New director of newly renamed Bannock County Historical Complex putting big ideas into action

POCATELLO — The Bannock County Historical Complex has a new director who has new ideas for running the museum.

Lillian Hammersley, the new director of the complex, said she started this position at the end of March. She has experience working in several museums before she took this position at the Bannock County Historical Complex.

"I studied anthropology at ISU and worked at the Idaho Museum of Natural History," she said.

The Bannock County Historical Complex is the singular name for the collection of facilities located at 3000 Avenue of the Chiefs, including the Bannock County Historical Museum, the Fort Hall Replica and Commemorative Trading Post and the Pocatello Junction.

Hammersley has several goals that she hopes to implement as director of the complex. She hopes to bring more people from the community into the museum.

"My main goal is to increase community outreach," she said. "The museum is in a position of falling through the cracks of community knowledge."

Many of the members of the historical complex are people who are older and in their retirement stage. Hammersley hopes to bring a younger demographic into the museum.

"I hope to work with different organizations and different volunteer groups and market to young families, local students and educators," she said.

The museum went through a remodeling stage that was ending around the time Hammersley started her new position. She said that gave her more room to implement her ideas and projects.

"It's like having a clean slate being able to start the projects that I want to do," she said.

Hammersley hopes to get the museum fully staffed to help things to be more functional. She also hopes to have more interns from Idaho State University working at the museum.

"That has been a big goal," she said. "More differentiation between jobs."

The museum has started holding monthly events for the community. This month, they held a Cowboy Campout. Next month, it plans to have a family picnic and kite flying day.

"Families can bring a picnic and a kite," Hammersley said. "We have a great location for kites."

The event will feature root beer floats, lemonade and a slip and slide in addition to the picnic and kites.

"We'll make a fun family day for the summer," Hammersley said.

The museum will also feature interpretive events every Saturday. These events are included with admission into the museum.

"You might see a blacksmith demonstration or make a corn husk doll," Hammersley said.

The community has shown more of an interest in the museum since they have done more community outreach. Hammersley said one of the interns has been helpful in social media communications.

"We've gotten a great response to the work we're doing," she said. "We're reaching more young people and providing more research opportunities for students."

Hammersley said the museum also plans to create a field trip package for teachers in the community who may be interested in taking their classes on field trips at the museum. Field trips can be made to fit lesson plans.

"That's one thing we're working on this winter to implement next school year," she said.