Western Souvenirs: July 2011

July/August 2011 [1]

California dogface butterfly earrings, a pewter paperweight, and postcards of Portland bridges are must-have travel trinkets.

Insect Jewelry
The California state insect? Since Governor Ronald Reagan signed legislation on July 28, 1972, it’s been the California dogface butterfly, portrayed in these earrings (¾-inch wide, $18) hand-made by graduate student Emily Bzdyk. Find displays and jewelry at the Bohart Museum of Entomology at UC-Davis. (530) 752-0493, bohart.ucdavis.edu [2].

Oregon Bridges Postcards
Portland’s 10 spans are the site of tours, exhibits, and even a brunch for the PDX Bridge Festival, July 29 to August 7. Get a handle on their proﬁles with artist Carye Bye’s postcard set ($12) at Bikeasaurus (503-963-5382, bikeasauruspdx.com [3]) or redbatpress.com [4]. For event info, see pdxbridgefestival.org [5].

Pewter Paperweight
Benchmark hunters—hobbyists with a jones for geography—will find the original of this replica survey monument near the main parking lot at Devils Tower National Monument in northeastern Wyoming. The tower, a quarter mile east, rises 862 feet higher. Find the pewter paperweight ($36) and other keepsakes in the visitor center bookstore. (307) 467-5283 ext. 635, nps.gov/deto [6].

Photography by Kevin Candland

This article was published in July 2011. Some facts may have aged gracelessly. Please call ahead to verify information.