New exhibit is child's play

Monday, April 6, 2009
Ben Huff, right, and his mother Angela Huff color-by-numbers Saturday at the opening of Putnam County Museum's "Red Rover, Red Rover, Send Everyone Over: Our Past Through Play" exhibit. Dad Jason and little brother Owen accompanied Ben and his mother for the family's first trip to the museum.

Revisit childhood memories at the Putnam County Museum, where decades of board games, dolls and books are on display. Show the children how video games have evolved with the "Atari," and "Nintendo" game systems on display.

The museum celebrated the opening of "Red Rover, Red Rover, Send Someone Over: Our Past Through Play" exhibit Saturday with special events.

To entertain children and adults alike, there was a magician performing some tricks. As one of his tricks, he placed three pieces of rope into a brown paper bag, which was given to the "assistant" Ashlee Pinney. She then used the wand to make the rope whole again.

In addition to the Red Rover exhibit, the museum commemorated its finished round barn structure. It has long been the museum's dream to have a miniature version of the Sutherlin family's round barn built. The replica is from floor to ceiling and will eventually have lights and hands-on activities for children.

Before it was razed in 1992, the Sutherlin round barn was located on Roundbarn Road. Nearly 100 years ago, the round barn was originally built to be a showplace for horses.

Rea (Sutherlin) Zeiner and her husband John sponsored the replica and were honored by Sally Gray with a tiny round barn.

LeRoy Zeiner donated his time and talent along with several volunteers to help build the museum's mini round barn. The same type of wood used to build Sutherlin's round barn was used to build its counterpart -- rough sawn poplar.

The public is invited to take a peek at the new Red Rover exhibit and the round barn. The museum is open from 1 to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays. It is located at 1105 N. Jackson St.

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