August 9, 2002
John Redding
(208) 378-5212
TDD: 1-800-735-2900
Stitch in Time: Idaho Historical Museum Displays Reclamation Quilt Showing 100 Years of Water in the Northwest
A Centennial Quilt that took 64 Bureau of Reclamation employees and volunteers to create will be on display at the Idaho Historical Museum in Julia Davis Park in Boise, Idaho, from August 16 - September 13, 2002.
The quilt, which shows the history of water delivery in the Northwest, was designed to honor Reclamation’s 100th anniversary. It took nearly four years to complete and measures 18 feet in length and 8 feet high, showing the agency’s five-state Pacific Northwest Region.
‘The quilt captures the work-related history of the water projects which shaped the West," said Diana Cross, Reclamation Public Affairs Officer. "It is just something people have to see for themselves."
The Centennial Quilt has three separate sections, with a total of 144 quilt squares that range from the traditional Ohio Star to more modern techniques. Major rivers are traced by technique using threads and fibers. Charms, patches, applique, embroidery, drawings, and photo transfers decorate the map to represent agriculture, history, or specific locations.
The Idaho Historical Museum, 610 N. Julia Davis Drive, is inside Julia Davis Park. Museum hours are from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Admission is $2 for adults and $1 for children between the age of 6 and 18 years old. The quilt will also be on display at various Reclamation offices and public areas throughout the Centennial year.
Background:
The agency started in June 1902 as the federal Reclamation Service Reclamation’s mission was to find ways to deliver water to the arid West. The Pacific Northwest Region is headquartered in Boise, Idaho, and includes projects and facilities in Idaho, Oregon, Washington, and western portions of Montana and Wyoming. One out of five Western farmers with irrigation water for 10 million farmland acres that produce 60 percent of the nation’s vegetables and 25 percent of its fruits and nuts. Active Safety of Dams program in place for some 457 dams in 17 states. 58 powerplants operated by Reclamation generate 42 billion kilowatt hours of power, enough to serve 9 million people. - DOI -
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