Goals, Accomplishments & Plans
Goals
Goals that the Friends have focused on over the past few years are the establishment of sustainable programs for:
• Museum renovation and maintenance
• A History Center within the museum
• Museum restoration sponsorship
• Government, business and foundation grants
Accomplishments
In concert with New York State park management and personnel, our efforts have resulted in significant improvements and upgrades to the Nature Museum, and to the Caleb Smith House, which houses the museum; notable examples are:
• Obtained a Conservation Assessment grant for an architectural assessment of the Caleb Smith House, and recommended approaches for the long-term protection of its collections, which led to structural repairs, new windows, fireplace and fire suppression system, and complete restoration of entrance and many exhibit rooms
• Developed several history exhibits of the Smith family, Caleb Smith house and previous sporting club residents
• Obtained funding to complete exhibits and computer-based interactive displays for museum entrance and exhibit rooms, providing an introduction and natural history of the Preserve, and morphologies of pond microlife and the Nissequogue River
• Clean-ups and landscaping improvements of the Nissequogue River
Plans
Current plans concentrate on completion and enhancement of the nature and history exhibits in the museum, and on pursuing the grants and sponsorships to fund them.
Near-term projects include:
• Displays of “Who Eats Whom”, an interactive food chain puzzle and an interactive “Mechanical Willow Pond”
• Support Park with construction of Caleb Smith House and river mill models and sporting club artifact display cases, restoration of the Wyandanch Club Room and renovation of typical gun club member lodgings with period sporting equipment displays
• Historic restoration assessments of the Maintenance Barn, Pump House and Blacksmith Shop
• Develop new educational and fund-raiser events
Some longer-term plans include:
• Design and construct a photovoltaic system to power the Caleb Smith House and utility barn
• Enhance beautification of areas throughout the Preserve
• Develop projects to upgrade the Willow Pond, make it more environmentally secure and user-friendly
• Assess requirements for restoration of other historic structures in the Preserve
• Develop new educational and fund-raiser events
Some longer-term plans include:
• Design and construct a photovoltaic system to power the Caleb Smith House and utility barn
• Enhance beautification of areas throughout the Preserve
• Develop projects to upgrade the Willow Pond, make it more environmentally secure and user-friendly
• Assess requirements for restoration of other historic structures in the Preserve
