2018 March PASO Magazine

developing.
On Thursday, March 8, from 5 to 7
p.m., there will be simultaneous shows
of these two skills; a quilt display and
the official opening of the revamped
barbed wire collection. There’s the connection
of ‘wire and thread.’ Last year’s
quilt display event was so popular, it was
decided to host it again. Some 30 or so
locally-made quilts will be on display
throughout the museum’s halls.
Everyone knows about quilts, but a
barbed wire collection — hmmm, that’s
a new thought.
F.W. “Swift” Jewell was known as
Mr. Paso Robles because of his tremendous
contributions throughout Paso’s
organizations. After serving in the military
during and after WWII, he moved
to Paso where he became the Executive
Manager of The Chamber of Comioneer
Museum has been a local attraction
for 50 years and with each passing
year, it receives more acclaim on its
quest to cement the title of Best of the
West. With 5,000 annual visitors and
6,000 local artifacts, one might think
they’ve seen it all. Funded solely by donations
and maintained and staffed by
volunteers, the museum board of directors
put together an event to say “Thank
you.”
Wire and Thread — don’t seem
like they go together do they? Matter
of fact, they seem like two things you’d
want to keep apart from one another.
Normally, yes, but in this case, the
museum is showcasing these two crafts
that began as necessities as our area was
merce from 1968 to 1985. As a collector
across many different subjects, antique
barbed wire was one of them. In 1970,
Swift donated his collection of almost
a 1,000 pieces to Pioneer Museum.
They’ve been there all these 47 years,
against a back wall mostly unnoticed. In
2017, the California Barbed Wire Collectors
Association became interested
in the collection and offered to help
turn it into a formidable display. Under
the leadership of Mark Nelson, a small
team of members did the researching,
identifying, categorizing and labeling
each piece. Meanwhile, Rick Heim, a
museum construction volunteer, built
display racks and added lighting for a
proper display area in Transportation
Hall in the museum. While barbed
wire may be just a passing thought
and something “not to get your shirt
or pants caught on,” it’s really quite an
eye-opener to see all the various samples
of barbed wire in an organized and
easy-to-view open setting.
Where was it first made? Why so
many types? Who first came up with
the idea? Well, come on down to the
event and get these and other answers!
Last year, the 1/3 scale replica of the
original Paso Robles Hotel was finished
after being a two-year project. It occupies
most of the north wall in the upper
hall and certainly is a sight to behold.
It’s easy to wonder about who stayed
there, what the rooms were like and of
course, how did it actually catch on fire.
This was the Museum’s largest project
ever and seeing it finished brings out
three words – wow, it’s fabulous!
28 PASO Magazine, March 2018