Museum Opens to Public Saturday

Colleen Yoder, director of the North Shore Historical Museum, pulled open the heavy black metal door to the old-fashioned jail cell in the building's basement.

"We'll stage it as it would have looked in the early 1900's," Yoder said inside. The cell, as well as the city's former courtroom on the main floor, have been extensively renovated, with an entire second floor of offices removed from the courtroom to restore its appearance to what it was in 1909.

The new museum will have its grand opening Saturday, with a ribbon-cutting at 10 a.m. and doors opening to the public at 11. Light refreshments and guided tours will be available, free for members and children, $5 for adults and $4 for seniors and teens.

The opening falls on the 104-year anniversary of the 1907 building's dedication. It has served as the city's police headquarters, City Hall and courthouse. The courtroom was used until 1995. 

The building sat vacant until the museum board's director, Brian Mercadante of Accent on the Home, began fund-raising for its restoration. The museum purchased the property in 2006 from the owners of Atria Glen Cove next door for just $10.

"The staff over there has been very cooperative with the organization," Yoder said.

In addition to the courtroom and remaining cell downstairs (there were once three) there are two back rooms with mid-twentieth century paintings by the Roslyn-based Hungarian-born artist George Gach.

The second floor is currently a meeting and workshop space.

For more information, call 516-801-1191.

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