Page 26 | THE LAKER April 2022
Lakes Region Model Railroad Museum- Phase One Completed By Lee Caldwell and Bob Hartnett Located in downtown Wolfeboro, in the Back Bay Area, is the site of the future Lakes Region Model Railroad Museum (LRMRM), the 1872 B&M Railroad Freight Shed. The restoration project has been planned to be in three phases: rehabilitate the building for public use; construct an inside museum space, including an office and an ADA-compliant bathroom; and create the model railroad museum itself. Phase 1 has now been completed. In a December 2020 letter to investors, President of LRMRM John Simms, stated “It is with great excitement, gratitude, and relief that I am finally able to report to you that the 1872 Boston and Maine Freight House in Wolfeboro has been rehabilitated, restored to its former glory, rugged enough to last another 140 years, and ready for our Lakes Region Model Railroad Museum.” The project began in 2016 when two events came together. One was the closure of Klickety-Klack, a model railroad layout on Elm Street in Wolfeboro, and the other was the continued deterioration of the freight house. Boston and Maine owned and operated the freight house until 1960 when it was sold to a local businessman for receiving and storing furniture. He sold it to Wolfeboro Oil in 1966 who used it until 2016 when the Town agreed to purchase it. The original idea was to use the area for municipal parking, but the voters required a further vote if that were to happen so the town was receptive to an alternate use. Meanwhile
placing sills and other structural timbers, siding repair, and replacement of an asbestos roof. A handicap accessible ramp was completed, and the building was repainted. LRMRM currently has a ten-year lease agreed with the town. Funding for the improvements was provided by a $130,000 Land and Community Heritage Investment Program (LC̱ HIP) grant, with $95,000 in capital reserve funds by the town to match the LCHIP funding, and $155,000 in donations by private investors. The restored building is now on the NH Register of Historic Places. Phase 2, constructing the actual inside museum space, will begin as soon as weather permits. Phase 3, creating the Model Railroad Museum, will be an ongoing process. In a recent interview, Simms discussed the various challenges, concept changes, and constantly evolv-
the bindweed continued to devour the building. Phase 1 included raising the building and replacing the foundation, re-
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ing planning giving one a true feeling of how complicated the process has been. Plans for the museum are ambitious and encompass capturing both the history of the area and embracing new technology. He wants to create “a state-of-the-art interactive model railroad and history museum.” One-time visitors will experience this transformation by interrogating buildings and places on the layout with smart phones, hearing and seeing historical narratives, leading to an understanding of Wolfeboro’s history and how this is reflected in the layout of the Town. This audience is the traditional museum visitor and may not visit the museum more than once. This includes tourists traveling through town, coming from the lake boats, staying in town. It includes guests of residents, short-term renters, and all residents curious to see what is here. The second, and very important audience is the repeat visitor. Any visitor to the museum will be able to run a train. A seven-year-old can run a train in a limited area, with limited functions, and limited speed. A ten-year-old will be able to do this and will also be able to couple and un-couple box cars and make simple deliveries. By 15, we would expect this same person to be able to operate part of the railroad in cooperation with her peers and have, by that time, an understanding of what is happening and why. This will be a structured progression, with feedback and acknowledgement. The focus will be on having fun while “playing with trains” with quiet exposure to simple STEM principles. Simms believes, “Reaching out to the public with this type of technical involvement is a very important aspect of the museum’s purpose and one of the major reasons the museum continues to receive solid public support. This will engage the town’s people, give them a stake in the success of the museum, and provide for them an introduction for our STEM activities, not through a formal classroom, but through an enjoyable exciting new hobby.” Simms sees students from the local schools involved in this STEM education. “There are many semester-sized projects that can be allocated to stu• Railroad continued on page 27
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