KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. – The history of social organizations that were popular in Klamath Falls in the early to mid-1900s will be explored in a program scheduled for noon Friday, April 5, at the Klamath County Museum.
Admission will be free as part of the museum’s Free First Friday program. Admission fees will be waived and hours will be extended on Friday, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
The title of the program is “Klamath Society – A Place for Everyone.”
“Numerous organizations that boasted membership in the dozens or even hundreds have almost entirely faded from local memory,” said Todd Kepple, one of two museum staff members giving the presentation. “Fortunately we have a few artifacts and documents that give us some insight to how important these groups were in their time.”
Kamela Critser will recount the activities of the Knights Templar, whose membership roll included state Sen. George T. Baldwin, operator of the Baldwin Hotel in Klamath Falls.
Other organizations to be mentioned include the Catholic Order of Foresters, the Art Needlework Club, and the Women of Woodcraft.
“We won’t be able to mention every fraternal group and civic organization that ever existed in town, but we’ll try to focus on a variety of clubs that shed light on how these associations helped create a sense of community that has been lost to some degree,” Kepple said.
For more information contact the museum at (541) 882-1000.
The Knights Templar in Klamath Falls was a popular fraternal organization in the early 1900s. A presentation on the history of social groups in Klamath County will be given at noon Friday, April 5, at the Klamath County Museum.