Raymond, Washington Museum Offers Visitors a Stroll through Another Time
By Anna Golbov, Director, Northwest Carriage Museum
You won’t find real horses at The Northwest Carriage Museum in Raymond, Washington, but horses do play an integral role at this unique destination.
The museum’s collection focuses on horse-drawn transportation and related artifacts with an astounding 64 horse-drawn vehicles plus thousands of 19th-century artifacts. This museum is certainly not what you might expect to find in a small town as the collection is world-class and invites visitors to step back in time to another era.
For horse lovers, this subject holds particular appeal. The collection not only lets visitors experience the amazing vehicles that relied upon horses as engines—from the practical to the luxurious—but also thousands of artifacts of horse tack and other equestrian curiosities, period clothing, carriage-maker tools, and all manner of items that really bring the period to life!
A Team Effort
The Northwest Carriage Museum began in 2002 with a donation of 21 vehicles from a local businessman with a private collection. Over the past 22 years, the museum has seen growth not only of the collection, but also of visitor numbers, historical ties, and recognition. This immense growth can be attributed to a team effort.
Although the original collector and his family catalyzed the creation of this incredible cultural asset to the area through the donation of his stunning vehicles and the establishment of the museum, there wasn’t a clear path forward for the new nonprofit. Then, only a few years after the museum opened, recent California retirees Laurie and Jerry Bowman got involved. They were inspired by the area and the uniqueness of the collection, and as they became more involved, they started thinking of a bigger picture for the future of the museum.
Laurie Bowman became the museum’s executive director. Her business guidance and passionate marketing of this hidden gem spread word of the museum and laid a foundation for incredible growth.
Jerry lent his experience with woodworking, antiques, and classic car restoration and became passionate about the history and preservation of horse-drawn vehicles. He has since become a historian on these vehicles and an authority on their restoration and conservation. Jerry has been featured at history talks and symposiums throughout the country. These speaking engagements have helped the museum and its world-class collection gain international attention—quite the feat for a relatively young museum in a small town!
Unique Collection Offers Special Experience
Nothing can quite prepare visitors for what greets them when they walk through the doors at The Northwest Carriage Museum. Photos and videos of these vehicles don’t do justice to how gorgeous and impactful they are in person. Devoid of glass walls and velvet ropes, this museum feels like a stroll through another time. The presentation of the collection showcases the beauty of the vehicles and perfectly encapsulates the lives and personal histories of the people of the times as well.
If only these vehicles could talk! The love of this collection by those running the museum can be felt in every detail, and the experience leaves visitors stunned, whether they are of the casual-glance or the read-every-sign ilk. Even kids are deeply engaged as the displays and thoughtfully crafted interactive exhibits stir their imagination and create learning opportunities. There’s even a chance to climb aboard a wagon or get a lesson in carriage driving from a mechanical talking horse!
Located on the pristine Willapa River in the natural wonderland that is Southwest Washington, The Northwest Carriage Museum’s story is one of history and community. Between its origin as the beloved private collection of a born-and-raised Raymondite and its ascension to international renown, the museum’s mission of keeping horse-drawn history alive has changed the face of this town and the stewardship of transportation history for good.
The Northwest Carriage Museum is open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m at 314 Alder Street in Raymond, WA, right at the junction of US Hwy 101 and WA State Route 6. For more information, please visit www.nwcarriagemuseum.org or call 360-942-4150.
See this article in the August 2024 online edition:
August 2024
The Northwest Horse Source is an independently owned and operated print and online magazine for horse owners and enthusiasts of all breeds and disciplines in the Pacific Northwest. Our contemporary editorial columns are predominantly written by experts in the region, covering the care, training, keeping and enjoyment of horses, with an eye to the specific concerns in our region.
