While closed for the summer, Cave Creek Museum is bustling with activity as volunteers prepare for its 47th season of showcasing an extensive collection of prehistoric and historic artifacts that describe the lives of Native Americans, miners, ranchers and pioneers. Inside the building, tables are strewn throughout the main room, giving volunteers a place to carefully handle antiques, artifacts, and vintage items that will go in new and permanent exhibits.
One of the highlights this season is a trunk show that will include travel trunks filled with the finery of years past, such as beautiful gloves and top hats. Evelyn Johnson, Cave Creek Museum’s executive director, said the trunks have not been taken out of storage for more than 20 years. Currently, there are four trunks, including an old military trunk that belonged to Frank Cassanova.
“Frank was a local resident who spent more than four decades mapping and excavating the Blue Wash Ruins on his property behind Tonto Hills,” Johnson said.
Another new exhibit will focus on the history of Cave Creek Fiesta Days Rodeo (CaveCreekProRodeo.com), which will celebrate its 40th year on March 30, 31 and April 1, 2017.
“We would love for someone to lend us a vintage Samsonite suitcase with travel stickers for our trunk show exhibit and an old buckle or Rodeo Queen sash or crown from the early days of the rodeo for our Fiesta Days exhibit,” Johnson said.
Back by popular demand, more Southwestern jewelry will be on display in the “Bling II” exhibit.
“If someone has a beautiful necklace, bracelet, brooch or ring from the past that they’d like to lend us for this exhibit, we would be honored to display it securely for the season,” she said.
Other new exhibits will include Characters of Cave Creek, a new exhibit in the Archaeology Wing of pottery on loan from the Cave Creek Unified School District, and an exhibit of one-of-a-kind, colorful Bolo ties that belonged to the Honorable Pete Corpstein, who served as state representative.
“We’ll be displaying several of Pete’s bolo ties, which he gifted to the Museum last season,” Johnson said. “Pete credits his early day election success to Iveane Skruggs, the Museum’s first executive director, and Carefree resident Beverly Thelander.”
Cave Creek Museum is also seeking volunteers of all ages for a variety of positions, including docents and special project-based positions. Experience is not necessary, though a background in public speaking, education, hospitality, retail and merchandising, construction, and digital media will be helpful. Docent training orientations for volunteers are being planned.
“This is also the first year the Museum will not have funding from the Town, so we appreciate monetary donations at any level,” Johnson said.
The museum re-opens for the season on Saturday, October 1. The public is invited to preview exhibits on Saturday, September 24 when the museum will open for the special national Smithsonian Magazine Museum Day Live. For information, call (480) 488-2764, or visit www.cavecreekmuseum.org.
