Lanesborough Reopening Historic Stone Building
 The stone building that was set to be the town's historical museum was built in 1827. |
The historic building will be opened from 1 until 3 p.m. to display an array of artifacts from the town's history. The building has been the home of what was intended to be a historical museum but hasn't been open to the public in nearly 20 years.
Now, a group of volunteers is reopening it and rejuvenating the goal of having a local history museum.
"We have these things not just to hold them but to education people and to share," Katherine Westwood, who is heading the effort to inventory all of the historical items, said on Wednesday. "I think people need to know about their history."
The building is full of town reports dating back to the 1800s, early weights and measures, photographs, maps, artifacts and even pews from former churches. The building itself dates back to 1827, when it was built across the street to house the Northern Berkshire Registry of Deeds.
According to Westwood, the building was deeded in 1861 to the Congregation Church. The town took ownership in 1881, when it was used as the library. When the town celebrated its bicentennial in 1965, it kicked off a new focus on local history and, in 1974, the building was moved stone by stone across the street to its present location to become a museum.
Lanesborough also was gearing up to celebrate the nation's bicentennial when the Historical Commission secured state grants to restore the building. But the local history museum didn't quite come to fruition; the building became a time capsule instead. The commission held open houses but eventually those stopped in the 1990s.
That was until Westwood found herself with some spare time. She and Tammi Haines approached the commission to do an inventory, which later led to the creation of a Friends of the Historical Commission group.
Westwood boasts nearly 15 years in local history experience, including working in the Berkshire Athenaeums' local history department and forming a department in the North Adams Public Library. After her position in North Adams was eliminated, she decided she would like to put her experience to use in her own town while also working as Cheshire's new librarian.
 Westwood is taking inventory of all the items in the building, including this portrait of the town's best-known author Josh Billings. This portrait may have came from his family estate. |
To help Westwood's efforts, Berkshire Bank and individuals donated computers and copiers. Westwood says it could take her up to three years to inventory everything since the building is not heated so she can only work during the summer.
"If you don't know what's there, you can't do much," Westwood said.
But it isn't just a preservation effort. The new friends group is already plotting out a celebration in 2015 for the town's 250th birthday as well as convincing town departments to update their histories since the '70s to add to the town's already well-documented story.
"We're revitalizing the effort to make it a museum," Westwood said and later added, "We want to do more programs around local history."
Saturday's open house is the start of the effort to "stimulate interest" and Westwood hopes that others will bring their own documents and artifacts to donate or to just let her document. Beyond that, she hopes maybe she can get some volunteers to help with the 250th celebration planning.
"We're really trying to get people involved," Westwood said.
Tags: historical building, historical commission, local history, museum,
