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McKee, Amos L. ("Mac")
| Last Name: | McKee |
|---|---|
| First Name: | Amos L. ("Mac") |
| Biography/History: | born c. 1878; died 1966. Amos McKee wanted to preserve his life’s story for his family, but he wasn't a writer. He couldn't draw. And he had no photos to share. So he employed his trade skills to "write" his memoirs. By using his own forge and smithy, he created models using wooden, leather, and iron parts. In 1892, when he was 14, Amos, his mother and sister arrived in the West from Missouri on the Great Northern train. Amos learned the blacksmith trade and operated a stagecoach connecting Tekoa, Washington, and St. Maries, Idaho, for a year. In 1911 he was raising potatoes in Dixie, Washington, near Walla Walla, when he met and married the new schoolteacher. The young family soon packed their household into a covered wagon, tied their carriage behind, and crossed the rugged Blue Mountains to homestead near Weiser, Idaho. After three successive drought years they moved to Spokane. Here, Amos worked for Novelty Carriage Works, the railroad, and even studied welding at the Spokane Trade School before retiring around 1950. His models vividly illustrate his colorful personal history in a novel, imaginative and delightful way. MAC exhibit label: "Voice of Things" 2007-2008 |
| Related Objects: |
4103.1 (Model, Covered Wagon Set Model, 1950-1955)
4103.4 (Model, Stagecoach Model Set, 1950 - 1966)
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