Museum makes history with sold out Benefit

Shares exciting announcements

May 2025

By: Katherine Trowbridge

Over 200 filled the Connell Community Center for the North Franklin Heritage Museum's Benefit Dinner

Executive Director of the Museum, Shelly Harper, and Amy Thompson, Emcee for the evening and museum board member shared exciting news with their guests.

The North Franklin Heritage Museum was shocked to see the response to their first annual Benefit Dinner and Auction. The event, posted to the museum’s social media page, quickly sold out. The “full house” of over 200 in attendance on Thursday, May 15, included young and old alike. The community joined the museum in celebrating as the announcement was made that the C-Street Vault is nearing completion. With $150,000 needed to finish the project, the museum board announced their goal is to be open by Connell Days. 

The C-Street Vault, aptly named for the original main street in Connell and the vault which still graces the original bank building, will feature a hotel and restaurant.  

The evening's silent and live auction, as well as ticket sales, went to support the completion of this project, raising almost $20,000. 

Shelly Harper, Executive Director of the Museum, shared, “We had a sold out crowd and a very successful auction, presentation, and dinner.” 

Guests enjoy conversation as others bid on items around the room in the silent auction

The museum partnered with many in the community to bring this special evening to fruition -  from Back 40 BBQ, who catered a fabulous meal, to the PEO Chapter HA and others. Auction items were donated by local quilters, individuals, and businesses. Coyote Ridge Corrections Center collaborated with the museum as well, providing a variety of unique pieces in the silent auction and some larger furniture pieces to start the live auction. These items were created by incarcerated individuals with proceeds split between Palouse Junction High School and the museum.

The Gimenez boys assist in showcasing auction items as Daxton Booker leads the live auction and his mom, Camille, spots the crowd (above).

The museum board created quite the evening for their guests, bringing the community together to not only celebrate its history but the future of this historic building. 

Speaking of the future, the live auction was led by fourth generation auctioneer Daxton Booker who had a little help spotting from his mom, Camille. Daxton did a fantastic job and kept the crowd going throughout the 15 plus live auction items. Some of the highest selling auction items included several quilts. A quilt made by Marcie Koch sold for $1500 (pictured), a custom made T-shirt quilt, donated by Tricia Freeman garnered $575, and a quilt with a lot of history raised $510. This quilt featured train fabric donated by Carol Lindner that belonged to her mom, made by Virginia Colby, and quilted by Tamara Millage. It also ties into the train showcased at the museum, according to Daxton. 

The wine barrel furniture, donated by Coyote Ridge Corrections Center, also brought top dollar with a table and chairs selling for $900 and another set of chairs taking $600. 

The North Franklin Heritage Museum’s mission to preserve local history was detailed within the presentation portion of the evening by Emcee Amy Thompson, a museum board member. Thompson began with the history and restoration of the Old Presbyterian Church. This 1905 church, now a museum and community space, was added to the Washington State Historic Register last year. 

Thompson went on to share about the museum’s expansion, which includes the Hudlow  Memorial Annex and Gardens. The annex contains 1600 square feet of displays including interactive farming, and the Connell Fire Department’s 1948 Ford Fire Truck. The Pepio Ranch House, which displays farming and blacksmith tools and other equipment, joined the museum grounds in 2010. The BNSF caboose joined the museum in 2003 and was restored to include train history and opened to the public in 2018. In 2017, the 1910 Adams Homestead was donated by Dr. Robert King, who was in attendance at the dinner. The home was moved to the museum property and then restored by museum volunteers. This home, a favorite of guests, features many items original to the house when it was originally built and occupied by the Adams family in our area's early days.  

The C-Street Vault was donated to the museum in 2023 after a windstorm took the roof, of the then American Legion Building, leaving this historic building condemned. The museum got to work cleaning out layers of pigeon debris and fund-raised to ensure a new roof was installed as soon as possible. They then proceeded to clear off layers of paint, and wallpaper to expose the building's original brickwork and brought the light in by opening up and replacing the building's windows. Several volunteers were recognized including Charles Nicodemus who offered his expertise in restoring the woodwork on the original staircase. 

RDO joined the museum on Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2023 for a tour and photo op at the C-Street Vault. General Manager of RDO Equipment, Tyler Saunders and Joel Slaybaugh - Othello Store Manager (center) joined museum members Shelly Harper, Greg Hart, and Chris and Becky Eskildsen in front of the building for a photo (above). They not only donated to the project but also volunteered. There were numerous donors and volunteers recognized during the benefit dinner.

The vision for the future of this building unfolded as Thompson told the story of the restoration project garnering applause and a sense of excitement from those gathered. The upstairs will house five boutique hotel rooms while the downstairs will feature the dining space for the restaurant; a commercial kitchen for the restaurant will reside in an addition added by the legion. 

A second exciting announcement for the evening was that they already have a chef for the new restaurant. Wes, a local resident who is married to a CHS graduate, was introduced to those attending. 

Along with learning all about the Museum and C-Street Vault, guests also learned about the local chapter of the PEO, a Philanthropic Educational Organization originally formed in 1869 where women help women. Tamara Millage shared how our local chapter gives scholarships to young women and recently provided a scholarship to a woman who was making a career change. The chapter also provided assistance to support a local family “facing extreme hardship.” The PEO women provided and oversaw the drink table for the evening.

Connie Koch, Museum President, explained to the guests about the museum’s memorial program where you can donate in memory of someone who has passed on. Koch stated this is a great way to memorialize a special person. Koch also shared about memberships to the museum which included both annual and lifetime option.

The community is invited to an open house at the C-Street Vault Saturday, May 31 during Connell’s Downtown Spring Fling where you can learn more and donate towards the project in person. If you are unable to attend the tour, you can always donate to the museum and C-Street Vault by mailing a check to North Franklin Heritage Museum PO Box 1185 Connell, WA 99326 or send via Venmo @ConnellHeritageMuseum. 

If you haven’t taken time to tour the museum itself, you will definitely want to. The North Franklin Heritage Museum is open to the public Saturdays 10 am to 2 pm or by appointment and features history from across N. Franklin County.

Guests of the evening enjoyed conversation around the room, catching up with many long time residents and newcomers alike. Smiles could be seen all throughout the event. Guests shared how they truly enjoyed themselves. Several guests along with some of the museum’s volunteers stated, “This was so fun.” 

Preston Hart gave a “Hats off to all who ran it. It was a good program.” 

Jane Nicodemus expressed, “What an amazing, wonderful night this was.” 

Koch also shared, “The support from our community and surrounding area was amazing,” expressing thanks to one and all on behalf of the museum.