Volume 7, Number 5 - Fall 1980


The Powersite Museum
by Marybelle Pruett

I have been unable to obtain exact dates as to what year this interesting museum was established, or when it was closed, but we moved to Klamath Falls Oregon in the Fall of 1950 and it was not there at that time. We came back to Taney County on vacation in the summer of 1953 and it was there, and I must say it was a very busy place, indeed? We came again in 1956 and it was still there and going strong. We came back to stay in 1959 and the museum was no longer there so it had to be built in ‘51 or ‘52 and closed in ‘57 or ‘58.

I talked to Mrs. Ted Magness of Powersite, who with her husband owned and operated the only store in Powersite for many years, and she was not sure of the dates, but she gave some very interesting information.

The museum was first owned by Mr. Frank Say, who didn’t even have a building at the beginning. They simply operated the business out in the open, under the big oaks that line the top of the bluff overlooking the Dam and Lake Taneycomo. Later they built a building, then sold to a Mr. Luce, who in turn sold to a Mr. Sid Anderson. Just why it was closed remains a mystery, because it certainly wasn’t for lack of business.

One interesting thing I recall is when we visited the Museum in the summer of 1956 it was owned by Sid Anderson, and he owned a Minah bird which he kept in an oversized bird cage at the back of the Museum. It was very evident great pains had been taken to train this very interesting bird!

A large sheet of white cardboard was attached to the back of his cage, and on it in bold type was information concerning the Museum, describing the different wax figures, animals and antiques, etc. The bird sat at the opposite end of the cage facing the cardboard and actually quoted every word that was printed on it! Then he would ruffle his feathers, shake his head from side to side and finish by saying, "Aw, nonsense! birds can’t read!" Our two sons were 8 and 9 years old at the time and they discussed this many times in the weeks that followed.

When we returned home to stay in the summer of 1959 to find the Museum gone, it was a great disappointment to all of us, and especially to our boys.

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