Volunteer Stories: WVMCC Collections Volunteer Heather Seman – 08/27/2024

Written by WVMCC Collections Volunteer Heather Seman

Here I am, in a quiet room, surrounded by historical items in the collection’s basement of the Wenatchee Valley Museum & Cultural Center. This is my volunteer time at the Museum, but really, it’s my “me” time.

Once a week for 2.5 hours, I work on projects without phone calls or interruptions to my focus and progress as I carefully handle and go through a box of historical photos from the “Pete’s Sign Shop” collection under the direction of Anna Spencer, Collections Manager.

I number the photos (almost 600), writing their descriptions, all while thoroughly enjoying immersing myself in a time when signs on buildings and businesses were hand painted, neon was a new thing, and Pete Matson was painting fruit warehouse signs using just an extension ladder. Yikes!

My favorite images are of promotional signage that Pete painted for movie theaters at the various locations in Wenatchee and Cashmere. I also enjoy seeing all the now vintage cars and trucks Pete hand lettered with the names of businesses past and present, and hand painted logos on doors, hoods, and tailgates.

EPSON scanner image

I’m so glad that Pete Matson did such an amazing job of photo documenting all the work he did in Wenatchee and the surrounding area and that I was able to go through his collection, viewing it all first hand.