By Shannon Lukens. Picture: Members of the Historical Society of Oak Creek and Phippsburg, along with Oak Creek Mayor Melissa Dobbins, held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the re-opening of the Tracks & Trails Museum on Main Street in Oak Creek.

 

The Tracks & Trails Museum in Oak Creek re-opened this weekend after being closed for about three years due to a major roof leak. Nita Naugle is the curator of the museum.

“It’s amazing to have this open. It’s been a long process. There’s a lot of different elements to our history in the Oak Creek, Phippsburg, and Stagecoach areas.”

Just over $120,000 was raised from two grants and from donors through the Historical Society of Oak Creek and Phippsburg. National Honor Society members at SoRoCo High School raised money for the project as well. Donations are still needed to keep it open.

The Tracks & Trails Museum is at 129 East Main Street in oak Creek. It is open this afternoon, and then from noon to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays this summer.

Contact: TracksandTrailsMuseum@gmail.com 970-736-8245

Here are some pictures from the museum.

There is an exhibit on the Louis Rossi family of Oak Creek and how they were known for their award-winning potatoes.

 

This is from the former United Methodist Church in Oak Creek on Sharp Ave. It is no longer a church. It is a private residence.

 

There is an exhibit on the Foidel School. This display features an original Gregory Block oil painting, school history timeline, and photos from the past as well as the current restoration project.

 

These are the (graphite pencil) drawings from Lee O’Neal, who lived in Oak Creek from the early 19702 until her death in 2005.

Obituary from the Steamboat Pilot & Today. This exhibit is on display through Labor Day.

 

Nancy Peckham with the museum gathered Oak Creek Labor Day T-shirts and the designs from the silkscreens for an exhibit. The designs on the shirts were created by Lee O’Neal. The silkscreens are on loan from her nephew, Steve. The shirts are part of the museum’s collection.

 

This exhibit is on loan from Jim Gentile’s family. He lived in Craig and Oak Creek.

 

These are two gambling machines from Steve’s Place, which was Elk’s Tavern which is now the Oak Creek Tavern.

 

Posters from the Rio Theatre are on display. The Rio Theatre has been torn down.

 

This display is from the Silver Rose Beauty Shop.

 

This is the safe, with ledgers, from the Bell Mercantile. The building is still there on the corner of Main Street and Moffat Ave. and it is on the National Historic Register.

 

The room in the back is the former Oak Creek Jail. This is where the roof leak happened three years ago, which needed extensive repairs.