Some people want to move Oxford’s one and only historical museum out of the old bank building downtown, but that’s not going to happen unless the society that operates it wants to go, otherwise it stays put.
‘As long as the historical society wants to be in that building, we will restrict (the deed) so that they can,? said Oxford Bank President Jeff Davidson. ‘It would have to be their decision, not the village’s, to move the museum. It’s certainly not the intent of the bank to move the museum.?
At the Dec. 17 meeting of the Oxford Downtown Development Authority, new member Chuck Schneider, a professional real estate developer who owns numerous downtown properties, suggested moving the Northeast Oakland Historical Museum, located at the northwest corner of Burdick and Washington streets, into the former township hall, which is sitting vacant at 18 W. Burdick St.
‘I think it’s unfortunate that one of our four corners of our main downtown intersection is occupied by a historical museum that is open maybe three hours a week,? he said.
The village is currently working out a deal to purchase the old township hall and all of its parking, plus the old fire hall behind the village offices, for $262,500.
‘I was anxious to see this transaction take place because I think there is a strong case that could be built to take the museum and move it into this facility,? Schneider said.
Schneider wants to see the museum moved out of the historic Oxford Savings Bank building, which was built in 1922-23 and housed the financial institution until 1966, so ‘something that’s more consistent with a vibrant downtown? and the DDA’s market strategy could be located there, such as a ’boutiquey restaurant? or ‘coffee shop.?
In 1972, Oxford Bank deeded the building, which is a Michigan Registered Historic Site, over to the village with the intent and written restriction that it be used as an area historical museum. Since then, the Northeast Oakland Historical Society has leased it from the village for a token sum, while the municipality continues to maintain and insure the building.
It appears no one from the historical society has been consulted about a possible move.
‘I really don’t know what to say because I haven’t heard anything about it,? said Historical Society President Gerry Griffin. ‘Nothing was said to us.?
‘I like the idea of being there, in that building (the historic bank), but to give any comments on what’s going on (regarding a possible move), I don’t know. This came right up out of the blue. I did hear that it was being thought of,? Griffin added. ‘I would like to have more details so I could take it to the (historical society) board. We’ve put a lot of work in that (museum) over the years.?
Schneider asked village Manager Joe Young to investigate the deed on the historic bank building and the terms under which the historical society was granted its use.
‘We’re still looking for the deed,? said Young on Dec. 27. ‘We haven’t been able to locate it yet.?
There is a ‘reverter clause? or ‘restriction? in the deed, meaning the historic building reverts back to the bank’s ownership should it ever stop being utilized as a historical museum.
To change that provision would require further consultation with legal counsel and approval from the bank’s board of directors, which next meets Jan. 14, according to Davidson.
Davidson said the bank ‘may be willing? to let ownership of the historic building go to the village should the museum ever leave, but any decisions about staying or moving would be left entirely up to the historical society, not the municipality.
‘Even if we did change the restriction so it would revert to the village, we would not lift the restriction that as long as the historical society so desired to be there, they would continue to be able to lease it,? Davidson said. ‘The intent is that the historical society be able to keep it at that (lease) price for perpetuity, as long as they want to.?
Schneider said moving the museum into the former township office space could have ‘a whole lot of pluses? for the historical society, noting it could be open to the public from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. five days a week, along with the rest of the municipal complex, exposing more people to its contents.
But DDA member Sue Bossardet pointed out the reason the museum has such limited hours is because the historical society has a very small pool of volunteers to staff it.
She also noted the society would probably not want to leave its artifacts on display ‘without somebody being there.?
‘People would just come and cart this stuff off,? she said.
Schneider suggested the museum pieces could be displayed in glass cases, so ‘you could see it, but you can’t touch it,? and the public could take a ‘self-guided tour? using written information explaining each item.
The last time Schneider was at the museum it was his opinion that the only one who really knew anything about the pieces was Mildred Schmidt, the longtime curator who passed away last year at the age of 99.
‘No one else knew anything, but her,? he told the DDA board. ‘The other people were nice, but they didn’t have anywhere near her breadth of knowledge.?