Like local history? Railroad museum needs you

There is a gem of a historic building at the southern end of the Dutchess County Rail Trail. There sits an 1873 restored railroad station, known as the Hopewell Depot, an all-volunteer railroad history museum.

It was founded in 1995 by Rich and Maureen Taylor of Hopewell Junction, fully restored in 2012 and opened as a museum in 2013. We are now seeking volunteers to help with the realization of our vision and goals of developing this area into a mini park to promote the vast historical history surrounding the railroad industry in Dutchess County.

Our plan for the future is to develop this site as a mini park to include replicating the two-story signal tower (Interlocking Tower), which was a very important structure at a railroad crossing. This building will facilitate our urgent need for year-round restrooms and be a service to the public. Static displays, such as a restored caboose and maybe a steam engine, would be future additions. A covered pavilion to house our collection of picnic tables for public use will be built in the near future. Other exterior displays will be implemented to improve our historical message.

To accomplish these goals, we will need to increase our volunteer base. As a growing, not-for-profit organization, we need to refresh our board of directors and increase our outreach and fund-raising abilities. Our first needs are a treasurer to sit on the board along with our present board secretary who seeks replacement. To help increase our local awareness and outreachthroughout the county and state, we need to have the depot open to the public as many days per week as possible. This entails having many volunteer attendants to open and run the visitors center and help get the word out about our vision and goals. Being a volunteer attendant is probably the most important job, as you are the face of the Hopewell Depot. You are the first person a new visitor comes in contact with. Your introduction of the depot and its goals is what sets in motion the involvement of others and our needs — volunteers, benefactors, awareness promotion and others.

If you enjoy talking with strangers, learning and promoting local history, and have a strong desire to play an important part in the growth of a history-promoting organization, then you will not be disappointed by joining our volunteer staff — in fact you will find it immensely rewarding. Your job would include opening the depot on the day of your choice, greeting visitors and encouraging them to sign the guest book, answering simple questions about the depot and its goals, and selling books and other items on display. A volunteer ambassador would unlock the building and be present to take visitors on museum tours and answer more complex questions about local history. You may choose to work a minimum three-hour morning or afternoon shift of the three days we are open.

Rich Taylor is volunteer coordinator for the Hopewell Depot, an all-volunteer railroad history museum. For more information or to become a vcolunteer, contact him at 845-226-7639 or email Shelter3@aol.com