With the continued help of our community, we will be able to plan for a permanent exhibit about the historic & continuing traditions of Coast Salish life on Orcas Island.
OIHM has been building regional relationships and collaborating with Indigenous colleagues, experts, and elders to broaden the perspectives of the stories we share about Orcas Island history.
Planning for future exhibits means continuing to honor all residents of these islands, including Coast Salish peoples who lived here since time immemorial and their descendants. OIHM’s mission to inspire connection and stewardship of local heritage supports our goal to serve as a respectful site of cross-cultural exchange and education for the benefit of the public.
Our Spring GiveOrcas campaign was launched to develop public education materials in consultation with a curator, exhibit designer, and elders from the Northwest Indian College. This grant will cover expenses related to compensation for expert consulting, travel, and lodging.
If you didn’t get the chance and still want to donate in support of this exhibit, you can make a contribution at any time with the memo “Indigenous exhibit.”
Glenn is part of a 7th generation homestead family on Orcas Island. He lives full time in Deer Harbor and is grateful for this great community.
Glenn works and owns a media production company and spends his free time volunteering on Orcas. In addition to the Orcas Museum board, Glenn is also Vice President and Historian of the Deer Harbor Community Club. He is also a SJC Cemetery Commissioner serving Orcas. All of these provide a fulfilling opportunity for serving our community.
Michelle (she/her) grew up in Whatcom County and has lived on Orcas Island since 2020. In the spring of 2022, she joined the Museums as a weekly docent. Within a year, Michelle decided to bite the bullet and become a full-time staff member. She now works as the Program Administrator, and is currently working on revitalizing the Oral History Project and designing new exhibits.
An Orcas resident since 2017, Debbie has family ties to what feels like half of Olga and beyond. She teases she knows more of her husband’s family history than he does. Debbie is our museum admin, but also bookkeeper for many island businesses, and treasurer to several non-profits beyond the park.
Nancy has lived on Orcas since 2020 coming here as an empty nester with her avid sailor husband. Nancy is New Mexico born, raised in Singapore and then has had many other stints up and down the West Coast. She has over 30 years in the non-profit industry always working in the areas of arts, culture, literature and heritage. She has a BA degree in Economics from Scripps College and a MA in Urban Planning from UCLA with an emphasis on the history of the built environment.