Judge Bradstreet of Steuben County Court has ruled that the assets of Call Homestead Museum/Hartsville Historical Society be transferred to the Steuben County Historical Society.
Richard Call originally established the museum on his family homestead at Post Road and Purdy Creek Road. After his death 16 years ago the place was operated by a board. But operating a farm museum in Hartsville was always going to be a challenge.
The action to dissolve the Call Museum non-profit was originally instigated by that institution’s bank, then after study supported by the Department of Education and finally by the Attorney General’s office, which actually brought the action.
The state approached Steuben County Historical Society “out of the blue” to see whether they would agree to receive the assets of Call Museum, and the SCHS board agreed. I am the director of SCHS.
Besides two officials of Steuben County Historical Society, a member of the Call Museum board and the two official Hartsville Town Historians also attended the hearing.
The assets include artifacts, archival materials, real property, and some funds — we can’t speak in detail because it hasn’t been proper for us to go in and inspect or “inventory” until judicial action.
We at SCHS anticipate distributing some of the artifacts and such to Allegany County or to the local communities where they relate more directly. We would take in some materials, and would look at disposing of the real property and other assets with a view to strengthening Steuben County Historical Society. We would use some of these resources to provide services in that southwestern part of the county, and to maintain the name of Mr. Call.
To forestall any confusion this is NOT Town of Hartsville Museum, recently opened in the old Slate Creek School.
We at SCHS were not seeking or expecting this offer/request from the state. Now that it is coming to pass we want to strengthen SCHS and also increase our support for “saving the stories and telling the tales” in Hartsville-Greenwood-West Union, besides letting Allegany County have those materials that relate to them.
We’re also committed to maintain the name and the legacy of Richard Call, who first saw Steuben County through the windows of an orphan train. In Hartsville he found a home and a family and a community, and his generosity will continue to bear fruit through the years to come.