MONDAY, June 1, 2026 |
Photo – The Museum House – Memories Matter – Courtesy Adene Wuertley
A Bairoil resident has opened a museum to preserve the town’s history.
Adene Wuertley has lived in Bairoil for 50 years, having moved to the small oil‑producing town in 1976 with her husband, Bob. A former teacher, Wuertley said she had long hoped Bairoil would have its own museum, much like other towns in Carbon County.
Over the years, Wuertley said she proposed creating a museum to the Bairoil Town Council, but the governing body showed no inclination to pursue the idea. Instead of waiting for the town to act, she took matters into her own hands, establishing The Museum House – Memories Matter.
Wuertley said Carbon County School District One shut down the Bairoil School in 2013 due to a lack of students. She said that after the closure, she and her friend LB Brantner requested permission to keep items from the building.
Wuertley kept the items in her garage until the opportunity came for her to purchase an additional house and transform it into the unofficial Bairoil museum.
After learning of her efforts, Wuertley said people were eager to loan her items for the museum, including many pieces from the Bairoil School provided by Lori Smith, a former resident and author of Bairoil… The Unfinished Story.
Wuertley encouraged other Bairoil residents to visit her museum and record stories about the town.
The Museum House – Memories Matter is located at 307 Indian Paintbrush Avenue in Bairoil. Wuertley hasn’t established set hours yet. Instead, she asked people to call her at 320-6563 to arrange a time to visit. Admission is free.
