Prosser Historical Museum

Leonard “Nick” Foisy (1885-1970) sold phonographs and other music machines of yesteryear in Downtown Prosser during the first decades of the 20th Century.

Nick arrived in Prosser in 1905 with his parents Nazareth and Anna Margaret Foisy. Nazareth operated a barbershop on Bennett Avenue (see illustrated map in comments section).

Also arriving in Prosser in 1905 were Nick’s siblings Joseph, Arthur, Vera, Philista, Gerald, Ervin and Martin. Nick married Maude Rupert Foisy, a member of Prosser’s pioneer Rupert Family.

Lenore Foisy Donaldson - long-time reporter, managing editor and columnist for the Prosser Record-Bulletin - was Nick Foisy’s niece.

Photo: A century old metal sign encourages customers to “See Foisy at Prosser.” This sign is one of thousands of local artifacts within the Prosser Historical Museum’s collection.

Due to extreme heat, the Rattlesnake Hills tour with Joanne Porter, originally scheduled for this evening, will be rescheduled for a later date to be announced.

Enjoyed hosting the 2024 Prosser Leadership cohort today at the museum. Thank you PEDA for the opportunity to share the remarkable story of our community.

It was my pleasure to conduct a Memory Map (oral history) interview with longtime Prosser resident Aurora Gallegos at the Prosser Farmers Market 7/13/24. Mrs. Gallegos recommends hard work, music and dancing as key ingredients for a happy life.

Farewell Monte Shaffer. You taught me volumes about our beautiful regional history and you occupied a special place in my heart. You were a true blue son of the Great American West and a fine, fine gentleman. I was so very honored to know you.

-Alys

(Monte served with distinction as a Prosser Historical Museum trustee for many years.)

❤️❤️❤️

Loads of sugar beets at the Biggam siding near Whitstran

Date unknown

Due to high temps., the 7/18 Rattlesnake Hills tour with Joanne Porter will take place at later date to be announced.
(Part of the Prosser Museum’s Summer History Series.)

The Prosser Historical Museum will be closed July 6th and 10th to permit me to take a history “look-see” of our great American West.

The Prosser Historical Museum’s Wild West Book Club enjoyed a visit to Whitefoot Studio and Fort Simcoe Historical State Park today. The studio is located in Harrah, Washington and the fort is a few miles southwest of the community of White Swan.

See photo captions for more information.

-Alys

Please note! The Prosser Historical Museum will be closed June 29 to permit me to accompany the Wild West Book Club on a history adventure up the Valley. Looking forward to sharing photos and info. with you upon our return.

-Alys

Prosser High School Homecoming Rally
Downtown Prosser, 6th St. & Meade Ave.
September 1974

Thank you to everyone who attended and provided support for last night’s Local History Summer Series, 1st Session.

For many years, Prosser High School educator Angela Skeen has taught her students about local history through a series of field trips within our community. As a Prosser Historical Museum board member, Angela has now organized a similar offering for adults.

Included in the series are interpretive visits to the West Prosser Cemetery, Rattlesnake Hills, Princess Theatre and the Mercer Block. The series kicks off with an introductory session at the Prosser Historical Museum Wednesday, June 26 at 7 p.m.

Please join the Prosser Historical Museum for this engaging, informative opportunity to learn more about people and events that created the place we call home today.

For additional information, please call (509) 832-0336.

Enjoyed conducting the 1st “Memory Map” interview today at the Prosser Farmers Market. Featured elder: Roza Orchardist Bob Stiles. This is cooperative project of the Farmers Market, Mid-Columbia Library & Prosser Historical Museum.

The southern extent of our Prosser community includes the Horse Heaven Hills and the northern part includes the Rattlesnake Hills. The ranches of the Horse Heaven and Rattlesnake were first established over 125 years ago by hard-working people under very challenging circumstances: limited water, horse drawn farm equipment, few (if any) modern conveniences, a remote location, etc.

As the people who ranched on these hills began to prosper, so did our town. The grain and livestock they produced created an economic environment which led to Downtown Prosser’s substantial brick buildings, the Prosser School District, churches, public parks, etc. Many, many members of Prosser’s historic ranch families have stepped forward to serve as volunteers and elected leaders to guide our community. We have all benefited from the work and good deeds of our friends and neighbors on the Horse Heaven-Rattlesnake and they have earned our respect many times over.

So it makes my blood boil when I learn of foolish people from inside and outside Prosser who take twisted pleasure in disrespecting the pioneer families of the Horse Heaven and Rattlesnake! A remote cemetery is called “weird” and “creepy” by those who have no reverence for those who rest within. False “horror” tales are spun about the men, women and children buried there simply for amusement. A ranch house to the north that was the longtime home of a lovely woman of excellent character has become fodder for a vulgar tale of a “crazy lady” who “killed her whole family.”

