Kicking off the season at Kettle Falls Historical Center

Author and naturalist Jack Nisbet will be on hand Saturday, May 14th at the season opener for Kettle Falls Historical Society where he will offer the presentation “Leno’s World”. Covering the life and times of Inland Northwest artist Leno Prestini, Nisbet takes his usual meandering approach to tying the landscape to the people that it helped to shape. This presentation begins at 7:00 PM and is open to the public, free of admission, thanks to a grant from Humanities Washington. 

Leno Prestini was an Italian born artist who immigrated to the United States with his parents in 1907. He lived in Clayton, Washington, where he painted during the early part of the 20th century between jobs as a bricklayer and mason. His dramatic landscapes capture the rugged wildness of the inland northwest with ferocious passion. 

As the first official event of the season, the evening kicks off the beginning of summer hours at the museum, which start May 15th and run through September 15th, 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM daily. Volunteers and the Historical Center Committee are excited to show off the upgrades, renovations and new exhibits that have been underway during the off season, lending the museum a fresh new appeal to both new and returning visitors. 

As always, membership at the museum is $15 for an individual or $20 for a family annually, providing free admission and 10% off purchases in the “Shop at the Falls” gift shop which features local art and souvenirs. Daily admission is $3 for an individual and $5 for an entire family. The historical center hosts an annual art contest for local artists along the river, as well as the School of Primitive Skills and a series of guest speakers and events throughout the summer. This year the “River of Baskets”, a display of local native basket weavers will be featured at the museum along with a display of Native American Beadwork from local artists. 

The museum is formatted as a laid back, self guided tour through dioramas and displays, and a path on the outdoor grounds for an interpretive “walk in the woods”. The Kettle Falls Historical Center is located 4 miles west of Kettle Falls on highway 395, turn right onto St. Paul’s Mission road and follow it briefly to the museum. For more information, check out their website https://sites.google.com/site/kettlefallshistoricalcenter/ or call 509-738-6964.