Tallac Sessions Two

Second Session

It is amazing how time flies.  Already the first session is behind us and it is the beginning of the second week of the second session.  The main differences?  Less manual work and more interpretation. 

   The first session was getting the site open; taking off all the shutters, repairing any building that has had a hard winter, cleaning all the buildings, pulling out the materials that are part of the display for each building.  Also, the grounds are in need of prepping too.  Raking the millions of pine needles, weeding the flower beds, mowing and watering the lawns.  It was rewarding but lots of work.

    Memorial Day came and we went into the transition mode.  On week-ends  tours of the Pope house began and the museum was open. 

   July 16 was the magic day and the Tallac site went on full schedule.   It seems it is the magic day in this area because other places also went on full schedule on this day.  Full schedule means more tours.  More tours mean more fun.  More fun for our visitors and more fun for us volunteers.  R conducted her first two tours of the Pope house on Thursday and I gave mine on Friday.  We are encouraged to conduct the tours in costume if we wish.  One of the bedrooms of the Pope house is used as the costume room and it is filled with costumes for both men and women. 

    While Fort Vancouver has costumes for eras from 1820’s thru WWII, Tallac is aimed at a specific timeframe of the 1920’s.  As I mentioned before flappers dresses do not look good on every body.  So R has found a maids costume that works and conducts her tours as one of the Pope staff.  I have discovered two costumes.  One of them includes a beige sport coat, shirt and tie and a straw hat.  Adding my own black slacks and shoes and it was complete.  The straw hat makes it.