By Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief
PENTWATER — Construction is underway on the Pentwater Historical Society’s long-planned museum expansion, marking the next phase of a project that will nearly double the size of the museum while creating new exhibit, educational and community gathering spaces.
Work recently began at the Pentwater Historical Museum, 85 S. Rutledge St., following the historical society’s successful fundraising campaign and approval of the project by the Village of Pentwater Planning Commission. Earlier this year, the organization announced it had surpassed its $1 million fundraising threshold needed to begin construction.
The expansion has been in development for more than a decade. Plans call for a new addition measuring approximately 30 by 86 feet that will connect to the existing museum, housed in the former First Baptist Church building. The project also includes accessibility improvements, including a chair lift, along with additional exhibit space and community gathering areas.
When completed, the expanded museum will feature new interactive exhibits highlighting Pentwater’s history, including displays focused on the village’s maritime heritage, railroad history and local businesses. Plans also include rotating exhibits, children’s activity areas and flexible space for community events and educational programs.
The historical society has also acquired the property immediately north of the museum, providing additional room for future outdoor programming and landscaping. While the expansion building is under construction, society leaders have said long-term plans include outdoor exhibits and additional public gathering space.
The overall project carries an estimated cost of $1.5 million. While construction is underway, fundraising continues to help complete the project, install exhibits and finish landscaping. Society officials previously said an additional $500,000 is needed to fully realize the museum’s vision.
The Pentwater Historical Society, founded in 1982, is dedicated to preserving and sharing the history of Pentwater and the surrounding area. The museum’s collections include artifacts from the 1940 sinking of the Novadoc during the Armistice Day Storm, exhibits on the village’s maritime and lumber heritage, and displays documenting the community’s development.
For more information and to contribute, visit www.pentwaterhistoricalsociety.org.
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