The annual walking tour of downtown Malad by the third grade students occurred on Thursday, May 7, 2026. Led by teachers Simi Langston, Brent Grote, and Leisa Lamb, the students explored many of the historic buildings in Malad.

The students toured the Oneida Pioneer Museum where Dotty Evanson and Paige Tavoian organized a scavenger hunt for each class as the students arrived. Brent Bowen assisted the students as they toured the Museum. Students learned there are a lot of interesting items related to Oneida County’s history on display in the Museum.

When each class in turn was gathered on the Museum’s main floor, Dotty told about some of most interesting artifacts in the Museum. She started with the flour cans from Crowther’s Mill. She told how Malad resident Boyd Thomas saw cans of Big “C” flour when he was on KP duty in Italy during World War II. As his father worked at the Mill, Boyd said that seeing the Big ”C” logo on the cans was like getting a letter from home.  Lesson:  Even small towns can contribute to big efforts like World War II.

She then told about the Church of the Seven Spires, a model of which is in the Museum. The first building of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Malad, it did not last very long due to the failure of the builders to put a roof on it, leaving the walls and beautiful woodwork inside the building to rot in the snow and rain. Lesson: Finish what you start.

The next story was about the giant trout that was caught in Daniels Reservoir by Gerald Williams.  After Gerald’s wife died, he spent a lot of time fishing. Lesson: When things are not going well, turn to nature.

The last story was inspired by the large bearskin hanging on the wall of the Museum. Although smaller than Ol’ Ephraim, the grizzly bear that terrorized sheepherders in Logan Canyon for several years, the bearskin always leads to the Ol’ Ephraim story. Frank Clark of Cherry Creek shot and killed Ol’ Ephraim, which he described as a magnificent animal.  Lesson:  Sometimes you have to do hard things even if you don’t want to.

The Oneida Pioneer Museum welcomes tours even though the official opening date is Saturday, May 23.  Contact Museum Board Chair Jean Thomas or any member of the Board to arrange a tour.  The traditional bake sale at noon on the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend will signal the start of the Museum season.