Exhibiting the Power of the Wind… and CWU’s Museum Studies Faculty and Students

In April 2008, after 16 months of planning, the exhibition “Harvesting the Wind’s Power, Tracking the Wild Horse Wind Facility Story” opened at Puget Sound Energy’s Renewable Energy Center. Under the direction of CWU assistant professor Bill Wood, the exhibition was conceived, developed, and produced by CWU faculty and students who worked with local furniture maker Mike Bello (owner of Cedar Mountain Woodwrights) and graphic designer Zane Kinney (of Rodeo City Graphics) to mount the 2500+ sq. ft. exhibition. It was developed under contract with PSE and provided students and faculty with valuable hands on exhibition development experience.

Wood and faculty curators Jim Huckabay, Kathleen Barlow, Morris Uebelacker, Steve Hackenburger, and Patrick McCutcheon (of the Departments of Anthropology and Geography) worked with students in the Museum Studies Minor and Resource Management Masters Degree programs, Andy Granitto (Yakima Valley Museum), and Kathryne Sample (a student in the REM graduate program who both developed several exhibit “modules” and later coordinated the exhibition’s installation). In all, nearly 35 additional students and faculty contributed to the exhibition’s success through consulting, advising, critiquing, or reviewing materials.

In addition to the themes of wind energy and the development and construction of the PSE facility, the exhibit is focused on the natural and cultural history of the area and includes treatments of topics from the regional pre-historic Missoula flood, to the archaeology of the area and a controversial game management plan (of Elk and domesticated cattle). The project also included Native American participation and consultation. Angela Buck (Wanapum Band) worked with several students (including Kate Swan, Yakama Nation) and Kathleen Barlow to develop an exhibition component on Native American root harvesting in the area.

The PSE Renewable Energy Center at Wild Horse is open to the public from April to November. It is located approximately 20 miles east of Ellensburg on Vantage Highway.

An exhibition case featuring Native American root gathering items		Andy Granitto installs materials in an exhibit case		The exhibition’s opening in April 2008