Don Palmer, President of the Rangeley Lakes Historical Society, is pictured inside the authentic 1890 log cabin that was moved and incorporated into the new Outdoor Sporting Heritage Museum in Oquossoc. The cabin was dedicated to the late Richard R. Palmer (Don’s dad). (Laura Dunham photo) OQUOSSOC — The new Rangeley Outdoor Sporting Heritage Museum will open its doors Saturday, Aug. 14 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

“There just wasn’t enough room to expand at the Main Street historical house,” Don Palmer, president of the Rangeley Lakes Regional Historical Society, said. So in 2005 fundraising was started for a new $600,000 museum that features 35,000 square feet of space to house historical items, storage and a conference room.

It was decided that Oquossoc was the best location —the same site as the train station that used to bring people into Rangeley and nearby Mooselookmeguntic Lake for hunting and fishing, said Palmer.

Colby Frost (left), the local contractor who designed and constructed the new museum, and local craftsman Kendrick Savage work on a cradle for a 17-foot double ended boat that will be on display at the museum. (Laura Dunham photo) Although the museum has been built with grants and donations, about $100,000 is still needed to complete the project, said Palmer. The new museum is modeled after the Nash of Maine taxidermy shop at Haines Landing in the early 1900s.

Local contractor Colby Frost has been building the museum, and has, according to Palmer, taken time to make the museum unique and welcoming. Working with Frost, local craftsman Kendrick Savage helped with the construction of the cradle which supports an authentic 1920 double ended Rangeley boat made for the Upper Dam pool. The boat is on display in the Transportation Room where visitors can share the excitement of the narrow gauge railroad that brought guests to the Marble Station to meet guides.

Pictured is the new Rangeley Outdoor Sporting Heritage Museum located on several acres at the corner of Route 4 and Route 17 in the Village of Oquossoc. (Laura Dunham photo) An authentic 1890 sporting camp was donated to the historical society and placed in a section of the museum. There is a moose rack on the wall measuring some 61 inches across —part of the atmosphere. The original wooden table and chairs sit near the stone fireplace with kerosene lamps and metal mugs.

“Many people have not even been inside a log cabin,” said Palmer who added that the room was dedicated to his late father, Richard R. Palmer. Don Palmer, who enjoys the fishing and hunting in the area with his wife Stephanie, moved to Rangeley 15 years ago.

One area of the museum features a mounted 11-pound brook trout caught in 1897 at the Upper Dam. Then visitors “step into the past” as voices of legends Carrie Stevens, Ed Grant and Fly Rod Crosby are heard. There are a number of examples of the work of the taxidermist Herb Welch, a wild life artist. Welch owned a sporting goods store in Haines Landing and is featured in one room.

Stevens was a favored maker of trout and salmon flies, said Palmer. There is also featured a list of former guides in the area including Skeet Davenport, Bud Wilcox, Roger Verrill and Ronnie Turmenne. On display will be many rods used by these former guides.

There are photographs and paintings everywhere along with a video that shows the inductees into the Rangeley Guide and Sportsman’s Hall of Fame.

“Auntie Liz Morris” recounts her fishing adventures with her favorite guide, Herb Welch, and visitors will see where the late Dick Frost created and tied his famous flies.

Palmer said that the Rangeley Lakes Historical Society mission is to discover, identify, collect, preserve and interpret artifacts, printed material and original historical records that document the history and traditions of the region and its people.

The museum is looking for items such as old flags, signs, books, sporting equipment and the like. Those who would like to donate such things may do so by writing to the Rangeley Historical Society at PO Box 521, Rangeley, Maine 04970 or by calling Palmer at 864- 5647. There are also opportunities for major sponsors to have a room named after them.

“As you near the end of the journey through time, you will learn how the Rangeley Lakes Region Historical Society, the Rangeley Lakes Heritage Trust, Rangeley Region Guide’s and Sportsmen’s Association, Fly Fishing In Maine and the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and other conservation and sporting organizations are all working together to honor the proud sporting traditions of the past and insure that this gift will be passed on to future generations,” Palmer said.