Kerby, OR

Continuing our Josephine County "Passport To History" program we went next door from the Kerbyville Museum to the Stith-Naucke House.

This house was built about 1870 by Frank Stith. It was built for William Naucke, a Kerbyville merchant.

Frank Stith later married one of Naucke's daughters, and they lived in this house for years afterward.

The home was purchased by the Illinois Valley Federated Women's Club in 1958. They made restorations, and since Oregon's centennial in 1959, the house has been a museum.

The living room seems small by today's standards,

and one wonders how the parlor, or sitting room was used. Perhaps in the old days, the living room was for use of the residents, and guests were entertained in the parlor.

The fireplace in the parlor makes it seem better to have guests often.

A massive wood stove and oven dominate the kitchen, which must have been a bustle of activity with a large family, and all baking and cooking done the old way. No microwaves, no timers, and certainly no shortcuts.

Note the "modern" hand pump in the kitchen sink, so the residents could have running water inside.

Prior to this convenience, buckets of water were pumped at the well, and carried in to the house.

Bath water had to be pumped into buckets or pans, and heated over the stove, and carried upstairs to the bathroom. Pipes led out from the tub to drain it, but earlier on, even the bathwater had to be carried outside after the bath was done.

The outhouse was in back, and even as nice as these folks had it, it was still a tough life.

A large pantry sits behind the kitchen. Pioneers had to plan ahead, and stock as much food and supplies as they could find and afford.

There was no such thing back then as running up to the store.

The bedrooms in the Stith-Naucke House are located upstairs. This bedroom has the luxury of a wood-burning stove.

The furnishings in the Stith-Naucke House have been generously given or loaned to the museum by local pioneer families.

The staircase is very narrow compared to today's standards.

This is called a "witch ball" or "witch trap." "Witch balls" were usually hung in windows for protection against evil spells and negativity. A blown glass witch ball traps negative energy to prevent it from affecting the home environment.

The Stith-Naucke House still needs a lot of work, and just keeping ahead of deterioration is a constant battle.

The museum is not funded other than by the small admission and whatever fund raisers they can conceive. All donations are gratefully accepted.

Note the tree to the right of the house; it was the notorious "hanging tree" referred to in the Kerbyville Museum post. It had quite a bit of activity in its' day, and now a granite rock with a large dragonfly carved in it, sits in its' place.

Please visit the Josephine County Historical Society's website for more information on the Passport To History program.

Below are the links to my earlier Josephine County Historical Society's Passport To History blogs.

Introduction Caveman Schmidt House

Blind George's Newsstand Grants Pass Historic Homes Tour

Historic District Tour Grants Pass Pharmacy Rogue Theatre

Hugo Community Church Haines Apple Tree Ament Dam

Grants Pass Cemeteries Pottsville Sportsman Park

Griffin Park Lake Selmac Granite Hill Cemetery

Pleasant Valley Cemetery Josephine County Bridges

Grants Pass Fire Department Reinhart Volunteer Park Wolf Creek Inn

Applegate Trail Interpretive Center Golden Townsite

Grave Creek Covered Bridge Robertson Bridge

Wilderville Store and Post Office Wilderville Cemetery

Granite Tombstone Quarry Merlin Park - Veterans Walk of Honor

Gotcher Cemetery Provolt Store Missouri Flat Cemetery

Siskiyou Smokejumper Base Rough & Ready Botanical Wayside

Rough & Ready Lumber Co. Pacifica, A Garden In The Siskiyous

Riverside Park Daily Courier Daily Courier "Boss" Voorhies

Barnstormers Theatre Ghosts In Southern Oregon National Monument

The Chateau at Oregon Caves National Monument

Oregon Caves National Monument Hugo Ladies Club

Kerbyville Museum