| It is the heart felt desire of the Josephine County Historical Society Museum to continue the preservation of the history of Josephine County and Southern Oregon. The Society has received many donations, the most famous of which is a collection of oriental art and a sum of money by Col. LeRoy Heston in his will in 1982. The Schmidt House was donated by the Schmidt sisters.In the mid 1880's, European immigrants, Claus and Hannchen Schmidt came to Grants Pass and homesteaded on the Rogue River where their five children were born. After years of farming, hauling lumber, and even gold hunting, Mr. Schmidt opened a grocery store in a rented, wooden building on 6th Street. By 1910, he built a large brick store on the corner of 6th and "I" Streets where it served the town until 1955. The family home on the corner of 5th and "J" Streets was constructed from locally made bricks in 1901. Three additions including a wood-shingled upper story, were built onto the original four-room house. The grounds include a garden, fruit trees, and a barn which served as the temporary home of the Research Library from 1992-1997. Few changes have been made to the Schmidt House, which was home to family members Anna and Flora Schmidt until they donated the house to the Josephine County Historical Society. The rooms are decorated in period fashion and most of the fixtures are original to the house. A special collection of antique toys and children's belongings is the focus on one room, while other rooms feature needlework done by the Schmidt family. The old pitcher pump on the back porch looks out on the gardens which contain native plants and beautiful flowers. |
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