Museum Store
The Museum Store invites visitors to shop for souvenirs of Steilacoom, books, items related to pioneer and Victorian history, classic toys from the past, and gifts for all occasions.
Located on the main (upstairs) level of the Museum on the grounds of the historic Orr property at 1801 Rainier Street, the Museum Store serves Steilacoom residents and visitors alike
Available souvenirs of Steilacoom include mugs with the SHMA logo which list all the Firsts of Steilacoom such as the first public library in the state, the first brewery, school district and more. The book Town on the Sound contains stories, photographs and history of Steilacoom and is an excellent resource on Steilacoom’s story. Four gold hanging ornaments from a planned series make great gifts. The first design features the 1857 Nathaniel Orr Pioneer Home in profile, and the second depicts the Steilacoom ferry, one of the beloved symbols of life in this waterfront town. The third is of the 1895 Bair Drug and Hardware Store. The newest depicts the Steilacoom Town Hall at Christmas. Other items specific to Steilacoom include painted wooden ferries, magnets with Steilacoom scenes, and prints of the historic sites in town.
Secret Salmon Sauce, Colonel Don’s BarBQ Sauce, Steilacoom Apple Syrup and other delicious food products are produced locally by Waverly Products, Inc. The Secret Salmon Sauce, which has flavored the barbecued salmon prepared at the annual Steilacoom Salmon Bake for years, can now enhance your own home cooking.
Low technology toys that have endured from times past are popular with children and adults alike. With a nod to the many trains that come through Steilacoom on a daily basis, wooden train whistles sound like the real thing. Wooden yo-yo’s, Jacob’s ladders, and tops are beautifully made and fun to play with. Old time favorites include marbles in a leather pouch, jacks, jump ropes, ball on a stick and wooden popguns. The Museum Store is the place to find the pioneer child’s large hoop and stick, and a game called Three Graces which consists of wooden hoops embellished with multicolored ribbons and sticks used to send the hoops back and forth between two players in a graceful and surprisingly entertaining manner. Kazoos, carved wooden whistles, harmonicas and other early instruments require no formal training!
Jim Dyer, local artist and historian, has provided The Museum Store with his original framed watercolors, note cards with ink drawings of local buildings and scenes, and the Historic Homes booklet that depicts many of the buildings in town with information about their history. In conjunction with other Steilacoom old-timers, Jim has produced two volumes of Memories of Steilacoom that give a good account of growing up in this historic town.
For information on the store, contact Marianne Bull at (253)584-9410.
Steilacoom Historical Museum Association
