A worker is pictured on the roof of the Bemus Point Historical Society.

BEMUS POINT — The Bemus Point Historical Society has commenced renovations to its museum in Bemus Point.

After extensive planning and fundraising, officers and trustees of the organization set forth several goals to correct deficiencies in the Alburtus Avenue building and enhance the appearance of the museum. The society has previously made changes and upgrades to the building including: renovation of the front porch and a portion of the rear of the facility, addition of a wheelchair accessible ramp and replacing the aging furnace with a newer, more efficient model. Funding for some of those improvements was secured through a grant from the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation.

The repairs being undertaken now were necessitated by rain water infiltrating through a dormer on the front of the building which also affected the ceiling on the building’s main floor. Money for the work was solicited as part of a fundraising effort undertaken by the society. Forty-five members and friends of the local museum have donated much of the money needed for the planned renovations to date, and donations are still being accepted toward those improvements. Money raised will also be used to purchase archival boxes and appropriate containers for artifacts in storage at the museum as well as to digitize and reproduce an original map of the Bemus Point Village Cemetery which was donated by the John Cheney family. Archival glass for that large map was donated by Mike Latone of D&S Glass in Jamestown. The frame was fabricated and donated by Fletcher Ward.

Plans are now under consideration for further upgrades to the building which will better reflect the age of the village of Bemus Point as well as the purpose of the building.

Planned renovations for the future include the replacement of the original, double hung windows of the side of the building with shorter and higher windows. That change will further improve energy conservation, enhance security, and increase the museum’s display space.

More information on the Bemus Point Historical Society or the museum can be obtained from Robert Terreberry, Cherrie Clark, Ellery historian, or Fletcher Ward.