Oquossoc – In the 19th century, the great showman PT Barnum used to say this about the ever-changing wonders to be found in his famous world-famous Barnum Museum: “If you haven’t been to the Barnum these lately, so you ‘I’ve never seen the Barnum!
Since the Outdoor Heritage Museum opened in 2010, each new season has brought a new series of exhibits to heighten its appeal and continue sharing the fascinating history of Rangeley’s great outdoors. This year will be no exception, and many of our existing exhibits have been reimagined with additional treasures!
As a sample of the new exhibition “Ski in Rangeley†at the OHM; 1949 photo of Doug Burt performing a “Christy” on Haley Hill.
In June we will be opening “Early Skiing in Rangeley†with photos and artifacts from the city’s first ski area, Haley Hill. The exhibit will also share artifacts, movies, photos and more from the early days of Saddleback and Bald Mt. Ski resorts too.
Also premiering in June, we’ll unveil an all-new exhibit featuring Cornelia “Fly Rod” Crosby, perhaps the region’s greatest promoter, Maine Guide # 1 badge winner, as well as prolific writer and accomplished sportswoman. . The exhibit will center on an original 6-foot-tall (and it was also tall) woodcarving of Fly Rod herself, made by master woodcarver Brian Stockman. The new exhibit will also share ephemera and never-before-seen documents about his fundraising efforts to build the Notre-Dame des Lacs Catholic Church, located in Oquossoc.
Sculptor Brian Stockman with his latest creation “Fly Rod Crosby†will be featured in a new exhibition at the Outdoor Heritage Museum.
Our Native American exhibit also received new artifacts including basketry, root clubs, and stone points found here in western Maine. Former Penobscot Chef Barry Dana will offer new perspectives on our collections as an advisor, and we will share an ongoing short film about the culture and history of Penobscot and Wabanaki in our mini-theater adjacent to our collections. Native American. We are very pleased with the news that the Open Air Heritage Museum has been selected to share a very unique artefact. In June, we’ll be exhibiting an extremely rare fluted spear point, painstakingly crafted from quartz crystal by a determined and talented Native American craftsman centuries ago. This rare find from the Aziscohos region has been sought after by many institutions far more prestigious than ours, but the owner wanted to offer a “homecoming” to his region of origin and offer our visitors the opportunity to experience the ‘appreciate.
We have added new Carrie Stevens flies to the existing “World’s Biggest Collection”. There are also new Rangeley boat artifacts as well as many rare documents and artifacts scattered around the museum that we have never presented before.
Probably the most impressive addition to the museum’s galleries in 2021 will be a new exhibit showcasing Captain EL Haley’s incredible collection of bird eggs, shared in a brand new custom display case built especially for the collection. For many years this stunning and distinct collection has been kept in its original set of custom drawers at the Historical Society’s Rangeley History Museum. It was difficult to appreciate in this format and will be more accessible and visible at the Society’s Open Air Heritage Museum in Oquossoc. As many bird species have multiple examples, we will also leave a sample in the original case at Rangeley, “so that we don’t have all of our eggs in one basketâ€. Speaking of the Rangeley History Museum, don’t miss the Narrow-Gauge RR exhibit featuring the working model of the famous Sandy River & Rangeley Lakes RR, vintage movies and photos, and many wonderful artifacts. Consult us online at: www.rangeleyhistoricalsociety.org
Come see the new artifacts and exhibits we need to share for 2021! The open-air heritage museum will open for the 2021 season on May 12. The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday. – Sunday. Admission is $ 7.00 and family memberships start at $ 35.00 and members can bring 2 guests for free and visit as often as they like. Children 12 and under and all active and retired military personnel are free. For more information, call 207-864-3091 or log on to www.outdoorheritagemuseum.org. The Rangeley Open Air Heritage Museum and History Museum are proudly offered by the Rangeley Lakes Historical Society, a 501C3 non-profit organization.
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