[Libs-Or] 3 Southern Oregon Museums Receive ARPA2021 Grants

[MFB]

Thanks to the American Rescue Plan Act, passed by Congress in March, three
Southern Oregon heritage museums received grants totaling $34,202.30 to
increase equity representation, improve access to facilities by physically
challenged visitors and non-English speakers and re-engage the community
after being shuttered because of the pandemic. On behalf of the Eagle Point
Museum, the Phoenix Historical Society Museum and the Siskiyou Smokejumper
Base Museum, we are so grateful for Senators Wyden and Merkley and
Representative DeFazio's support of the American Rescue Plan Act and their
support of Southern Oregon.



The Eagle Point Museum’s $2000 grant will be used to document the life of
John Mathews, a formerly enslaved man in North Carolina who came to Eagle
Point during the westward migration. Mathews has been credited in many
Eagle Point histories, but his family’s African heritage has rarely been
named. This grant will be used to develop a self-guided walking tour of the
Mathews Family Cemetery and to organize a 2022 speaker series that
highlights the historic diversity of Southern Oregon. Aaron Prunty, Eagle
Point City Manager is contact on this grant aaron at cityofeaglepoint.org



The Phoenix Historical Society Museum’s $12,285.80 grant is called *Phoenix
Burned, Phoenix Rising* and will go towards increased Latinx representation
in the museum. Additionally, the grant allowed the museum to upgrade from a
1.5mbps DSL Internet connection to a 200mbps connection. Much of the City
of Phoenix burned in the Almeda fire and thousands lost their homes, so
this grant invites the public back to the museum to see a community
transformed. Dorothy Cotton, Phoenix Historical Society Museum Manager is
contact on this grant, dorothy at mind.net



The $19,916.50 grant to the Siskiyou Smokejumper Base Museum outside Cave
Junction is called *Expanding Public Spaces* and will be used to develop
audio and video exhibit components as well as Spanish language signage and
materials. Rural broadband is so expensive, and this grant will allow the
base to upgrade from a 1.5mbps Internet cell connection to 9mbps cell wifi.
They will also install a wheelchair ramp to the last building on the base
that has not been accessible to those with limited mobility. More than
8,000 visitors came to the Siskiyou Smokejumper Base Museum in 2019. Gary
Buck, President of the Siskiyou Smokejumper Museum Board is contact on this
grant joebuck47 at gmail.com



The important work at these three museums was made possible by the American
Rescue Plan Act of 2021 from the federal Institute of Museum and Library
Services, through the Library Services and Technology Act, and administered
by the State Library of Oregon.



We appreciate Congress’s support of the America Rescue Plan Act. ARPA
directly benefits Southern Oregon residents, and affirms the importance of
heritage to our lives today.

--
*Maureen Flanagan Battistella, MLS*
*Southern Oregon University Sociology/Anthropology*

*Stories of Southern Oregon <http://storiesofsouthernoregon.com> on YouTube
<http://youtube.com/c/storiesofsouthernoregon> and in SODA
<http://soda.sou.edu>*
*TA117 541-552-0743*
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