Museum nearly ready for reopening [The Sanford Herald, N.C.]

Dec. 31</chron>--SANFORD -- Without knowing what happened on May 14, a visitor to the Railroad House Museum could hardly tell what the building had been through.

The facade of the historic home, built in 1872 and restored in 1962, now appears the same as ever -- although the scent of fresh paint and plaster linger inside. Despite a "closed for repairs" sign that remains in a window, the structure bears few traces of the trauma it incurred last spring.

And that sign, too, is about to be history, as the museum's operators plan to reopen to the public -- either later this month or in early February. Over the past seven months, their energy has been focused on repairing the damage caused when a truck smashed into the front of the structure -- causing several thousands of dollars in damage.

"We tried to put it back exactly as it was ... ," said Hal Siler, chairman of the Railroad House Historical Association'sBuildings and Grounds Committee. "This building has a lot of interesting and valuable items in it, maybe not valuable to the open market, but valuable to the history of Sanford and Lee County."

Among the treasures inside are an antique organ, which was heavily damaged in the impact, and a black walnut conference table, which was scraped by a door as it blew toward the rear of the building. The instrument was sent to Mount Airy for repairs, Siler said, while the furniture was refinished locally.

Some of the most visible damage occurred to the museum's front doors, wooden porch and exterior supports, which were decimated by the blow from the Ford-150. The driver behind the wheel, 23-year-old Cameron Lee Culler, was charged with driving while impaired, driving while license revoked, failure to reduce speed and a stop sign violation.

Culler, of Pleasant Garden, is due back in Lee County Court on March 19.

Most of the repairs to the historic structure were entrusted to Progressive Contracting Co. of Sanford, Siler said, "[because] they had the expertise we needed, and we wanted it put back how it was. This is the oldest house in downtown Sanford."

"Not many houses do plaster anymore," he added, "and the plaster was put back just as it was when the house was built."

When the work was completed, said museum curator Bill Freeman, "The way they refinished it, you'd never know anything [had happened]."

The biggest obstacle in reopening the museum, Siler said, was getting the correct amount of compensation for the repairs. That process involved waiting on estimates for carpentry, electrical work and other expenses.

"We had a hard time getting the insurance company to come up to what was necessary," Siler said. "But they did finally give us a full settlement."

With that hurdle cleared, The Railroad House Historical Association plans to hold its regular meeting at the museum, which is scheduled for Jan. 9.

"We haven't had a meeting here since April," noted Association president Worth Pickard. Not long after the January gathering, he added, the museum should resume its typical weekend hours for guests, which are 1-4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

First, Siler said members plans to host an open house -- "for the general public to look at all that's been done" -- which will follow an open house for Association members. The main tasks that remain before the reveal are hanging curtains and reorganizing some displays.

While the Association operates the local landmark, Siler said, "We consider the building owned by the public."

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