By Dee Anne Shaw
For The Daily World
The Aberdeen Museum of History’s treasured collection of works by Bob McCausland is among the art presumed destroyed by the fire that swept through the Armory last month. The fire and resulting uncertainty about what may have survived hit Ruth McCausland, his 98-year-old widow, especially hard.
Carvings, paintings and the collection of Hairbreadth Husky cartoons from Bob’s career at the Seattle Post-Intelligencer were all part of the Aberdeen Museum’s collection. Fire investigators are expected to clear the scene this week, one month after the fire, but it could be much longer before the cause is known.
Among the items Ruth McCausland feared consumed in the fire were the miniature Northwest birds that Bob carved for her over the years — dozens of them, one a year for her birthday and other occasions. The birds, remarkable for both their simplicity and detail, had been at the Armory.
It was welcome news when she learned the birds were actually on display at the Westport Maritime Museum, which is home to another significant collection of Bob’s work. They were featured in an exhibit commemorating what would have been his 100th birthday.
So on Saturday, Ruth, who lives now in Olympia and will celebrate her 99th birthday later this month, decided it was time for a visit to Westport. John Hughes of Hoquiam, the former publisher of The Daily World who is now the state’s chief historian, and Dann Sears of Aberdeen, the curator and former director of the Aberdeen Museum, were among those who joined Ruth and friends for a fun session of reminiscing at McCausland Hall — the museum annex that is named for the couple who captured the heart of their community. There were lots of stories to tell about the museum-building years in Aberdeen and on the South Beach — and talk of the future for a new Aberdeen Museum.
The McCauslands devoted many hours to museums on Grays Harbor. At the Aberdeen Museum, Bob painted the murals in the grand showroom that brought to life so many of the displays. After his death in 2006, a display was created on the main floor using furniture from his home studio and his office at the Seattle P-I, where he was a celebrated artist/cartoonist.
When the McCauslands retired to Tokeland they quickly became involved in the libraries and museums of Aberdeen and the South Beach. They were founding members of the Westport South Beach Historical Society, which today operates the Westport Maritime Museum, the Lens Building (housing the first-order Fresnel lens from Destruction Island off La Push) and the Grays Harbor Lighthouse. While Bob’s murals created context for experiencing the local exhibits, Ruth devoted her time to research and writing. Her books are a staple at the museum gift store. She stays in touch about museum happenings and maintains numerous friendships on the Harbor.
For years, The Daily World in Aberdeen published a Bob McCausland cartoon every Sunday. With just a few strokes of the pen and a few well-chosen words, McCausland could bring complex issues into sharp focus, help a community smile at itself or make politicians squirm — while always remaining a gentleman and never resorting to insults. Every week, Bob and Ruth would come into town to drop off the cartoon at the newspaper, then go volunteer at the Aberdeen Museum where Bob was invariably involved in a mural or two.
As Hughes reacquainted himself with the cartoons on display, he said, “Bob McCausland had an enormous impact in our community and captured it so well through his drawings.”
“I really needed this,” Ruth said as the group made its way to the Lens Building where Bob’s mural of a fog-enshrouded harbor is the backdrop for the Fresnel lens. “I have been so worried since the fire. But everything’s in good hands.”
