Canal Museum gets a facelift

Critters, vandals have taken toll on facility

MIDDLETOWN — Between vandals and termites, volunteers have been battling both man and beast to clean up Middletown’s Canal Museum for summer visitors.

Crews recently applied a fresh coat of paint to the exterior of the historic museum, located at 1605 N. Verity Parkway, something members of the Middletown Historical Society’s board of directors said is not a normal practice.

Board President Bob Wilson said in general, volunteers trim bushes surrounding the museum, wash off the building’s windows and clear out any creatures who might have taken up residence over the winter. Things were different this year, as termite damage meant that one-third of the flooring in the entrance foyer had to be replaced.

“We had to bring in an exterminator first because we wanted to make sure the termites had been eradicated before we did any work,” Wilson said. “We had quite a bit of termite damage this year and the year before.”

Several of the building’s window frames had to be replaced as well, as Board Vice President Jim Stabler said a squirrel who got stuck inside “tried to eat his way free.”

Stabler said vandals have done a number on the museum in the past, tearing out fence posts, breaking windows and dropping a consonant from the building’s sign.

“They get a kick out of changing it to read Anal Museum,” Stabler said. “But that hasn’t happened in a few years.”

The porch of the building, which has slowly been sinking into the ground since the museum’s 1982 construction, was raised three inches out of the soft earth. The museum’s storm door can now be opened without smacking into the ceiling of the porch.

The Historical Society is funded solely through grants and returns on investments that donors have left over the years. Stabler estimates close to $2,500 has gone into revamping the museum this year alone, with the potential of another $15,000 in replacing the roof.

“This roof is approaching 30 years, but we haven’t gotten around to replacing it quite yet,” Stabler said. “Not a drop of water is getting in there, it just looks bad from the outside.”

In addition to a wealth of information about the Miami-Erie Canal and the early industry of Middletown, Wilson said the building features antique toys and kitchen equipment that never fail to capture children’s imaginations.

The museum maintains regular hours from late April through late October, with visitors welcome every Sunday from 2 to 4 p.m. Tours of the museum can also be arranged upon request for any time, as Stabler said people just need to contact the Historical Society’s office at (513) 424-5539.

Contact this reporter at (513) 705-2871 or at rgauthier@coxohio.com.

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