LP Depot Museum's future in question

The future of the Lake Placid Historical Society Depot Museum will be discussed at a meeting this weekend.

The seven members of the board of directors voted unanimously to recommend to the members to seek a local not-for-profit organization to assume the operation and management of the museum.

If an acceptable organization can't be found, the museum will be closed and efforts will be made to return museum items to the families of the original donors.

The meeting with the members will be held at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 31 at the museum, 12 Park Ave. The public is invited to attend.

The board met in December to discuss the museum. In a letter to members, President Betty Ray Roberts said the board talked about dwindling paid memberships, minimal number of volunteers for staffing the museum and a reduction in out-of-town visitors.

The board also discussed the increased cost of utilities and the need for painting and building maintenance that would create additional financial concerns.

If the decision is made to close, unclaimed display items or exhibits would be given to interested persons or possibly sold to collectors. At that time museum property would be offered for sale or perhaps to a local charity.

Carolyn Rider, who has lived in Lake Placid since 1943, doesn't want to see the museum close. She said school children have visited it for years and pioneers of the community have been honored.

"It will be a very sad thing," said Rider, who is a director for the museum. "It is such an important part of the town."

Sonny Stalls, another director, said the museum was "very popular" but in recent years interest in the historical society has diminished. Stalls said he recalls when 200 people a week visited during the tourist season.

In the letter, Roberts said the historical society is not interested in maintaining ownership/management. She added that every cent of the remaining money it has would be distributed among local Lake Placid charities.

The museum closed prior to Thanksgiving last year.

The historical society was formed in 1982 with the stated purpose of preserving the history of the town.

At the time, the Atlantic Coast Line Depot was in seriously deteriorated condition, looking ready for the wrecking ball. Bettes and Dick Lamb retired in Lake Placid about that time and saw the possibilities of the old building, which was erected in 1926-27.

They gathered together a nucleus of long-time residents and set about restoring the structure and filling it with artifacts from Lake Placid's past.

The building is on the National Register of Historic Places and must be kept up as it was.