Artifact and Historic Building Donations
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Artifact & Building
Donations

Member Benefits

Sponsor a Building

    Every week of the year someone cares enough to donate
    memorabilia or historic buildings to support the mission of
    the museum:

    MMW Mission: To preserve historic western
    memorabilia and buildings for the enjoyment
    and education of visitors for generations to come.


    Artifact Donations: Click here to read about the latest
    donations. Read below to see how you can donate.

    Items accepted were made or produced prior to 1940 and
    meet the requirements established by the board of
    directors*. These are items that would usually sit in
    someone's attic or basement and perhaps deteriorate due
    to neglect. When we accept donations we offer a letter for
    income tax deductions and we record any history known
    about the item for our database and display documentation.

    Historic Building Donations

    Beginning in 2004, historic buildings have been donated to
    the museum for restoration and preservation. Usually the
    building was going to be destroyed as property was sold or
    new developments were planned. For example, a lovely
    church building no longer supported by the denomination
    for which it was built, was sold to a local oral surgeon, Dr.
    Craig Cayo. He had plans for a new clinic to be built on the
    property. Cayo waited until he could find a home for the
    church building... which was the MMW... AND he donated
    $17, 500.00 for the cost of moving the church to the
    museum grounds.

    Donated buildings include the following:

  • 1913 German Lutheran Church; moved from Park Avenue in Montrose.
  • Diehl Carriage Works: 1895 Studebaker Wagon Dealership also containing a blacksmith
    shop. Jack Dempsey, prize fighter trained and fought on the 2nd floor.
  • 1882 Denver & Rio Grande Railroad Section House: one of the 1st buildings in Olathe, CO,
    also contained the first post office.
  • ca. 1912 Fairview School Brick Teacherage; small brick house used for boarding the
    teacher for the school; donated by the Faussone brothers
  • Jutten School Bell Tower (w/bell); moved from Colona CO; built ca. 1889; placed on a
    small building (early 1900's); donated by Verna Wissel which will be furnished as a one-
    room school house
  • 1909 House; possibly a Montgomery Wards "Kit House"; moved from Hillcrest in
    Montrose.
  • 1933 Log Barn; dismantled log by log and reconstructed at the MMW; donated by Mike
    English; farm 1/2 mile from the MMW. (English also donated a 1909 Granary.)
  • 1930's Log Cabin; built in Ramona CO between Ridgway and Ouray Colorado.
  • 1909 Granary; used to store grain on the property of the 1909 House; converted to a
    Gun Shop with a false front

    *Donation Requirements:
  • All items must meet the approval of the Executive Director and/or his staff to be of
    museum quality and/or have significant historic value that adds to the museum displays.
  • Items may be stored on the museum grounds until an appropriate display is prepared
    and/or room is made within an existing display.
  • *"On loan" donations are rarely accepted (usually only for a specific event). Therefore, all
    items donated are considered the property of the museum to be used as the staff sees
    fit. Rarely, a donated item may be sold if it is no longer acceptable for display. Any money
    received for the item is placed in the museum accounts and used only for the benefit of
    the museum.
           * Items from other historical museums are exceptions to this rule.
Copyright 2007, Museum of the Mountain West, Inc.  All rights reserved.