SUMPTER – The Cracker Creek Museum of Mining has received several grants for development of its mining museum at Sumpter.

The museum started in the spring of 2000, when one acre of highway frontage property was leased to the museum for $1 a year. The museum also received donations of early mining equipment.

The Meyer Memorial Trust granted the museum about $12,000 for the installation of an access road, open-sided display building, road-front sign and donation box.

There are several exhibits open to the public in the Meyer Memorial Trust Display Building and on the museum grounds.

The museum received a grant totaling $9,505 from the Kinsman Foundation of Milwaukie allowing the museum to add electrical, water and sewer utilities to the grounds to complete the first phase of the museum’s next building project that includes a 1,290-square foot Blacksmith and Restoration Shop. The utilities will be sized to accommodate future development plans for the museum site.

The museum received $3,000 from the D.E. and Jane Clark Community Foundation of Portland. The funds were used for significant payments on the extensive Grim Family Blacksmith Equipment Collection.

The mining museum also received $2,300 from the Leo Adler Community Fund of Portland. The grant was used to complete the purchase of blacksmith collection and kick off the museum’s “Bring Home Our Blacksmith Shop” campaign.

The museum’s goal is to complete the construction of the Blacksmith and Restoration Shop, and transport the blacksmith collection from its current location in the Willamette Valley to Sumpter by fall 2004.

The final phase of the project is the restoration of the blacksmith equipment to operational condition.

For more information, contact Nils P. Christensen, Cracker Creek Museum of Mining, 2465 Eighteenth St., Baker City, OR 97814-1225, or e-mail 49r@usa.com.