Local History on the Move

Linda Hawkins and Chuck Bowen Display Pix of Station

Linda Hawkins, President of the Prowers County Historical Society, approached the Prowers County Commissioners for permission to relocate a 1920s vintage filling station building to the Big Timbers Museum property.  The building is being donated by Sharon and Greg Bullock and the Society will pay the bill needed to relocate the small structure which is located just off South 14^th  and Park Streets in Lamar.  When it was in operation for about 20 years, it was located in the vicinity of the Legacy Bank on East Olive Street.

Side View of Building

“We want to be able to relocate the building to where it can be seen from the highway.  The thought is that visitors will notice it at the Museum and stop and take a picture of their car by it and perhaps pay a visit to the Transportation or Big Timbers Museum,” Hawkins explained.  There is not a specific location selected at this time for the structure which would be refurbished, and would be closed for safety concerns to a walk inside. “We plan to have it fixed up so visitors can view the interior through the windows,” she added.

Repairs Will Be Needed at New Site

Kirk Powers, County Building Operations Supervisor, stated that there is only one logical location for the building, just south of the existing garage next to the picnic table area.  He did some calculations on the cost and logistics of the move and estimated that it would have to comply with city codes for the structure and it would cost approximately $5,000 for trenching and pouring concrete for a permanent foundation.  He expressed a concern about asbestos in the composition of the building, Hawkins and Chuck Bowen, who accompanied her to the Commissioners meeting, said there are no plans to allow any visitors inside.

“We’re not asking for any funding from the County on this,” Hawkins reiterated, “The Historical Society members will help conduct some fund raising plans to meet the cost of moving it, we just wanted permission from you before we started the project.”  Commissioner Ron Cook suggested that Powers meet with the Society and develop an outline of the project for consideration.  Commissioner Schnabel said he’d like a timetable on the completion of the project once it moves ahead as he’d prefer not to have the structure on the Museum property for any length of time if it’s not going to refurbished right away.

By Russ Baldwin