Page 49 - Copyright 2013 - Pamplin Media Group

THINGS TO KNOW 2013 • 49
CROOK COUNTY PEOPLE
Gordon
Gillespie
Executive Director,
A.R. Bowman Memorial Museum
If you listen carefully to Gordon
Gillespie, you might just pick up a
slight Canadian accent.
That’s because he was born and
raised in Toronto, along with his
two brothers, by parents who val-
ued the history of the area and
started a passion that resulted in
Gillespie’s career path.
“As far back as I can remember,
while driving around southern
Ontario, I would see an old road
and wonder what the area was
like when that was the only road
in the area,” recalled Gillespie.
A budding passion for history
was fueled in high school. “I had
a couple of really good high
school history teachers. These
guys were really good at bring-
ing history to life,” he added.
But, after moving to San
Diego, the realities of earning a
living weighed heavily on the
young man.
“In San Diego I first attend-
ed community college before
transferring to the University
of California San Diego. As I
was about to transfer to the
four-year school, I had a crisis
of conscience. Do I do what I
can make money at, computer programming, or do I go
after my true love (history)? I followed my passion,” said Gillespie.
Gillespie received a degree in history from U.C. San Diego,
moved to Washington State and earned another degree in coun-
seling at Western Washington University. He worked there in the
counseling field for six years before deciding that Prineville was
the ideal place to live.
“I had visited Central Oregon several times and just thought it
was beautiful, so I moved here in 1992. I was hired part-time at
the (Bowman) museum at first. Shortly afterwards, the director’s
position opened and I was hired for that role in 1993,” recalled
Gillespie.
Since 1993 Gillespie has been heavily involved in community
service. A city councilor for almost nine years, he’s also been a
board member with the Chamber of Commerce, Friends of the
Library, Habitat for Humanity, and the Crook County Historical
Society.
"The Historical Society has really been my main focus the whole
time I've been here," said Gillespie.
But after almost nine years as a city councilor, Gillespie vacated
his seat at the end of 2012.
“I was amazed how much I learned while being a councilor. You
get to feel like an “insider” regarding city business, which is quite
unique because you get to see how things work in the city. But our
recent museum expansion has really taken a lot of my time. I just
felt
it was time for someone else,
who maybe had more time on their hands, to have a seat on
the council,” he said.
Gillespie will now have more time to devote to his first passion -
expanding and promoting the Bowman Museum.
“The care of our collections is a big priority for us right now.
When you give us your family heirlooms, we want to be sure they
are properly taken care of. We’re putting a ton of staff and volun-
teer time into this right now,” said Gillespie.
He’s also excited about promoting the Bowman Museum as a
regional attraction, one that will draw more visitors to Prineville.
“We also want to become a ‘regional museum’ like the High
Desert Museum instead of a ‘local history museum.” That will
bring people from farther away. We’ll do that with traveling
exhibits, literature, and promotions. My hope is that we’ll become
better known throughout the state, generating more visitors and
more tourist dollars for Prineville,” he said.
Obviously proud of the Bowman Museum, Gillespie pointed out
its uniqueness.
“Most communities of this size don’t have anything like the
Bowman Museum. I’m not bragging, I’m just honoring the commu-
nity for valuing and supporting it for over 40 years now,” said
Gillespie.
Gordon Gillespie with a friend in the Bowman Museum.