Information
Landmark: Franklin County Historical MuseumCity: Pasco
Country: USA Washington
Continent: North America
Franklin County Historical Museum, Pasco, USA Washington, North America
Overview
In the heart of Pasco, Washington, the Franklin County Historical Museum keeps the region’s history alive, sharing stories and artifacts that capture the heritage of Franklin County and its neighbors, alternatively the museum sits inside a stately brick building, first built in 1911 as the Pasco Carnegie Library with funds from philanthropist Andrew Carnegie.It seems, The building houses the museum and, with its tall arched windows and sturdy brickwork, tells the story of early 20th-century design and the town’s dedication to learning and the arts, likewise the building appears on the National Register of Historic Places, a mark of its rich history and the craftsmanship etched into its stone walls.In a way, The Carnegie Library opened with a $5,000 grant from Andrew Carnegie, part of a sweeping effort that built thousands of public libraries across the country, each a quiet haven lined with the scent of fresh ink and paper, moreover for more than 50 years, Pasco’s public library bustled with readers and neighbors swapping stories, serving as the town’s hub for learning and get‑togethers until 1962.When the library relocated, the antique building housed shops and offices for a while, until 1983, when it became the Franklin County Historical Museum, consequently with the change, the community took back the space, turning it into a lively cultural hub where heritage photographs and stories keep local history alive.The Franklin County Historical Museum’s mission is simple: gather, protect, and share artifacts and stories that capture the county’s rich mix of history and culture-like a weathered farm ledger or a faded photograph from the town’s early days, while the museum spans centuries, moving from prehistoric artifacts and the traditions of indigenous peoples to the first settlers’ arrival, the clang of early rail lines, and the rhythm of life in today’s community.Permanent and Rotating Exhibits - *Trains, Tribes, and Towns*: This display follows the Northern Pacific Railroad’s pivotal influence on the region’s growth, from the whistle of its first engines in the late 1800s to the communities thriving here today, as a result you’ll find aged photographs, brittle papers, and worn steel tools that reveal how railroads drove economic growth and shaped where towns took root.The Snake River–Palouse Indian Exhibit shines a light on the Native peoples of the Columbia Plateau, tracing their history, traditions, and spiritual beliefs-like the stories told around a winter fire, in addition it reveals how deeply they’re tied to the land and the waterways-still at the heart of their culture, like the bend in a river they’ve known since childhood.The Prehistoric Camel Exhibit, found only here, showcases discoveries about Camelops hesternus-an extinct camel that once wandered the wide, dusty plains of North America, consequently fossil displays pair with vivid scientific notes to show how these ancient creatures once moved, hunted, and thrived, and what their bones whisper about a world long vanished, more or less Marmes Man Exhibit: Step inside to spot the story of one of North America’s oldest human discoveries-bones resting in the earth for 10,000 to 12,000 years, to boot it sheds light on how early humans lived in the area and on the archaeological work uncovering the site, from soil layers to weathered stone tools.At the Clement-Hooks Gallery of Rural Art, visitors can perceive pieces by regional artists such as John Clement, each one capturing Franklin County’s rolling fields, quiet farmyards, and deep-rooted cultural identity, equally important this collection holds paintings and other visual works that capture how people and places intertwine-like a market square alive with voices and color.The museum runs a wide range of educational programs for every age, from lively school field trips to guided tours, lectures, and hands-on workshops where paintbrushes meet eager fingers, equally important these programs help visitors glimpse local history come alive-like the worn brick of the aged courthouse-and inspire them to join in protecting Franklin County’s heritage.Special events and changing exhibits keep the museum lively, shifting with fresh research and the pulse of local curiosity-one week you might find a Civil War diary under glass, the next a mural painted by neighborhood artists, and in 2023, the Franklin County Historical Museum grew its space, unveiling a contemporary building right next to the antique brick Carnegie Library.The expansion opened up far more room for exhibits, making space for richer displays and giving visitors a chance to linger over details like the glint of an ancient coin, subsequently alongside sleek, modern galleries, the modern facilities offer storage for the expanding collection and radiant rooms ready for workshops and lively events.You’ll find the museum at 305 N 4th Avenue in Pasco, WA 99301, in conjunction with it’s open Wednesday and Thursday from 11 a.m. To 4 p.m, and Friday and Saturday from 9:30 a.m, also to 4:30 p.m, but closed most state and federal holidays.Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for seniors 65+, veterans, and active military, $1 for students and teachers, and free for children under five and members, along with the gift shop shelves hold books and keepsakes steeped in Franklin County’s history and culture-paper smelling faintly of fresh ink, wood polished smooth under your fingertips.Among the standouts are Walter Oberst’s *Railroads, Reclamation and the River: A History of Pasco*, *Pasco – 100 Years in Pictures*, and *Kin-I-Wak, Kenewick, Tehe, Kennewick*, on top of that packed with vivid stories and aged photographs-faded sepia scenes of dusty streets-they offer rich history for locals and visitors alike.The Franklin County Historical Museum stands at the heart of the community, safeguarding the region’s stories-faded photographs, yellowed letters, and all-while bringing history to life through education and cultural events, alternatively it draws visitors into the lives of Indigenous peoples, the grit of early settlers, and the changing landscape that still shapes the area today.The museum keeps Franklin County’s history alive by caring for and growing its collections and programs, making sure a child thumbing through an heritage diary today can still connect with the people of the past for years to come, consequently call the museum at (509) 547-3714, and you’ll discover a spot where vintage maps, hands-on exhibits, and lively community events come together-anchoring Pasco’s cultural life and offering a rich window into Franklin County’s heritage.
Author: Tourist Landmarks
Date: 2025-10-05
