PORT ANGELES — The North Olympic Library System and the North Olympic History Center will host an opening reception for “Signs & Designs: 100 Years of Advertising in Clallam County” at 6:30 p.m. Friday.
The exhibit, and the free reception, are at the Port Angeles Main Library, 2210 S. Peabody St.
David Brownell, the history center’s executive director, will provide opening comments at the reception.
He will be followed by Peninsula Daily News reporter and history center board member Paula Hunt.
Hunt will discuss advertising in the 20th century and its place in the history of the Olympic Peninsula.
The exhibit features marketing and advertising memorabilia from businesses across the North Olympic Peninsula.
“It’s fascinating to see the promotional materials that businesses in our area created to attract local customers and tourists,” Brownell said. “There are more than 50 items exhibited from the late 1800s to the late 1900s, including large hand-lettered signs that used to hang outside of businesses such as the Fairmount Diner and Smith’s Ice and Bottling Works, and small mementos like a Riedel’s gift box and Working Girl Wines pin.”
The selection of vintage signs, labels and menus from the center’s collections memorialize the economic growth of the Peninsula during the past 100 years.
“The history center does phenomenal work caring for artifacts and documenting our local history,” said Noah Glaude, executive director at NOLS. “This display gives the public a chance to enjoy some great items from the collection that will spark memories and conversations.”
The public can view the exhibit from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Fridays and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays, through June 15.
For more information, call the library at 360-417-8500, email discover@nols.org or visit www.nols.org/signs.
The North Olympic History Center offers a variety of membership levels for people who would like to help preserve local history.
For more information, call 360-452-2662 or visit www.northolympichistory.org.
