"A Walk Back In Time" Cemetery Tours

The Lynden Pioneer Museum in conjunction with Moles-Good Steward Funerals and the City of Lynden is pleased to present "A Walk Back In Time" cemetery tours at the Lynden Public Cemetery.

Visit the resting places of the Judsons, Hawleys, Berthusens, Tennants and other local pioneer families. 

The Lynden public cemetery was founded in 1889 when the Lynden Masonic Lodge and Odd Fellows created the cemetery as a community burial ground. 

Landowners donated the land in 1891 to form the Lynden Cemetery Association. The Cemetery was maintained and operated by the Lynden Lodge until 1974 then became Whatcom County Cemetery District 10.

The cemetery contains many interesting and historic grave sites that include early pioneers, war heros, settlers, homesteaders, native princesses and unique gravestones.

Cemetery tours are available every Saturday through October 15 at 1:00. These FREE tours take approximately one hour.

Meet at the Lynden Cemetery on the south corner of the Guide and Front Street. 

If you are interested in a private tour or tours outside the regular tour schedule please contact Troy at the Lynden Pioneer Museum at 360.354.3675.

These cemetery tours are presented as a free community service.

Thanks again to Moles-Good Steward Funerals for their support of this program.

A New Face

You may notice a slight change on many of the museums faces. We have a new logo. But what does that logo mean?




The logo says alot of things about us. Here are some things to note:

*It is roundish! Because we are Flowing and fun and dynamic. Your museum is never standing still. We are always upgrading, adding and making the museum better.

*There is a barn! Whatcom County is Agriculture. Farmers built this county, they keep it running as the main industry. Our heritage is an agricultural and farming heritage.

*There is a Buggy! The Polinder Buggy collection is the centerpiece of the museum's many fabulous items. It is the largest collection of horse drawn vehicles West of the Mississippi river and represents a significant aspect of American History. Transportation.

*There is a Car! Transportation technology has been the single biggest changer of American Culture. The invention of the car changed nearly every aspect of human life and made the largest human architectural endeavor a reality-the U.S. Interstate system.

*It says "The Best 2 Hours You Will Spend Discovering History". Because this statement is true. The amount of information we have packed into this building is incredible. It takes an average visitor 2 hours to explore the history of Whatcom County. And we guarantee it will be the best museum experience you will have.

Why? Our docents are friendly and knowlegeable. Our exhibits bring history to life, our collections represent unique and significant moments in local and national history. Our admission price is lower than going to a movie and you learn more, feel better about yourself and connect with the world around you.

So support your Lynden Pioneer Museum. Your admissions, gift shop purchases, donations, and memberships are 90% of our budget. Please become a member of the museum and protect your heritage.

This is what our logo represents. What does it say to you?

Docents

Reading how to become a docent on ehow I realized it is much easier at the Lynden Pioneer Museum, so in BOLD I've inserted the Lynden Pioneer Museum way.
Step 1
Find a museum where you want to volunteer. EASY! The Lynden Pioneer Museum!Make sure the museum's content interests you because you'll be putting a lot of time into the program. Maybe NOT a lot of time, one morning or afternoon a week or become a substitute on call.

Step 2
Fill out any forms to apply for the program. ONE page at the Lynden Pioneer Museum! Filling out a form doesn't guarantee you will get in. Sometimes there are more applicants than openings. Make sure your application makes it apparent that you love the museum's content. Museum employees might like to see that you incorporate the museum's subject into your free time. Make your personality shine through as much as possible. They are looking for sociable, dynamic people. If you are sociable and looking to meet new friends, LPM is a good match for you. Many of our docents become good friends, visiting while they work, or putting together a jigsaw puzzle in the lobby, playing cribbage in between helping visitors, working crossword puzzles, knitting or reading a good book.

Step 3
Attend the training courses and be ready to study. Study? No. How often you meet will vary from museum to museum, but don't be surprised if you meet more than once a week, and for more than six months. Easy at the Lynden Pioneer Museum, one training session with Tami and then on the job training with another docent. You will probably attend a lot of lectures to learn about the museum's exhibits. Troy may lecture us but that isn't training, hee hee. Your instructors will also talk about how to lead tours and how to change your tour for different groups of visitors. For example, think about how you would change your presentation about a certain piece if you showed it to a 9-year-old and then a 79-year-old, or how would you keep people from touching the exhibits. In the end, you might also lead sample tours, consisting of your classmates and museum employees.

Step 4
Schedule time to volunteer at your museum. Don't worry, Tami will call you and get you on the calendar. Museums have invested time and money into your training, so they will most likely expect you to commit to a certain number of hours per week. Your responsibilities could include leading tours, giving demonstrations, helping visitors with hands-on activities, or even community outreach programs that could take you to local schools.

Step 5
Continue your education with any required docent readings or training. Because exhibits are constantly changing, some museums have weekly classes for their current docents. No weekly class, just notes left by the front desk and occasional on the job lectures by our director, Troy. Ask Troy about Lynden's history or an exhibit, he'll tell!

Step 6
Commit for the long haul. Some docent programs will ask you to commit to volunteering for several years. Hey, don't worry about a huge time block. At the Lynden Pioneer Museum we understand that you are a volunteer and that you have family, friends, vacations and a life outside of your museum. Getting time off is easy.

Call Tami at the museum at 360-354-3675 to schedule a training session today.

Oh, and at the Lynden Pioneer Museum we have a Docent Dinner every year. A night of appreciation, with good music, delicious food and over the top yummy desserts!

Say It, Wear It, Mean It

Shains. A new fun bracelet to express yourself. Got something to say? Say it with Shains. The Lynden Pioneer Museum Gift Shop has a large selection of bracelets, alphabets and add-ons. The add-ons are only $1. Shains are a super fun birthday gift. A portion of the purchase is donated to an environmental organization. So you can feel good about shopping too. Gotta love that!