Chamber of Commerce Director April Daniels tells Trains News Wire that “wonderful” first responders entered the building and saved “65 to 70 percent of what was in there. We were able to get it out but not before it was damaged by soot and water. The fire started in the side of the building that housed the Chamber of Commerce but quickly spread to the museum side.
The first responders were “devastated” she says. “This is a very small town and it meant a great deal to them that our museum was going up in smoke so they tried very, very hard to save as much as possible.”
Unfortunately, some irreplaceable items were lost, including photographs, file cabinets, and a more than 100-year-old desk that survived a fire that destroyed Smithville’s original Missouri-Kansas-Texas depot in 1967. Even some of the display cases that housed artifacts were historic – a few were more than 100 years old but were lost in the fire. “We will now have to go through the painstaking process of repairing and restoring those pieces that are covered in soot and water and smoke damage,” Daniels says, “Then we will be displaying them again.”
The building was owned by the city and is insured. The old building was a total loss, so what remains will be demolished and a new building constructed on the footprint of the old one. Daniels said the goal is to rebuild and open the doors six months from now.
The Smithville Chamber of Commerce has set up a GoFundMe page that can also be reached through its Facebook page at www.facebook.com/SmithvilleAreaChamberOfCommerce. Any funds donated will go not only to restore damaged pieces but to rebuild and make the museum “top quality,” Daniels says. “If we get enough money together, we can build a museum that includes proper lighting, proper windows, and display cases that are hermetically sealed, that’s where we would like to go and why we really need donations to help us with that.”
The Chamber was able set up shop in a vacant building across the street and opened for business Tuesday. “Tell your readers that ‘Smithville is open for business,’” Daniels adds.
Brett, Warren, Robert: the line from John Wayne’s “True Grit” comes to mind, “You’ll get a fair trial and a fine hanging”.
Haven’t many of these museums heard of security systems to photograph or monitor these type of predators? Vandalism is not new to these type of museums and operating tour lines. I highly encourage all of these organizations reassess there security situation. There are a lot of mean and spiteful people out in the public. Many times vandalism is due to bored and misdirected youth and/or could be someone with an ax to grind. You never know.
I know many people can’t understand why someone would do such a thing, but many people resent money being spent on what they consider trivial things when they are either broke or just barely making it. I have read about other train station preservation efforts go under the torch of an arsonist right after money was spent to move it or remodel it.
To rail fans, this stuff isn’t trivial, but to some people looking in from the outside, its a waste of money and they desire “to teach them a lesson” in economics the hard way.
An old Illinois Central freight house was torched right after locals raised $13k to have what was essentially a shack relocated for preservation. 2 days later it went under an arsonists torch. To the perp, they were incredulous that locals would spend so much money on something so non-essential.
The psychology of it is difficult to understand but it doesn’t make what they do right in any way.
It is time to get rid of the mamby-pamby treatment of thieves, arsonists, robbers, rapists, et al. Bring back public floggings and hangings. No more slapping the wrist. Get serious here, and clean this country up. So many criminals are not held accountable for their crimes.
I like the public hanging idea Warren. Watcingh someone drop would sure slow a few down. No TV, no video games, no library, no exercise room, no medical, nothing!! Just take them out and string them up, works for me!!
If you’ve got the tree, I’ve got the rope.
Sad was the first word that came to my mind as well – just like the others –
So sad. If arsonist was random and caught,may you be caught and beaten, If arsonist was an insider, may you be caught and beaten, after of course you tell us who paid you to burn it, Just sayin. All that history Gone!! May all guilty party or parties get caught, get beaten, Like them “ Good Ole Days”
So sad.