Renovating the Pump House

By 2019, the Pump House had been derelict for almost 45 years. Given that the building had only been in operation for about 17 years, this was a remarkable span of time to sit untouched. The tanks, pipes, and electronics that were housed inside had been removed in the late 1970s after the pump house was closed at the end of 1976. For decades, the pump house was thus little more than a well-constructed home for raccoons, squirrels, and whatever other small woodland creatures chose to take up residence.

But in 2019, the OA (specifically Ray Capp) established a committee to do something people had been talking about since the 1990s: turning the pump house into a museum. With funding from Phil and Pam Pfeffer and an incentive brought on by the Council’s impending centennial in 2020, work began. The projected was spearheaded by the OA and involved several former Boxwell Staff members. The museum officially opened at the Council Centennial Jamboree in September 2021.

Seen here is a photo of the final stage of the renovation process. Several of the wires and controls for the pumps and tanks are still on the wall, though the electronics were cut years before. Animal droppings still pepper the floor. The building has long way to go, but it will make it the journey!

The inside of the Pump House in the final push before the Centennial Jamboree, May 2021. Collection of Ian Romaine.