re so grateful for your hard work—moving display cases, dusting, cleaning glass, and organizing yearbooks.

Your help makes a real difference in preserving and sharing our community’s history. We appreciate you!

04/24/2026

Stop by and visit our Barber 💈 display. What we got here isn’t just old equipment, it’s a snapshot of how everyday life worked in the early 1900s, when a barber shop was part grooming station, part social hub, and part minor medical office.

Historically, barber shops in the 1800s and early 1900s were more than just places for grooming. Barbers often performed minor medical tasks like tooth extractions or bloodletting, which is where the iconic red-and-white barber pole originates (blood and bandages)

Straight razors required skill and maintenance, so barbers spent time stropping them on leather to keep the blade sharp. Warm lather was mixed by hand using soap, a brush, and hot water.

Swing by and take a seat 💺 in the barber chair!

Join us for our grand reopening on April 25 at 12:30 PM with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, followed by an open house from 1–5 PM.

Step back in time, explore the history, and experience the charm of a classic barber shop.

We’d love to see you there!

04/23/2026

Farming in the early 1900s was built on hard work, skill, and simple tools like these. Long before tractors became common, farmers relied on hand tools, scythes to cut crops, augers to drill wood, and blacksmith-forged tongs to shape and repair equipment.

Every task, from planting to harvesting, was done by hand or with the help of animals. Days were long, work was physical, and every tool had to be durable enough to last for years, often passed down through generations.

These tools are more than just old metal and wood, they’re a reminder of a time when farming depended on patience, craftsmanship, and resilience.

Join us on April 25 for our grand reopening! 🎉

We’ll kick things off with a ribbon cutting at 12:30 PM, followed by an open house from 1:00–5:00 PM.

Come celebrate with us! We’d love to see you there!

04/22/2026

It’s hard to picture today, but life around Othello in the 1800s was stark and unforgiving. Defined by isolation, harsh weather, and relentless work. The landscape was dominated by sagebrush plains, with rattlesnakes and jackrabbits far more common than people. Water was scarce, and dust storms could sweep across the land with little warning, making survival a daily challenge.

Research into early settlers reveals the names of some of these families, but it also highlights a gap: women were often left unnamed in official records. Despite this, their contributions were essential. The women who came with their families endured the same harsh conditions like hauling water, tending crops, raising children, and helping build homes from the ground up.

The women pictured here represent that overlooked history. Though many of their names may not have been recorded, their labor, resilience, and determination were central to establishing the community. Their stories are part of the foundation of the region, even if they were not always written into the record.

Join us on April 25 for our grand reopening! 🎉

We’ll kick things off with a ribbon cutting at 12:30 PM, followed by an open house from 1:00–5:00 PM.

Come celebrate with us! We’d love to see you there!