News and Announcements
October 18, 2023
Update on Rie Muñoz's Special Exhibits
The exhibits in 2022 and 2023 were hege successes. The Muñoz family's generosity in prepping and providing both exhibits was incredible. We are fortunate that Juan has offered to provide one more temporary exhibit for the summer of 2024! This one will feature Rie's art capturing Native Alaskan legends.
March 14, 2022 (Updated March 26, 2022)
Special Exhibit Plans - Rie Muñoz's Time in Tenakee
We are greatly honored and excited to be offering a special exhibit for the next 2 summers at our museum. This will feature Rie Muñoz's time and work in and about Tenakee.
The exhibit will give a special and inside glimpse of her work created here that will interest visitors and locals alike.
This summer (2022) the themed art, sketches and personal memorabilia will cover from the beginning of her career until 1989.
The summer of 2023 the materials will change and cover the period of 1990 through the end of Rie's career.
This project was an idea from Ann Symons, THC Board Member and longtime friend of Rie's.
Jane Lindsey, with a professional background in museum work, and Juan Munoz, Rie's son and conservator of her art and personal items will work together. They will select the art work and historic items to be included in the exhibit.
March 25, 2022
Allreds Pioneer Effort to Pair Historic Preservation with Modern Food Security
This header does not say enough!
Over a year ago, Kevin and Carlene Allred completed construction of the New Moon cafe incorporating many components of the historic Tenakee Log Cabin Cafe with an innovative geothermally heated greenhouse. The original building (with modifications) had been known since the 1950s as the Blue Moon Cafe and until 2017 was owned and operataed by Rosie Floresca. The new structure is a one-of-a-kind building that incorporates history and innovative technology in a community gathering space where food can be both raised and enjoyed.
;)
Photos to the right by Carlene Allred show the before and after. Visit this link for a story published by the Juneau Empire about this "homegrown" treasure!
https://www.juneauempire.com/news/nourishing-a-community/.
Although, the historic structure could not be salvaged, the new building sits in the footprint of the origninal cafe. Kevin took great care to achieve a similar "look" from trailside and incorporated elements of the original structure whenever possible. The very modern greenhouse sits behind the cafe. The Allreds worked together to create an interpretive sign and a booklet to share the history of this special place with locals and visitors alike. The building includes not just the cafe and greenhouse, but also a small laundromat, a storage room for the Tenakee Historical Collection, and a public bathroom! (The ONLY one in town!).
We couldn't be more proud. And thrilled.
March 19, 2019
On a Roll!
Bathhouse! Museum! With grattitude, we celebrate our successes! What next?
THANK YOU one and all for the incredible support you have given both the 2012 Bathhouse Restoration Project and the Museum project. Your support, in whatever form it came – through labor, materials and/or monetary donations – has been essential to the success of these projects.
The Tenakee Historical Collection continues to take tax deductible donations to support onging collections management work and future projects benefitting our now functioning museum. See the JOIN/DONATE tab for more information on how to help.
Now that the Bathhouse renovation project is complete, the local Bathhouse Committee is happy to take donations for continuing Bathhouse expenses such as maintenance and cleaning. Bathhouse donations can be left at Snyder Mercantile.
March 18, 2019
Milestone Reached! Our Museum Has Been Up and Running Since 2017!
The grand opening took place on July 2, 2017. See the MUSEUM tab for further news of the big day. Again THANK YOU one and all for the incredible support you have given - this time to the Museum Project. Your support, in whatever form it came – through labor, materials and/or monetary donations – was essential to the success of the project.
September 2018
Elva R Scott Local Historical Society Award
At its' annual conference in September 2018, the Alaska Historical Society announced that the Tenakee Historical Society had been selected for the Elva R Scott Local Historical Society Award with special recognition of Vicki Wisenbaugh. "In 2017 the dedicated residents of the small Southeast Alaska community opened a museum, started a newsletter, held programs, added to their collections, and completed a special project to organize Bob Pegues' papers and digitize his Superior Cannery photographs." (Alaska History News. Volume 46, No. 4 Winter 2019).
December 2, 2012 (updated March 18, 2019)
Congratulations Tenakee Springs!
We have reached our Fund Raising Goal for the 2012 Bathhouse Restoration Project
Success feels good. THANK YOU one and all for the incredible support you have given to the 2012 Bathhouse Restoration Project. Your support, in whatever form it came – through labor, materials and/or monetary donations – has been essential to the success of the project. Between your gifts and the nearly $16,000 Rasmuson Foundation Grant awarded in September, we have reached our Fund Raising goal.
The Tenakee Historical Collection will continue to take tax deductible donations earmarked for the project through December 31, 2012. Beginning January 1, the Bathhouse Committee will once again become the primary fund manager and will be happy to take donations for continuing expenses such as maintenance and cleaning.[1]
Project Update
Phases 1 – 5 were finished in late 2012. Phases 6 and 7 in 2013. The project is now complete and was a resounding success. See the BATHHOUSE tab for further news on the success of the project.
The Bottom Line
The 2012 Tenakee Bathhouse Restoration and Geothermal Heating Project fund raising effort netted a total of ~$47,000:
- · ~$22,000 in monetary donations,
- · ~$9,000 in in-kind contributions and
- · ~$16,000 in grant funds (Rasmuson Foundation).
We thank you, one an all – those who live here, those who vacation here, and those who simply love Tenakee’s Bath. For more information on the Bathhouse and the Restoration Project see "Bathhouse".
Tenaakee Historical Collection Board of Directors
December 2012
Good News!
In late September, THC learned the Alaska Rasmuson Foundation had approved our application for a Tier I Grant for work on the Bathhouse The check arrived October 19th and work towards completion of the Tenakee Springs 2012 Bathhouse Restoration and Geothermal Heating Project is in full swing! For more information on the project visit the "Bathhouse".
Board Meeting
The THC board will meet November 17 at the Community Center in Tenakee. Board members and officers are asked to attend and all are welcome. Details will be posted on community bulletin boards and on eBB TIDES (e-Bulletin Board for Tenakee Information, Dates, Events, Schedules) which is sent out weekly on late Sunday for early Monday morning receipt. (If you do not receive eBBTIDES and would like to do so, send your request and email address to davirichards@hotmail.com.)
Summer Intern
The "Tiltin' Hilton," a Tenakee landmark. Pen and ink drawing by Nancy Collinsworth, reproduced with permission.Our 2012 intern, Kate Duffy, arrived June 24 for an eight-week stay. The artifacts and archives on which she worked were transported to her makeshift office in the community center by hand. Kate is a graduate student in history at the University of Delaware. She’s an honors graduate of Swarthmore College with a degree in English. Along with her MA, Kate is working for a Certificate in Museum Studies.
During her stay she worked on all aspects of the Tenakee Historical Collection, including prioritizing and cataloging our items, planning the displays in our new museum, and helping us plan educational and docents programs. In order to facilitate cooperation, most museums in Alaska use the same standard software for cataloguing their collections. THC has purchased this program, called PastPerfect, and Kate trained THC members in its use.
Kate’s expenses were paid by a grant from the Alaska State Museum. Len and Patricia Ceder donated the use of their cabin for her stay.
To read about Kate's work and her reflections regarding Tenakee, she invites you to visit her blog (Kate's blog).
Tenakee Museum Plans
Serious work is underway for a Museum to be housed in a Snyder Mercantile annex, a small building that has served as a liquor store for about a hundred years. It was originally a cabin located uphill from the store. Many years ago it was slid down the hill and positioned on pilings at its present location. Snyder Mercantile has leased the building to the THC for $1 a month.
