St. Clair museum will get new digs on Route 66

The St. Clair Historical Museum, destroyed by fire last week, will receive a new home for at least six months along Route 66 in St. Clair, Mo., reported the Washington Missourian.

The Lindemanns, who own the St. Clair Health Mart Pharmacy, 855 N. Commercial Ave., have agreed to donate office space next door to their business for at least six months so the museum can get back on its feet.

“The historical museum is one of St. Clair’s prized assets,” Lindemann told The Missourian on Monday. “Many of our citizens, both past and present, have volunteered countless hours creating the museum and maintaining our community’s historical records and exhibits. It’s important that we preserve what we can after the fire as best as possible and move forward.”

Commercial Avenue is Route 66 in St. Clair. The museum, which was razed after the fire, was at 280 Hibbard St., about two blocks south of 66 in a century-old building.

Firefighters saved some artifacts, but museum president Carol Radford said 90 percent of its collection and displays was destroyed.

The museum is raising money through a donation fund at Farmers & Merchants Bank in St. Clair to reopen. Unfortunately, the museum held just liability insurance; its contents were not insured.

“I’m still grieving,” Radford told The Missourian late last week. “That museum was so much a part of me. But I’m trying to remember that we need to carry on.” […]

The women believe the new museum may open as early as later this month. The first item that may be on display is the 1917 diorama of the city.

Museum officers scheduled a meeting for 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 11, in the conference room at the Budget Lodging motel in St. Clair to organize and plan the new museum. The public is welcome.

Investigators determined the fire was accidental.

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