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Our Favorite Museum? A major renovation project, a Christmas kick-off event and much more!
There are big changes taking place at the Amelia Island Museum of History! If you haven't been in awhile, come by for a new look. The ongoing 2-phase renovation project is nearing completion of its first phase. The highlight of Phase One will be the new entrance to the museum. In the past, visitors to the museum had to enter through a small door on Cedar Street. The new doors will face the parking lot on South Third Street. Also completed during Phase One was a new elevator, stairwell to the second floor and new ADA-accessible first floor bathrooms. The bathrooms were made possible thanks to a generous grant from the J. Wayne and Delores Barr Weaver Foundation. Mr. and Mrs. Weaver have been great friends and supporters of the museum for many years, and their gift represents their continued dedication to and appreciation for the museum's purpose and mission.
The Amelia Island Museum of History's new entrance will be open this
fall. The Weaver's gift will also help highlight the social importance of this historic building as a jail cell on the first floor will be renovated for interpretive purposes. The cell will be fully restored and staged to look as it appeared over three decades ago when this building was the Nassau County Jail. Talks are in place with the Clerk of Courts about the possibility of cooperative youth programs between the historic courthouse and jail. The Civil Air Patrol and other volunteers known as "the mighty men" will donate the labor for the tile work and other sweat equity for this cause. Smurfit-Stone is donating all the welding required for the iron bars and other metalwork in the cell. The "Windows Into History" Campaign to replace all 58 of the windows in the museum is nearing completion. The project became necessary after the museum was denied a $288,000 grant request from the state due to cutbacks. The replacement cost for each installed, high-impact, architecturally appropriate window is $1,900 - meaning the goal of the campaign was $120,000. Thanks to many generous supporters who dug deep into their pockets and contributed enough for an entire window, or made a donation to the general window fund, this dream will become a reality this fall. Phase Two of the renovation project, which still remains unfunded, includes finishes throughout the new additions (tile, baseboards, paint, etc.), the second floor ADA-accessible bathrooms, the relocation of the gift shop closer to the new entrance, new exhibit space and a new roof. In addition to the renovation work, there are several ongoing programs at the museum for those who want to delve a little deeper into history, including: The Veterans History Project: Over 100 area veterans have been interviewed for this project, which was authorized by the U.S. Congress in 2000. 50 more have signed up for future interviews. The "Heroes Among Us" luncheon series: On Sep. 20, the featured speaker is Captain Donald Miller USN Ret., who will reflect on his experiences as a submarine captain during the battle at Leyte Gulf. On Nov. 15, Gerhardt Thamm will give his personal accounts of intelligence work for the U.S. Army. The grandest event on the museum's fall schedule happens on Friday, November 30 and Saturday, December 1, as the museum will present a Christmas extravaganza titled "Christmas on Centre: Tours, Trains and Trees". This event will carry on the tradition of Christmas tours presented for many years by the Amelia Island Bed & Breakfast Association. Along with many B & B's that have been featured on previous tours, several private Victorian homes which have never been opened to the public will be on display. Two historic churches, decorated for the Christmas season, will also be available for viewing. This event will kick-off the Christmas season in Fernandina Beach and includes activities for the entire family. Tours will take place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. However, the B & B's will only be open after 1 p.m.
Sing along with costumed carolers at the museum's Christmas St. Peter's Episcopal Church will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day to display a room-sized model railroad system, designer-decorated Christmas trees and offer a variety of children's activities. A miniature Christmas scene will be set up, with model trains running through the village. Chuck Panella, who has been collecting model trains since the 1930's, will have some of his trains on display. This is one of the finest collections of model railroads in the southeast and is sure to please children of all ages. One of the museum's costumed first-person presenters will tell stories of early railroad days in Fernandina, as well. Local merchants and decorators will provide the themed Christmas tree display. The trees will be available for auction to benefit the museum. Children's activities will include visitations with Santa Claus, holiday stories by Mrs. Claus, gingerbread houses and many other activities. Tickets for the tour of homes, including the trains and tree display, are $20. Tickets for the trains and tree display only are $5, with children under six admitted free. All proceeds from the entire "Christmas on Centre" weekend support the Amelia Island Museum of History's educational and historic preservation programs. For more information on tickets and event schedules, please contact the Amelia Island Museum of History at (904) 261-7378 or www.ameliamuseum.org.
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