A few of our members shared a visit to

The Cowlitz Historical Museum

August 29th, 2025

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We toured a few other museums –

Lelooska Museum August 16th, 2025

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Fun visit to a private rural museum – June 11th, 2025

La Center Fifth Grade Class Tour – June 6th, 2025

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The Margaret Colf Hepola / La Center Historical Museum Scholarships Awards Night – June 4th, 2025

It was a fun night to celebrate our scholarship winners – $2,500 to Charli Hendrickson, $1,500 to Isabella Higgins, $1,000 to Brady Sypher.

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Presenting An Afternoon With Paula

reading Axe Me No Questions

March 15th, 2025

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Class of ’84 Reunion – August 17th, 2024

We had such a fun visit with this group today!

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La Center “Our Days” 2024

Teresa Sielsch, Mary Worley and Suzi Terrell

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5th Grade Tour ~ June 14th, 2024

Jodi Cobabe’s Class

McKenzie Braaten’s Class

Kate Denny’s Class

Kylie Hathaway’s Class

Glen Jones’s Class

Peter Poppert’s Class

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Misc Shots

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La Center United’s – CHEERS to Volunteers!

The museum was honored to be included in this appreciation event where all the La Center volunteers were showcased. Each spokesperson highlighted their organization and how they helped our community.

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The Margaret Colf Hepola / La Center Historical Museum Scholarships Awards Night – June 5th, 2024

It was a fun night to celebrate our scholarship winners – $2,500 to Blaine Joner, $1,500 to Sophia Johnson, $1,000 to Aidan McDaid

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A Night of History – April 30th, 2024

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January 20th, 2024

We had a party to honor those who have gone above and beyond in supporting and promoting our small community – the Lion’s Club, the Mayor, City Council and Staff, La Center Church, Meals on Wheels, La Center United and the American Legion.

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December 15th, 2023 – Thank You Kris McKinney and your 4th grade students for making all these fantastic decorations for us … giving us such a fun and festive look – GREAT job everyone!!

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September 8th, 2023

We had an idea to put a motion sensor in our “Student’s Hall” and have it play their ‘fight song’ whenever someone came in … we weren’t sure we could actually make the this happen but thanks to Peter Rosenkranz, Superintendent and Rhonda Catchpole, Choral Director – it all came together in such an exciting and fun way!

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Shae Whelchel’s 6th Grade Class

September 22nd, 2023

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La Center Farmer’s Market Grand Finale Classic Car Show and Candidate Meet & Greet …

August 24th, 2023

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Margaret Colf Hepola / La Center Historical Museum Scholarship

Award Night 6/7/2023

Click on the ribbon to read their essay ~

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5th Grade Class Visits

June 5th, 2023

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Finding Your Roots

April 1st, 2023

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Podunk Pizza Grand Opening

Hey hey the museum gets an honorable mention!

March 18, 2023

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LC Wildcat.WHISKERs joins LCHM Lumber.JACK in surprise visit –

Mascots ROCK!!

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The Podunk Pizza Company

February 26th, 2023

Museum members showing support and welcoming La Center’s newest business … taking it’s name from what our town was first called. They had asked for old photos to help show off La Center’s rich history and we were happy to share. We wish them the very best of Luck!!

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Introducing our “Flat Jack” Project – click here to follow his Advertures

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Christmas Party 2022

https://videopress.com/v/kXtbE8sb?resizeToParent=true&cover=true&preloadContent=metadata&useAverageColor=true

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Decorating for the Holidays 2022

Thank you to Mrs. McKinney’s 4th grade class for helping to make the museum warm and festive!

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Oral History 101 – November 29th, 2022

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Thank You Sharon Bryan!

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Giving Tuesday 2022

Today, November 29th, is Giving Tuesday. Founded in 2012, the purpose of the 1st Tuesday after Thanksgiving is to inspire people and companies to contribute to worthwhile non-profit organizations. Several of the reasons you should give are: It’ll provide you personal satisfaction; you’re helping an organization who needs it and will put it to good use; your contribution might inspire others to give too.

We at your La Center Museum Association are very thankful for the continued sponsorship of the Colf Family, our members and especially the all-volunteer efforts of our Directors and volunteers. But without your financial donations, we cannot accomplish the myriad of projects that need to be done.

Check out our website https://thelacentermuseum.com/ and if you agree we have earned your financial support, click on the donate button at the bottom of the home page.

Thanks in advance for your tax deductible donation.

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Home School Tour

November 16th, 2022

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Veteran’s Day 2022

Our president Col. Ken Frantz had the honor to be asked to speak at the La Center High School event … we think he did a Fantastic job!!

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Salishan Winery Interview

November 8th, 2022

Click on the photo to listen

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VIP Treatment – October 14th, 2022

We’d like to send out a big Thank You to Peter Rosenkranz, Superintendent of LC School District, for the VIP treatment our members received at homecoming last night, along with the nice mention promoting our La Center Historical Museum … it was such a fun and exciting game!!!

