Putnam family donates two paintings to Ogle County Historical Society

OREGON – The Ogle County Historical Society is now the proud owner of two paintings, donated by John Putnam, an Oregon native, and his family.

One of the paintings is a watercolor by Harry Nurmet of the four-generation Gale home which is still standing at 211 N. 4th Street. The painting was commissioned by John G. Putnam (his father) and Martha Betty Putnam Diven (his aunt) as a Christmas gift to their parents, John and Ada Gale Putnam.

The other donated piece is an oil painting titled “Pine Rocks”, a scene along the Rock River in 1876 by portraitist Carrie Vaughn. She was a skilled portraitist who was commissioned by many early Oregon families and lived in Oregon from 1866-1878.

This 150-year-old painting demonstrates the art culture of Oregon years before the arrival of Lorado Taft and the Eagles Nest Art Colony in 1898.

Accepting the paintings on behalf of the Ogle County Historical Society were Arlene Sangmeister, president and Beth Simeone, vice president.