SHARING OUR HISTORY
The Centralia Museum is Rich in History
Many items in the house belonged to the Chance family with the balance of items having been donated by area residents. A great example of Chance family items is the Three Graces marble statuary that was made especially to sit under the front staircase.
MAIN FLOOR
Dining Room
The dining room features a large dining room table set with three additional table leaves which are stored in the attic.
A complete set of Homer Laughlin items to prepare for the day – China bowl, pitchers, chamber pot, etc. are displayed in bottom of dining room case. They were sold in Sears (note catalog ad showing these items as a set sold for less than $5). The set was a gift from Jewel Browder.
The original chandelier was returned to Museum in 2011. Various silver pieces are from the estate of Annabelle Howard left to Museum in her will.
Living Room
The 1876 Bradbury Square Grand Piano was donated by the Iman family.
The fainting couch was donated by the Harold Elliott family. Ladies would recline on such a couch to regain their breath, if corsets were too tight.
The living sofa and chair belonged to the Chance family as did the two large mirrors The Austrian vases on the mantel were purchased by Mrs. Chance on the World tour in 1927/28. The marble topped table, from estate of Annabel Howard, has a carved dog on the lower shelf. Mr. Fountain’s framed pocket watch, displayed on the marble top table is said to have been traded for a horse, early 1800s when as a young man was traveling west in search of gold.
UPSTAIRS
Master Bedroom
This room has one of the original fireplaces. The bed and dresser are from Mrs. Paul Sturgeon.
The wooden cradle is from the Bill Hollander family and the hand carved wooden rocker is from Charles Hedberg (rocker was 150 years old when given to the Museum in the 1980s.
The wall mirror with match holder was from the first boarding house in Centralia, “The Lampton House”, given by Nita Kleinsorge Cox, granddaughter of the Lamptons.
The sewing table with carved ducks in the legs was a gift from Bertie Chance Born (widow of Buford Chance).
Upstairs Hallway
In the hallway and towards the back are photographs of various Centralia buildings and residents during the time the Chance’s lived in the home.
The built in storage area in the hall is the linen closet with both shelves and drawers. This provides storage for our quilts and linens from early 1900.
The Victoria Baby Buggy has the original cover on the umbrella, advertised in 1904 catalog for $17.11, a gift from Nancy Russell.
Massacre Train
The Massacre Train is located on the second floor landing. Charles Burson, originally from Centralia, built and donated this treasure to the Museum.
The train, with video and audio, depicts those involved in the 9/27/1868 Massacre happening.
Children's Room
This room includes handmade wooden cradle(1800) from Payne family. The iron baby bed is from the Elliotts. The child wheelchair is from Gertrude Yund.
1905 Steiff Bear, first Teddy sold in Centralia, from Annabelle Howard estate.
Maid's Room
Handmade bed, circa 1859, made for covered wagon travel with springs on bottom of legs. The square box at foot of bed houses the commode. Note the Victorian drawn work scarf depicting a shepherd.
A bathroom is located across the hall from this room.
This room is dedicated to the Chance Family and the Chance Company. It was completely updated in 2021 to show important items and happenings from 1907.
Chance Company made military items during war, including bomb lugs. Model T Ford piston rings were early year products. Other items produced include cast iron pans, aluminum play ground equipment and porcelain insulators.
In 1973 $65 cable cutters were modified to help save Sky Lab II, when solar panels would not open. Admiral Byrd used Chance Anchors on 2nd Exposition to South Pole.
BASEMENT
Basement Entry
Caution to use hand rail as steps are steep. Note the lamp stove at the bottom of the stairs. To the right is now used as a sewing room.
The wooden carpet sweeper is a gift from the Wade Younger family. The treadle sewing machine and rocker with swing out drawer are from early 1900s.
The small bath has clawfooted tub and various medicinal and grooming items including crimping and curing irons. Several single blade shavers are in cabinet.
Pioneer Kitchen
Up a few steps into the Pioneer Kitchen (originally the garage) was used as living quarters for the managers before 1974. Items reflect those used in early 1900s-wood stove, hand pump, coal oil lamps and many cooking utensils. Note the “Ant Traps” under the drop leaf table legs and the ‘Kitchen Spider’ to keep flies off food.
The Loom was given by the Ray Rumans family and is operable.
On pantry shelves are various cooking aids such as kraut cutter, toaster, ricer, grinder, etc. The green glass soda bottles are from the Centralia Bottling Co.
Tool Room
This room includes various farm tools, many from mid 1800s. The carpenters tool box, samples of barbed wire, grain cradle, ice saw and a collection of cameras. One camera was used by Edgar Rodemyre at the Fireside Guard. A miniature camera with film cartridges are in the wooden shadow box, gift of Jim Everhart.
Railroad items include door handle and one brick from the old depot along with lanterns and flares used by railway employees.
The wooden wheelbarrow has removable sides.
Chance Hot Line Tools
In the next room there is a display of Chance Hot Line Tools from 1950s.
The insulating poles in hallway are laminated wood. The hardware and fittings are for installation of temporary cross arms or platforms.
These tools are used to repair electrical power lines without turning off the electricity.
Assorted Tools
The stump puller, doubletree and moonshine still are in the room used by Gano and Phil as a chemical lab.
Boiler Room
The semi circle picture of the Chance Gardens is from the early 1940’s. The bench and pottery were used in the garden that same time.
To the left of this room is the original coal bin, now the laundry room, with hand cranked washer, wash boards, copper boiler and our Mr. & Mrs. bathing suits.
INCREDIBLE INGENUITY!
Albert Bishop Chance’s Room
The room is where AB did his dreaming and inventing. It shows disciplined organization with cabinets and drawers numbered, giving location in alphabetical order. The Bins can be removed and taken to work bench or tilted our to retrieve contents.
During the depression factory people could work here if they had bills and there was no work at the factory.
Note: Every inch of space is used for storage. Has been left as it was in 1949.
