Galena “Lena” Gilbert and Charles “Charlie” Morgan were married in 1907 on Christmas Day. They came directly to a homestead north of Othello on McManamon Road. They attended the Presbyterian Church (where the museum is now located) until 1913, when part of their congregation started the Christian Church. Most of their lives were spent in and around Othello and they were very much a part of the community and many knew them. They were my grandparents.

For one of their anniversaries, their son Don made Lena a pair of window boxes, filled with seeds and other dried plants. He included their portraits, which he cut from their wedding photograph. At the time, he told her the boxes were to represent the foods she and Charlie had during their homestead days. Her reply, “I wish we’d had that much,” brought a smile to her face.

The window boxes were very meaningful to her and can be seen at the Othello Community Museum, along with other items she donated.