Boat Museum Update
Newsletter of the Finger Lakes Chapter, ACBS
Volume 17, Issue 4 Newsletter of the Finger Lakes Chapter, ACBS December 2007
UPDATED December 25th 2007 page 6
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Boat / Transportation Museum
Planned in Skaneateles
In the latter part of the 19th and early part of the 20th centuries, the Creamery was a vital part of the Skaneateles community, providing a centralized milk-processing facility for the area. Over the years the Creamery was also a thriving butter-making business, and an ice cream processor for the Best Ice Cream Co. and later, the Borden Co. In the early 1990s, the Skaneateles Historical Society acquired the nearly 100-year-old derelict building, renovated it, and established a new home for the Society and a museum for the community.
Today, the Creamery is one of Skaneateles’ primary cultural centers, housing a growing local history museum, a busy community room, facilities for research and care of historical records and archives, and the site of monthly programs of local historical interest. But the Society is rapidly outgrowing the Creamery. Recently, through a generous donation, the Society was able to acquire the Creamery’s old boiler plant, gaining much-needed space for expansion and growth. That expansion will be used to reflect and preserve the history of Skaneateles commerce and transportation, highlighting local wooden boat design and manufacturing.
Architectural plans have been drawn up to renovate the boiler plant, connect it to the Creamery via a new wing, and generally enhance the local neighborhood along Skaneateles Creek. Now, effort is underway to generate funding, develop detailed renovation plans and implement improvements as fundraising permits. Contributions to the project are being sought from all parts of the Skaneateles community. The Chapter’s Board of Directors has voted to make a $1500. contribution to the project over the next three years. Individual tax-deductible contributions can be made using the enclosed donation form.