Visitors touch on Nylander Museum’s importance
CARIBOU, Maine — Those following the May 30 Memorial Day 2016 parade would be led straight to the Nylander Museum on South Main street, which officially reopened its doors to the public at roughly 11 a.m.
Light refreshments were served as visitors were shown around by board members Nelson Ketch, Gail Hagelstein, and Kimber Noyes.
“It’s always amazing to visit the Nylander,” said RSU 39 Business Manager Mark Bouchard. “What a wonderful resource we have right here. It’s one the best kept secrets we have in Caribou. I hope that we can continue to support it because I would hate to see this place shut down — it would be a tremendous loss to the community.”
In addition to RSU 39’s Business Manager, Representative Carol McElwee also attended the museum’s reopening.
“I am a supporter of this building,” said McElwee, who has served on the Nylander board multiple times in the past. “It’s such a wonderful thing for us to have this in Caribou. Often times, we tend to take it for granted. I intend to support it and work on it as much as I can.”
City Councilor Timmy Guerrette also visited the opening. Although he had not been to the museum in decades, he was impressed with the building as well as the turnout.
“I was a kid in school the last time I was here,” said Guerrette. “It looks beautiful in here. They’ve done a really nice job. I hope more people can come and check this place out.”
Items on display last Monday only reflect a fraction of the Nylander’s total inventory. A myriad of ancient relics from the past are currently stored in the basement, which will allow for many rotating displays, and provide additional incentive for return visits.
Out of the many visitors, seven descendants of Olof Nylander — Karson Reid, Alton Ketch, Lantie Ketch, Cindy Levasseur, Doreen Campbell, Nelson Ketch and Cindy McEndarfer — were in attendance.
