Hours of Operation
Open Daily: 10:00am - 5:00pm
Closed: New Year's Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day
Call Us: (800) 991-2338
(509) 427-8211
Questions?: email us
Address Information
Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center Museum
990 SW Rock Creek Drive
P.O. Box 396
Stevenson, WA 98648
Driving Directions
About the Rosaries
- Chapter 1: Brief History of the Rosary
- Chapter 2: About Don Brown
- Chapter 3: A One-of-a-Kind Spiritual Collection Finds a Home
- Chapter 4: About the Rosaries
It is worthy to note that visitors of many faiths are astonished at the beauty of the exhibit. It has been appropriately referred to as a "priceless jewel box." What gives the collection its jewel-like charm is the fact the counting beads of the rosary may be made of almost anything: glass, bone, ivory, wood, precious metals, olive and fruit pits, exotic nuts, semi-precious gems, plastic, yarn, leather and bullets.
Although the rosaries in his collection are from all over the world, Don did very little traveling. However, he did spend a great deal of time at The Grotto in Portland, Oregon and once in 1961 made a pilgrimage to Mexico City, returning with new treasures. He was not employed and the supervision of the Brown Tract was not demanding. This left him with few distractions for the pursuit of his singular hobby over a period of more than six decades. The collection was his primary focus of his life. However, he did write a column for the local weekly newspaper about the history of the area which was published over a two year period. He maintained a collection of correspondence from pioneer families which seemed to disappear after his death. We assume they were destroyed by his family along with the correspondence relating to the rosaries. He remained active in the historical society as long as his health permitted, and his published column remains as respected historical reference. There are six sizes of rosaries in the collection and are exhibited by size. The smallest are made from beads the size of a pin head. The next size is in the form of a ring meant to be worn on the finger. Chaplet rosaries vary in size from a bracelet to a short necklace or choker. The most popular and familiar size is from 19-30 inches long. The next size up is worn about the waist as part of the habit. The largest size is meant to be hung or publicly displayed as a reminder to pray and of the beauty of the rosary. For example, the largest one in the collection is sixteen feet long and is made of Styrofoam balls. It was made by students in Malden, Massachusetts for a school play. Don always cherished it because children made it.
The majority of the rosaries were donated by people who just wanted to assist Mr. Brown in collecting and preserving rosaries. For that reason, he referred to them as "friendship tokens." However, there are a few with historical significance. An example would be the one received from Father Flanagan of Boys Town. Father Flanagan's signature is inscribed on the back side of the crucifix. There are rosaries from Lawrence Welk, an early TV personality; Al Smith, the first Catholic to run for the office of President and lost in 1928; one donated in memory of Robert Kennedy, who had left it in a small church in Bavaria; and one donated in memory of Dag Hammerskjold, Secretary General of the United Nations from 1953-1961. In 1995, the Museum received one from Lou Holtz, the football coach for Notre Dame.
The most significant rosary, in Mr. Brown's opinion, is the rosary donated by President John F. Kennedy. It is the only one which was solicited. Mr. Brown wrote the campaign headquarters in 1960 when he heard Senator Kennedy was running for President. He received a small wood bead rosary from Al Bugg, campaign manager, who indicated the future President had used it during WWII.
The collection continued to grow, at Don's request, following his death in 1975. However, the exhibit cases are now full. We can no longer accept rosaries or other religious artifacts due to the lack of space in the gallery and in storage. Donated funds are encouraged and would be used for the maintenance of the collection and the Museum. You, too, can become a part of the legacy. Contact the Museum (800) 991-2338 or email us.