😡😡😡

Some might say this is just kids having a bit of fun. But, please know there are numerous adults who participate too, who distribute this junk via the printed and electronic page. In the end, all that’s really accomplished is the desecration of the legacy of good people. Innocent people.

If one wants to experience the fictional horror genre, I recommend reading a Stephen King book or a visit to one’s local movie theater. Leave our much-loved Prosser pioneers alone!

-Alys

As part of the museum’s Wild West Book Club, I recently read this engaging biography of Chief Seattle. Born in 1780, he was leader of both the Duwamish and Suquamish people, who resided in and around the city that today bears his name. He knew Whulj (Puget Sound) as a place of old-growth forest, salt water and tidal flats teeming with fish and shellfish, wild rivers and a plethora of other natural wonders. Chief Seattle lived to see Whulj’s profound transformation by European-Americans. He passed away in 1866 at Port Madison and was laid to rest in a ceremony reflecting Duwamish-Suquamish and Catholic beliefs.

The second image is the only known photograph of Chief Seattle. It was taken by Edward A. Sammis in 1865 at his Yesler Way studio.

I was very honored to receive this recognition from the Columbia River Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR). Thank you Cheri Eisen for nominating me.

Welcomed 150+ Prosser third grade students, their teachers and parent chaperones to the museum today. Visitors enjoyed a sit-down presentation and a historical scavenger hunt. 😊

The museum’s heritage garden is coming along nicely. Created by Miguel Orr and maintained by Flint Orr and Mikki Symonds, the garden features plants representative of Prosser’s history.

Twenty nine sons of Prosser, Washington have perished in war during their service to the United States of America. Let us never forget their ultimate sacrifice.

It’s interesting to peruse the photos in the Prosser Historical Museum collection. Sometimes a small detail is discovered that suggests a whole other story.

The back of this photo simply says: Loading Sheep, 1920s, Prosser. It appears to have been taken on either the Rattlesnake or Horse Heaven Hills.

There are clearly two men loading the animals, but a closer inspection (photo 2) reveals a little girl standing on top of the fence. She’s nicely dressed - stockings, deep pleated skirt, a sailor blouse and a stylish cloche hat. Is she the daughter or granddaughter of one of the men? Was she told to stay put and stay out of the way? Was she an “old hand” when it came to working livestock? Did she beg her parents for permission to go to the corral to watch the sheep flow through? Hmmmm…

(Tap to photos for best view)

Created by the late sculptress Nancy Lewis, this remarkable public art installation memorializes Richard Gay (1919-1990), long-time publisher of the Prosser Record-Bulletin. Nancy, a well-known Prosser community member, was an accomplished artist with an extraordinary ability to represent facial features, clothing, objects, motion and texture that together reveal the essence of her subjects.

This sculpture is located at Prosser’s Depot Square. Take a moment to enjoy its exquisite details up close.

Beautiful Helga Anderson Travis

Helga Travis (Mrs. Guy Travis) was born in 1898 and passed away in 1993. She the daughter of Horse Heaven pioneers Hans Smith and Marie Nelson Anderson Smith. Helga was an accomplished local historian and author. Her best known book - “The Umatilla Trail” - was first published in 1951 from personal interviews she conducted with early homesteaders of the Horse Heaven Hills and Prosser area.

Hard at work under a big, big sky on the Horse Heaven Hills

March 1959
Exact location unknown

Brickwork and blue skies in historic Downtown Prosser

Left: Oddfellows Building (built 1903)
Right: Mercer Building (built 1906)

I enjoyed perusing this 1947 “Livestock Brand Book of the State of Washington” at the museum this afternoon. Prosser area ranchers with brands listed in the book include:

Lewis Allen & Al Floyd
Anderson Brothers
Chester Anderson
Lawrence Blair
Roy Burgess
Coats & Hall
H.L. Copeland
W.H. Evans
L. Frank Green
J.H. Garoutte
Thurman Hamilton
Harold Heady
Woodrow Ice

(There’s more, but I only made it through the Letter “I”!)

I am unclear about the ear tattoos. Are they tattoos or simply notches and slits cut into the animal’s ears?

The place names are fascinating and include:

Hunter
Tum Tum
Lebam
Rice
Manse
Adna
Daisy
Synarep
Wellpinit
And more!

Help! Can anyone tell me where Prosser’s old “Hamburger Shop” was located? I suspect it was on Meade Avenue, but I can’t be certain.

Thanks! -Alys.

(This photo appears to have been taken in the 1940s or 1950s and is from the Prosser Historical Museum’s photo collection.)