Another chapter begins for Margate Historical Society

Written by SUZANNE MARINO Wednesday, March 14, 2012 12:40 pm

MARGATE – Frank Tiemann locked up the doors at noon last Saturday, a final hurrah for the Margate Historical Society at its Washington Avenue home. But the end of the line for the little one story building adjacent to City Hall is just another chapter in the history books. The next chapter will open at the Margate Library where, at least temporarily, there will be exhibits.

It was closing time Saturday, March 10 for the Margate Historical Society Museum, and the last folks to leave the building were those who have put so much into it over the last decade. From left are Larraine Cheafsky, Dolores Patterson, the wife of the late Robert “Pat” Patterson – who along with his good friend Frank Tiemann, right, started the Margate Historical Society.

“The library is a good place for people to be able to come and see the historical collections; it’s a natural fit,” said Larraine Cheafsky, a longtime member of the Historical Society and regular volunteer at the museum.

The puzzle now is how to get it there, what to display, and where to house the rest of the vast collection.

Tiemann said he and Cheafsky will be helping, but the library workers will be doing the big job if packing up the books, photographs, maps, old equipment, street signs, store signs, blueprints and other artifacts.

“They are going to inventory and digitalize every thing. They told me they will pack up so that documents and photographs do not get destroyed. They said the library has it figured out, and I trust that they do,” said Tiemann, who has put years of work into the museum and made it a labor of love.

On the museum’s last day Saturday morning, the little bell on the door kept tinkling as still another person came through the door to take a look at evidence of how the city has evolved. A nice crowd came to be a part of the buildings swan song.

City Engineer Ed Walberg was there with his son Eric, 14, who is a fan of city history. He examined an artist’s rendering of his neighborhood circa 1960 and marveled at the detail of the work. The teen had planned to be a volunteer at the museum this summer, helping to continue the mission to preserve city history.

“I have always told my son, you really cannot figure out where you are going if you don’t know how you got there in the first place,” Walberg said.

The Historical Society has to be out of the building by May 31 to make way for a new building to house the building department. Demolition and construction is set to commence shortly after the building is emptied.

Tiemann said the memorial bricks out in front of the museum will be moved to a proper space near the library and reassured those who purchased them that they will find a new home.