It has been nearly 10 years since a group of history-loving local residents got together and formed what is now a staple in the Roy community -- the Roy Historical Museum.
Although the museum has seen some hard times with a slow economy and not as many volunteers, things are looking up with some grants and more community involvement.
The museum got its start in 1993, when resident Emma Russell was running out of room in her home for much of the city's memorabilia. A small group got together and started looking for donors to start a museum.
They found success with the Swanson Foundation, which donated $100,000 to get things moving -- and they haven't looked back.
Things started a little rough, said museum board member Faye Field. She was on the board when things got started.
"Many of the powers that be wanted it on 1900 West," she said, talking about the first location of the museum near the former Iomega headquarters. "It wasn't conducive to tourism," and handicapped access wasn't sufficient at that site.
The museum board started working with the Roy Water Conservancy Board and secured a building and land on the Water Conservancy property just north of Hill Aerospace Museum at Hill Air Force Base. The historical museum moved to that location around 1994, and it has proven to be a good move because of its proxmity to the Hill museum. Many tourists and school groups like to visit both spots.
Field said Roy's history is really interesting. Many artifacts from the founding of the city are on display at the museum, including pictures from digging the canal that allowed Roy to become a city to the gravestone marker for Roy Peebles, the young boy for whom the city was named.
The museum board has developed various seek-and-find games for children who visit. Field said she loves it when children come in and check out all the items in the museum, but what she enjoys most of all is her family's display.
She lovingly points out pictures behind glass of her Field family ancestors, some of the first settlers of Roy.
Many other displays adorn the museum, including a large area dedicated to Dr. Beryl Swanson, whose family foundation donated the large sum of money to get the museum started.
Swanson's medical license and some of his medical coats are displayed, as well as an orthopedic table and wheelchair.
Also popular is an old-fashioned ice cream machine, Field said, pointing out the machine with its separate compartments for the ingredients -- ice, salt, cream. Not everything in the museum is unique to Roy's history, but all of it has great historical value, she said.
One whole display is centered around the Titanic, and many old photos are shown throughout the museum, including a picture of the workers who built the canal that put the city of Roy on the map.
The museum, in conjunction with the city, sponsors an art show every year, with cash prizes for the winners. Many of the winning pieces from throughout the years are on display at the museum, as well as a stone monument of the 10 Commandments that once sat on city property.
The museum is not open during winter months, because it is difficult to access in inclement weather and because many of the volunteers are older and have a hard time getting out.
The board does meet once a month, year-round, to keep things on track with the various grants it is applying for.
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