Batavia history museum seeks $2 million for expansion
Batavians are being asked to dig deep in their pockets to preserve more local history.
The Batavia Historical Society is asking for $2 million to add a two-story, 5,000-square-foot expansion to the Depot Museum.
It's hosting a kickoff event at 2 p.m. March 12 at the Batavia Public Library, 10 S. Batavia Ave., to explain the project.
One of the first events will be an "Antiques on Main Sale" in May. The society also is planning a "Night At the Museum" for summer and an appraisal fair in the fall.
The Batavia Historical Society formed in 1960. In 1973, it obtained the former Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad depot and moved it from Webster and Van Buren streets to where it stands today at Houston and Water streets.
A caboose was moved there in 1974. The complex also includes an old water tower, a gazebo, the Coffin Bank building and the Gustafson Research Center. The last was added in the late 1990s.
The bank, water tower, caboose and gazebo would be moved around to make room for the 5,000-foot building expansion.
Materials and artifacts are being stored off-site, and the museum doesn't have the room to host traveling national exhibits, according to former Director Carla Hill.
Hill retired late last year but is still involved with the society.
"This expansion project is so important. Our history needs to be preserved, not just for our present community, but for future generations as well, and we are simply out of room," she said in a news release.
The depot building was built in 1854, according to Batavia Township assessment records.
The new space will include a "Welcome to Batavia" reception area, because of the museum's closeness to the Fox River Trail.
The addition will be on the north side.
According to a contract with the park district, the society is to raise the money by Jan. 1, 2022. It has to have at least 50 percent in hand before the park district will start construction and 75 percent by Jan. 1, 2020.
The park district will pay up to $20,000 for preliminary design plans, and up to $100,000 for final plans. It will oversee the construction.
Donations for the project can be mailed to the Batavia Historical Society Expansion Project, P.O. Box 14, Batavia, 60510.