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A Brief
History of the Allegany Museum
Western Maryland Station
Center, Inc. (WMSC), a volunteer, not-for-profit community group, was formed in
1983 to preserve and renovate the Western Maryland Railroad Station.
In 1985, the Transportation
and Industrial Museum opened in the basement of the Western Maryland Railroad
Station.
In 1997,
WMSC turned over the Western Maryland Railroad Station to the Canal Place
Authority with the intention of it becoming the focal point of the Canal Place
Heritage Tourism Complex. Canal Place construction began in 1999.
Once the
Railroad Station transfer was completed, WMSC assumed the new mission of
developing the Allegany County Museum.
WMSC, in 1999, purchased the William
Donald Schaefer Building at 3 Pershing Street.
The Allegany County Museum opened at
a temporary site at 210 S. Mechanic Street in 2001. Then, in 2003, the Allegany
County Museum moved to another temporary site at 81 Baltimore Street, where it is currently housed.
In 2007, WMSC paid off the primary
mortgage on the Schaefer building.
In late 2007, WMSC contracted with
Cho Ben Holback Associates of Baltimore for architectural planning services.
In early 2008, bills were introduced
in the Maryland State legislature calling for partial funding for the planning
phase of the restoration of the Schaefer Building for its use as the new Allegany
County Museum. WMSC was awarded a grant of $50,000 from the State.
In September 2008, the WMSC board decided to change the name of the museum to Allegany Museum.
In early 2009, bills were introduced in the Maryland State legislature calling for partial funding for restoration of the second floor of the Schaefer Building. WMSC was awared a grant of $225,000 from the State.
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