Parking Lot Closure
Due to the Museum renovation work,
the Museum’s North Parking Lot off Alabama St. will be closed beginning
tomorrow, Thursday, August 31, 2006, to all traffic and parking (with the
exception of contractors). Please do not park in front of the cones and
flagging tape cordoning off the parking lot entrance as it will be used for
egress by contractors. The parking lot
will remain closed during the duration of the renovation project.
We also request that vehicles
remain clear of the Museum’s handicapped parking pad on the North
Side (end of
Construction Fun Facts
We seem to bump into
something interesting with quite a bit of history every day!
1926 Classroom—The original plaster ceiling of the classroom was severely
comprised and was scheduled for demolition during the Revitalizing History
Project. During demolition of the
ceiling, 2 ½ tons, yes tons, of plaster were removed! The plaster contains sand, cotton seed husks,
and horse hair as additives. During the
removal the contractors found a thick layer of wood shavings between the
ceiling and the 3rd floor subfloor, which
resulted from the original 1916-1917 contractors using a wood plane to evenly
level the hardwood maple floor of the gymnasium (main floor) when the building
was under construction! The original
hardwood maple floors of the Museum’s main floor have been covered by a layer
of masonite for over 20 years. During Phase II of the Revitalizing History
Project we hope to remove the masonite and expose and
renovate the original maple floor.
1st Floor/Basement—During renovation Museum staff found a newspaper article
from a June 1917 edition of the Silver City Independent. Apparently, the two bottom rooms, currently
used to house collections, were originally the girl’s and boy’s locker rooms
and showers! Now we know why there are plumbing fixtures and old sewer
hookups in the floors.
Parts of Fleming Hall
Originally to be a Museum?—The 1917
article also stated that the smaller rooms located between the locker rooms in
the basement were slated to be a “Museum.” These rooms were to house museum
type exhibits of “…Normal School memorabilia currently scattered throughout the
various campus buildings.” Unfortunately, we do not know if this plan
came to pass, but it does seem to Museum staff that Fleming Hall was always
meant to be a Museum.
Old Electrical Toggle Switch
Backing—Many of the old electrical toggle
switch backing found on the Museum’s lower, or second floor, in the various
different laboratories are made from grey slate. In 1916-1917 composite had not developed and
slate was used for electrical switch backing. Visitors will be able to
marvel over the changes in electrical equipment and wiring (rubber-coated cloth
wiring) between 1916 and 2007 in a new exhibit slated for our re-opening
celebration in 2007.
Biology Lab Water Supply
Still Working!—Museum staff and
contractors just located the original plumbing, in a wall, for the Biology
Laboratory. The Biology Lab was located
in what staff now refers to as the “Buggy Room” on the second floor where
Colonel Fleming’s buggy (donated by Scott Nichols) is displayed along with
other historic objects. And yes, much to
our amazement the plumbing still works (water went flying everywhere when we
tested the pipes)! The plumbing will be
disconnected downstairs in the collection area located in the basement and the
pipes removed from the wall on the 2nd floor so the wood chair rail
disguising the new electrical outlets can be constructed over the area.