BEEKMAN HOUSE VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!

Beekman House

The Beekman House is a treasure trove for residents and tourists alike—home to one of Jacksonville’s most prominent pioneers, built and occupied by only one family, and completely furnished with family artifacts.  It’s the “museum” that people say Jacksonville lacks and that visitors expect in an historic town.

At a January 28th brainstorming session of the new Beekman Legacy Action Committee, over two dozen community members generated ideas for revitalizing this historic landmark.  A core piece of the resulting plan is a series of events that will open the House to the public at regular intervals from May through December.

Now we need volunteers willing to help with planning and implementing the tours and activities!  Here’s a brief run down of what’s proposed and what’s needed.

Docent Led Tours

Carrie Beekman

From May through November, we want to open the Beekman House on the third Saturday for monthly afternoon tours.  A “greeter” and three guides are needed each month.  Volunteers are also needed to plan on-site activities that will attract visitors and encourage repeat visits.

Suggestions include a plant sale, an artists’ workshop and/or show, Britt string quartets, a harvest theme, ghost tales, and a Victorian Christmas Bazaar.  However, these are just ideas, and final selections need to be developed with details, resources, and implementation plans.

 Children’s History Activities

We want to tap children’s fascination with Oregon pioneers by sharing some of their 1800’s lifestyle.  A Children’s History Activity morning is proposed for the third Saturday of each month from May through November in the Program Room behind the Beekman House.

Potential activities include butter churning and hand cranking ice cream; learning the games, dances, and songs that amused our great grandparents; making gingerbread houses and Victorian Christmas ornaments; and hearing the stories that entertained our ancestors. There are lots of ideas for activities, but volunteers are needed to coordinate the monthly sessions, to seek donated materials, and to take “hands on” roles working with the children one or more months.

Closets and Cupboards “Living History” Tours

Everybody loved the Beekman House “living history” tours so we want to reinvent them.  Now the year is 1932.  Julia Beekman has died, and daughter Carrie is planning to move to Portland where her brother Ben lives.  Carrie and Ben are going through their closets and cupboards prior to closing up the house, and the public is invited to share the memories of “growing up Beekman.”

Reservations only “Closets and Cupboards” tours will be offered the second Saturday of each month from May through August and “on demand.”  This $20 package will include a sack lunch, the “living history” tour, and a 20 minute talk on a related subject.

Ben and Carrie Beekman will be the tour guides, but back up characters are needed—their former cook Louise, Hoffman cousins, a handyman, etc.—to fill in if one of them is unavailable.  A greeter is needed to set the stage along with volunteers willing to plan and/or put together the lunches and individuals willing to research and/or present the themed talks.

Victorian Christmas

And of course, we plan to celebrate Victorian Christmas at the Beekman House, complete with a Victorian Christmas Bazaar.  Individuals are needed to begin planning for the Bazaar and possibly making Victorian themed items.

  The plans are ambitious, but they also chart a road map for saving the Beekman House and bringing it back to life.  Now we need your help!  Are you willing to volunteer for one or more of these roles?  For one or more of these activities?  If so, please e-mail Carolyn Kingsnorth at  jvilleheritage@aol.com or call 541-245-3650.