| | Marj Walters shows off the time piece sign once used by the old Walter Rankin jewelry store sign. (Photo by Janine Giordano) | |
Remember when you could get a filet mignon dinner or twin lobster tails at the Lake House for only $6.95? According to a menu on display at the Richfield Springs Historic Association’s and Museum, those were two of the most expensive meals offered at the time. The menu reads, “The Lake House, Beef and Spirits, On Canadarago Lake, Established 1867.” Crossing over the threshold from Main Street into the new location of the historic association’s museum is indeed like traveling through time. Located in the building that used to house Rankin’s Jewelry, the museum provides photos and artifacts bringing to life a different time and different way of living. Many visiting Richfield Springs Central School alumni in town for the reunion stopped by the museum for a brief walk down Memory Lane. Authentic old fashioned roller skates, a matchbook collection from local restaurants and establishments, old medicine bottles from the local pharmacy, firehouse hose apparatus, and the original sign that once hung outside of Kitt’s Drug Store are all on display for perusing. Pointing to an enlarged time piece that read “Walter Rankin,” Walters explained how the shop she now occupies was once a jewelry store. For years Walters has been trying to find space to house these and more treasures. She worried daily about any damage that might result from storing so many artifacts away in damp, musty buildings, or in her basement. Finally, she raised the money needed to rent some space, and Jay Bernhardt struck a deal she could accept. While the rent is paid through the year, the cost of utilities weighs heavily on her mind. Fundraising and generous donations will be needed to keep the museum alive. | | The Richfield Springs Historic Association and Museum welcomed visiting RSCS alumni to peruse its collection of artifacts and memorabilia dating back throughout Richfield Springs history. (Photo by Don Urtz) | | |