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Home My WebLink AboutThe Huron Expositor, 1982-11-24, Page 21The reat museum debate ,„ by Stephanie iLevesoue History is in the forefront in Huron County as the question of whether or not to move or improve the pioneer museum faces County Council. The Huron County Pioneer Museum collection has been owned by Huron County " since 1948, the year it was purchased from Joseph Herbert NeiII. Much has been written about this man who has travelled across Canada twice and into the United States collecting artifacts. ` Mr. NeiII was born on June 10, 1885 in Howick Township. It is reported his interest in antiques started in 1935 at the Howick Fall Fair. a still flourishing event. His growing collection was kept at this residence in the Gorrie area. While not collecting artiffacts, lir. Neill took his collection to fairs, plowing matches and Women's institute meetings. In the 1940's '', Mr. Neill built three huge trailers with the intent of.having a travelling exhibition. That didn't work out though, as the then -Department of Transport would not allow the vehicles on, the road. The historical buff looked around for permanent facilities and in 1948 the Goderich Public School Board was gettingrid of the two-storey Central' School on Nrth Street. Huron County purchased the school to house a museum. Documents indicate it was not a popular move at the time. Mr. Neill's collection was bought by the county for $3,000 under the condition that the number off articles be increased to 1,000 pieces. Mr. Neill moved into the upstairs of the school and was the museum's first curator when it opened on July 4, 1951. Accommodation on the second floor of the building was a little cramped that first year and in 1951 Huron County purchased a log cabin for $100 front an Archie Jones. This log cabin, still located on the 1.31 acres of land on which the museum is situated, was first built in 1875 in Turnberry Township. LOG CANN The logcabing was dismantled and the logs set on the museum site. Some Goderich residents objected to the building of a log cabin there and a petition opposing the structure was presented to county council. As Mr. Neill had not yet applied for a building permit, the petition was shelved. 1t did not resurface when the building permit was applied for and on May 26, 1952 Mr. Neill moved intothe log cabin on the museum grounds and lived there for 15 years. The museum was Neill's life and it is common knowledge he worked at the museum 16 hours a day. In 1964 James Chisholm took over as curator of the museum. He stayed until the fall of 1968. The museum was without a curator until April of 1969 when the current curator, Raymond Scotchmer took over. Later that year, on June 13, 1969, 'Mr. Neill died at Huronview at the ale of 84. Mr. Scotchmer was born and raised on a farm in the Bayfield area. The county was looking for a general handyman to run the museum and Mr. Scotchmer fit the bill as he had previously worked in the construct- ion business, a machine shop and a welding shop. He acknowledges over the past years the job has become more adminstrative as he is responsible to Huron County Council's property committee for not only the pioneer museum, but the marine museum (which the county and the town of Goderich run together) and the Tiger Dunlop Tomb. Over the years the collection has grown from uner 1,000 artifacts and specimens to an estimated 15,000 artifacts and speci- mens. The number of visitors seeing the museum each year has also grown, from humble beginnings with 2,000 visitors in 1951, to an average of 14,000 to 25,000 visitors a year. Cataloging of the collection is ongoing and one of the tasks of registrar Pat Carter. She catalogues the day-to-day acquisitions and is researching, photographing and numbering each piece. Since the mid -1.970s each new acuisition has been catalogued and at the same time the cataloging of the original collection has been ongoing. Assistant curator Friedl Nanz has seen many changes at the museum as she has worked under all three curators. Besides the curator, assistant curator and registrar there is only one other full-time staff member- the custodian. SUMMER The museum is open seven days a week from May to October and during that time four secondary school students from across the county work in the museum. Recently the museum has taken advantage of the Canada -wide Katimavik program. Students under that program in the area assist with researching and cataloging. As curator, Mr. Scotchmer's mail. concern is for the safety of the collection. He also has concerns for the actual structure housing the collection. About three years ago part of the root' collapsed because of a hevy snow load, A Wintario grant was sought by the county at that time but it was not approved. Mr. Scotchmer stated both Huron County Council and its property committee are "well convinced" something needs to be done to properly house the museum collection. Since September of this year the museum has been publicized through activity at Huron County council. The Township of Tuckersmith has offered the county the former teleconimun• ications school at Vanastra fro $75,000. One purpose for the building could be to house the Huron County Pioneer Museum This 155,000 square foot building was built in 1954 in the compound of the former Air Force Base south of Clinton. In 1971„ Vanastra, as the, base is- now known, became part of Tuckersmith Township. About two years ago Tuckersmith pur- chased the telecommunications school for back tales. If the county does not purchase the building, it will be put on the auction block. The three -winged building has been THE HURON EXPOSITOR, NOVEMBER 24, 1982 — A21 O p,. t;l678 //...? ... -•SIT.,', This aerial photo shows .clearly the three wings of the former telecommunications school in Vanastra. Between the centre wing and the one on the right is the 284 -seat theatre. The three-storey building is being considered as a possible site of the Huron County Pioneer Museum. vacant for 10 years and a prelimary report by the Ministry of Government Services concluded it will cost 5932,000 to restore the building to its original condition. A leaking roof is the major fault of the structure and repair is est:mated to cost about $200,000. In September county council authorized two studies on the red brick building at Vanastra. One was ,a structural engineer- ing study and the other an operational cost study. SOUK D At county council's Sept. 30 meeting an engineering report by Swain and Please turn to Daae ].3' r TRIANGLE! The Huron County Pioneer Museum as it stands today on North Street in Goderich. The two-storey structure is the former Central School in Goderich. The log cabin is formerly from Turnberry Township and was J.H. Neill's home for many years. , • Add savings to your Christmas list when S you shop' with us. SALE NOW IN FULL SWING Check these Pre -Christmas Sale Values LARGE ASSORTMENT OF BOXED "ELEGANTE" CHOCOLATES 600 o' 26"x500' CN1r`■ NICE 'N EASY WIND SONG SPRAY COLOGNE 42 g $9.50 VALUE (ONLY 40 PAGE SCOTCH TAPE 69° Candle making techniques are on display at the Huron County Pioneer Museum in Goderich. EVEREADY Valued at '52.99 to '68.99 C.HARLESCRAFT Roe Jay Says High or Low Loa?her Casuals for Mon or Women Don's Shoe Place OPEN SAT. 'TIL 9 Dec. 4, 11, 18 SUNCOAST MALL GODERICH CHRISTMAS BOWS 251N BAC, 990 „N,i WE HAVE A LARGE SELECTION OF.. Chr, str AA Cards G,'t �`,• i( an 1 Dr' orations — --- C,h,,Cttlates Candles Nt.': Temp• Watches W,iflpic C.•+t,PP,,f Rags, Har Dr,, •. ('i,•Imc After Shave an l (• Charlie ,l„ntue. Car hpt A, Vy a (,hAnhIly Muck DPS0,1 F •rwvpr R�IIP J Ydrr11^v G.11 Sets Perfurnn 4• Colno•tpti nn,l •'• ,• h m, ,,'- LADIES OR MEN S L.C.D. WATCHES 99 oNL't ■ MAKE IT SNOW ,i. TR1ANL LE_ Iva i ,• t{�� IIIIIIIt,INIIL I,�f�t' 58 THE SL)t;,:,c�r •., \ r. GODERICH CLINTON SEAF