Museum Reopens For The Victorian Chautauqua
One of Mountain Lake Park's most recognizable buildings from the founding years of the town's association has been getting a lot of attention over the past six months. The Ticket Office Museum on G Street near the new Leo Martin Memorial Park and Splash Pad houses a wonderful collection of pictures and artifacts reflecting the unique history of Mountain Lake Park.
Updating History
The Victorian Chautauqua showcases the town's history each year during the weekend following the 4th of July. The influx of visitors prompted an interest in revamping the museum's collection, first publicly displayed in 2003.
Karen Wooddell and Elizabeth Rees Gilbert applied for a grant under the Mountain Lake Park Historical Association (MLPHA), the nonprofit overseeing historical projects and events in the town. The Mountain Maryland Gateway to the West Heritage Area and the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority awarded a grant to fund the extensive restoration in mind. Their wish list included a more detailed, self-guided description of Mountain Lake Park's founding, its religious origins, the people who built the Mountain Chautauqua resort community, and what led to its transition from a summer resort to a year-round residential municipality.
Wooddell, President of MLPHA, and Gilbert, who has a graduate degree in Museum Education from George Washington University, teamed up with fellow Mountain Lake Park residents Mark and Laura Stutzman, owners of the design and advertising firm, Eloqui. A proposal ensued to include large-scale graphics, a full-wall mural, photo enlargements, reframing, painting, lighting, and displays to exploit the existing assets and new discoveries for the collection.
Gilbert adds notes to a timeline mock-up.
What started as a plan to provide better captioning for visitors exploded into a broader redesign of the interior's ovular space and high ceilings, according to the Stutzmans. As the project grew in scale, they realized the budget may be too limited to include some of the more experiential aspects of the proposed design.
"We had some new ideas that would require high-end materials to enhance the visitor experience," said Laura. "While undergoing the renovation, we hosted a preview of the proposed plan with the Mayor and Town Council at the museum to seek some additional financial support."
The Mayor and Town Council agreed to contribute additional funding to complete the project without cutting corners. The town has had a long-standing commitment to preserving the Ticket Office, making the renovation a worthy investment.
To tell the story of the Chautauqua resort community that began in 1881, the project team cataloged the contents before emptying the building.
They combed through old photographs, postcards, artifacts, and historical documents to reorganize the permanent exhibit. They also engaged researcher Sallie Stuart to confirm dates, unearth missing materials, and flesh out an extensive timeline that greets guests as they enter the museum.
"Sallie was an invaluable asset throughout the project," said Mark. "We never could have completed all the documentation and authenticated stories without her expertise. Her research sometimes discredited rumors which came as disappointments. The flip side is she exposed new stories that have gone untold and connected some dots to tell fuller stories."
Sallie happens to be the daughter of the late Hopwood Wooddell, who was a town resident and member of the first team to build up the museum's collection and renovate the Ticket Office to house it. Wooddell and his wife Karen, took on many restoration projects to preserve Mountain Lake Park's historical structures. Karen continues to do so as President of the Mountain Lake Park Historical Association.
The Ticket Office Museum will debut its new exhibit for the 2023 Victorian Chautauqua. Once inside, visitors will be greeted by a large breakfront that was once in Hamilton Hall, a boarding home lost to time. Behind it is a mural showcasing the interior of the impressive 5000-seat Bashford Amphitheater. The museum's unusual oval-shaped interior has nine sides, each wall featuring a different aspect of history. Wrapping around two sides is a decorative ceiling border with photos of Mountain Lake Park's features and personalities. A quote from a visiting journalist rings the room, boiling down the impression left by the mountaintop resort. Visitors are guided through the founding years with an intricate six-foot-long timeline from 1881 to the 1950s. The next highlight features "The Influencers," women who shaped the community and earned national notoriety.
The people and businesses that provided the community's underpinnings are highlighted in glass cabinets and on a "merchant's wall," with numerous ads reflecting the goods and services of the community at the turn of the last century. Many local names appear in the advertisements, some businesses are still in existence. From there, visitors may peruse an array of Mountain Lake Park souvenirs and learn about an era of performers and celebrities who performed at the Mountain Chautauqua and the multitude of schools or educational programs that were part of the Chautauqua model.
"The Lifestyle" wall is a collection of snapshots from the past. The charming photos capture a playful time and the joy visitors experienced during their summers in Mountain Lake Park. "The Decline & Renewal" wall describes a financially struggling community on the brink of bankruptcy. What was once a dreamy Methodist summer resort gradually transitioned into a year-round municipality.
Guests can also stand at two "windows to the past," offering views of a previous time. New technology includes an interactive touch-screen monitor with a collection of photos and documents. It will continually be developed as a resource to include discoveries and valuable archived materials. Audio tours can be enjoyed on personal devices or with supplied MP3 players and disposable headsets upon request. Free and open WiFi powered by NeuBeam allows visitors to access the online tours without using personal data plan minutes.
Museum hours will be posted at MLPHA.org. For private or group tours, write to contact.mlpha.org to make arrangements. Experienced museum volunteers can guide your group through the collection.
The Ticket Office Museum is located at 301 G Street in Mountain Lake Park. The redesign of the museum was made possible by The Mountain Maryland Gateway to the West Heritage Area and the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority, The Mountain Lake Park Mayor and Town Council, private donations, and in-kind contributions. Below is a list of contributors.
A. D. NAYLOR & CO.
Paint Donation
MTN. TOP GLASS
Framing Glass Donation
CHRISTINE HAYNES
Gift of Carr Cottage Sewing Machine
FITZWATER FURNITURE
Rug Donation
RAILEY DESIGN
Bench Donation
MIKE HOOD & CAROLINE HENDERSON
Entry Door Installation & Hardware Donation
SALLIE STUART
Research Contributor
CABIN LODGE GRILL
$150 Donation
ROBINSON AND FRANC FAMILIES
Bashford Mural Donation
KAREN WOODDELL
Gift of Architectural Details & Frames
JEFF AND ELIZABETH REES GILBERT
Monitor & Laptop Donation
THE STUTZMAN FAMILY
Gift of Antique Entry Door
A blank slate excites the renovation team.
