Grays Harbor used to be full of theaters, but now it only has a few left in operation. But the history of theater is still alive thanks to The Friends of the Aberdeen Museum (FAM).

Connie Parson, a volunteer at The Friends of the Aberdeen Museum (FAM), said there used to be 23 theaters throughout Grays Harbor County. Now there are four active theaters: 7th Street Theatre — 313 7th St., in Hoquiam, Driftwood Players — 120 E. 3rd St., in Aberdeen, Bishop Center for Performing Arts — 1620 Edward P. Smith Dr., in Aberdeen, and Stage West Community Theatre — 832 Ocean Shores Blvd. NW., in Ocean Shores. And then there’s Ocean Shores Cinema — 631 Point Brown Ave. NW.

While those theaters do good work, FAM invites folks to see what was throughout the Harbor.

This Friday, you can learn about many of the other theaters that once hosted plays, vaudeville acts, concerts and other entertainment with a quick drive over to the museum’s suite on the K Street side of the Aberdeen Art Center — 200 W. Market. It’s what FAM calls “First Friday Artwalks.” First Fridays run from 5 to 8 p.m. The staff is also on-site Thursdays and Fridays from 1 to 4 p.m.

The level of detail that exists inside the suite — without spoiling their tour full of archival photos, copies of old theater programs and other artifacts — is admirable. It shows the level of dedication people such as Parson and her other fellow volunteers go through to enliven Harbor history for anyone who is interested. The passion people such as Parson have for the craft must be a history thing.

“I do this because I love history,” Parson said. “I just love it.”

Parson said many of the artifacts are on loan thanks to the generosity of the museums outside of Aberdeen, including Polson Museum — 1611 Riverside Ave., in Hoquiam, and Museum of the North Beach — 4658 state Route 109, in Moclips. And then there are artifacts from other sources too, such as private donors and people who loan their historical pieces to FAM.

Parson explained how FAM does it all.

“We change our displays every two months,” Parson said as she showed off the space, complete with a reference to Aberdeen’s past as the tile flooring still says FOE for Fraternal Order of Eagles. “For January and February we’re doing theaters of Grays Harbor. We have two display cabinets that we usually try to find enough memorabilia and artifacts to fill. We try to promote in the window predominant things that people will take an interest in and just stop to look. We do our picture boards, with pictures of different things on whatever theme we’re doing. … There were lots of theaters in Grays Harbor.”

Parson said to her knowledge the Hoquiam Theatre, built In 1895 was the oldest theater. Then she showed off an artifact about the theater.

“This happens to be a copy of an original program that was actually printed in the Washingtonian,” Parson said as she held the copy of the program. “This is a picture of the theater, (which) also had a casino next door.”

Parson showed off an original program from the early 1900s, which was presented on a trifold poster board.

“She was a vaudeville act,” Parson said as she motioned toward the program for Pauline Hall. “She actually came with all of her costumes and her entourage. Somehow, I ended up with another little piece of hers.”

While Parson couldn’t remember how many seats the Hoquiam Theatre had, the theater must have had a grand audience capacity.

“To me, for something pre-1900, it was an astronomical number of seats,” Parson said.

In addition to programs from shows that came to the theaters of Grays Harbor, FAM is home to binders full of photos and those photos include stories.

Parson said to make the exhibits work as they should, it takes her a “month’s worth of research,” and a week to put them up.

“It takes a lot of man hours,” Parson said. “But it’s a passion for me.”

And all of the work done to make this miniature museum — since Aberdeen does not currently have an official museum — is done by a small staff of volunteers who have limited hours. They need help.

“We need more exposure,” Parson said.

That said, in addition to First Fridays, the FAM staff is willing to showcase their exhibits to people who plan ahead.

“If people want to make an appointment, we try to make time for that particular person,” Parson said.

Beyond the current theme of theaters, people have traveled from out of state and looked at the binders full of history, old high school yearbooks and other materials found inside FAM.

“People love their history,” Parson said.

Here are several of the events this weekend.

Friday, Feb. 2

Starts at noon — ABC3 Festival — Galway Bay Irish Pub and Restaurant — 880 Point Brown Ave. NE, in Ocean Shores

1 to 2 p.m. — Susanna Green — Nirvana Coffee Co. — 205 S. I St., in Aberdeen

2 to 3 p.m. — Andy Kenyon — Nirvana Coffee Co.

5 to 8 p.m. — First Friday Artwalk — Friends of the Aberdeen Museum — 200 W. Market Suite 1, in Aberdeen

6:30 p.m. — The Dukes of Swing — Aberdeen Elks Lodge 593 — 1712 S. Boone St.

7 p.m. — Clinton Dogger Mullins — Montesano Moose Lodge — 3 Monte Elma Road

7 p.m. — The Shivering Denizens — 8th Street Ale House — 207 8th St., in Hoquiam

Saturday, Feb. 3

Noon — ABC3 Festival — Galway Bay Irish Pub and Restaurant

7 p.m. — Sean Curkendall — Tuggs and Chuggs — 13443 W. Cloquallum Rd., in Elma

8 p.m. — Washington Small Town Showcase, featuring Dogger, Buck the Trend, DJ Jaxs — Simpson Plaza Hoquiam — 220 5th St., in Hoquiam

Sunday, Feb. 4

11 a.m. — ABC3 Festival — Galway Bay Irish Pub and Restaurant

2:30 p.m. — Hank Cramer, Carter Junction, Harmony Ridge — 8th Street Ale House

Contact Reporter Matthew N. Wells at matthew.wells@thedailyworld.com.

Matthew N. Wells / The Daily World This newspaper, dated July 5, 1928, features a story about the opening of the 7th Street Theatre. The theater, which has been maintained, renovated and repaired throughout the past 95-plus years, opened July 10, 1928. You’ll find this and many more artifacts, as well as people yearning to tell the stories of theater throughout Grays Harbor County, at The Friends of the Aberdeen Museum. To find where they are, head to the K Street entrance of Aberdeen Art Center — 200 W. Market St.