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New President – August 1st, 2022

We are extremely excited to announce that Ken Frantz was just sworn in as the new President of the La Center Museum tonight. He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience as you’ll see in reading a short description of Ken’s bios below –

Ken Frantz:
Served as a Marine Corps engineer during 1967-1999, as Private through Colonel with four overseas tours totaling 7 years. Upon retirement, he and his wife Diana of DuBois, PA. moved to their Florida cattle ranch until relocating to Ashville, NY in 2005. In 2011, they moved to Conroe, Texas. In 2005, Ken was elected as President and Secretary of the Marine Corps Engineer Association, a non-profit veteran’s organization. In 2007, he assumed duties as Executive Director and served in that capacity until 2015.

Ken stepped down from his duties in 2016 to become full-time caregiver for Diana until she passed away 31 March 2019. In August of 2019, Ken returned to his volunteer duties with the Marine Corps Engineer Association as a Permanent Associate Director and moved to Gleannloch Farms in Spring, Texas.
8 November 2019, Ken was elected to the Board of Directors and as Executive Director for Future Operations Base; a Houston area non-profit assisting active duty and veterans, plus first responders and eligible family members.

28 February 2020, Ken became a foster dad to Honor, a yellow Labrador puppy in support of The Rescue for PTSD. Honor passed all of the required skill tests and was paired with a wounded warrior from the Lone Survivor Foundation. In March, he joined The Rescue’s Board as Vice President. In June, he became foster dad to Tango, a rescue pup and in July was elected as President and continues to fill that billet. He continued to foster and train additional canines until he moved.

18 March 2022, Ken moved to their family homestead in La Center, Washington. He continues his community support and involvement and has been elected to Vice Commander of American Legion Post 189 and President of the La Center Museum Association.

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Our Days 2022!

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Farmer’s Market History Night 2022

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The Margaret Colf Hepola / La Center Historical Museum Scholarships Awards

It was our pleasure and honor to be involved with the Colf family in helping facilitate their dream of awarding High School seniors these first-time scholarships.  The family’s only stipulation was that the student write about something they learned while visiting the museum – this was a win-win idea … the museum received more visitors and those students learned about La Center’s rich history.

The board members put together a team to read, judge and choose the winners.  Selecting those students was more difficult than we thought due to the large amount of well thought out essays we received.  With all that said, we’d now like to announce those winners and share their essays.

Congratulations to Emily Rosenkranz, Helen Dunlap and Tamsyn Lewis! We’d also like to give a special Honorary Mention to Cooper McIssac for his essay on the La Center totem pole. Our best wishes and good luck to all of you!!

Click on the ribbons below to read their essays.

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We had a great day with help from a team of LDS researchers in hunting for ancestors and knocking down brick walls.  They were not only very knowledgeable but fun to work with, and it was such a success that we’re hoping to have them back again soon!!

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The La Center Museum extends a special invitation to the Mayor and Council members to tour the museum at our open house on Saturday, January 15th from 1:00 – 3:00pm. We’ve recently done some exciting things to the museum and know you will enjoy stepping back in time and seeing a bit of history on the town you represent. The public is also invited to join us for a “meet and greet”. Coffee and cookies will be served to welcome you all. Looking forward to seeing you!

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Essay Contest Winners

Congratulations to Alina and Ava …  you both have been chosen to receive our first ever, joint award for “enthusiasm”! You have shown not only great exuberance for our contest but also for the history and interest in our little town. We’d like to award you a $50.00 gift certificate from Fred Meyers to share!

Your eager passion and excitement were infectious, and we hope it will transfer to your family and friends and bring them in to the museum for a tour. Thanks again for playing along with us!

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Opening a pass through doorway ~

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The Colf Foundation Scholarships

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Viles Family Focus

October 2nd, 2021

Happy Birthday Ken! What joy it was seeing you, Myrna and your family so happy. You are an amazing man, your life story is incredible and your heart for La Center is overwhelming. Thank you to Ken’s family for allowing us to be a part of this special event.

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Having Fun at Clark County Historical Museum’s

September 2021 History-A-Thon

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2021 La Center Church Farmer’s Market plus Cruise-In

Jack getting a LOT of Attention!

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Touchmark Senior Tour

June 17th, 2021

We had a great “private” showing today – a spin off from our Touchmark group who came to visit in May. 

May 8th, 2021

We were so excited to host our very first “tour” in over a year! We had the folks from the Life Enrichment Department at Touchmark at Fairway Village come in. Josh their facility director created a program called “In the Couv”, teaching the seniors about the history of Vancouver/Clark County and chose us to come visit!!

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A 1918 Life and Death Race from View to La Center to Portland

by Steven Becker

The La Center Museum is excited to invite you to listen to an amazing story read by Vancouver writer Steve Becker, who recounts his grandfather’s role on this fateful day, as well as a lively description of this once bustling community.  Click on the book below to listen to Steve’s story –

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Fun with Brad at Clark County Historical Museum’s

September 2020 History-A-Thon

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Mrs. Cuthbert’s Second Grade Tour

November 19th, 2019

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Veteran’s Appreciation Day 2019

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Tom’s Memorial

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