In the earliest of stages now, the West Florida Railroad Museum (WFRM) is in negotiations with the University of West Florida’s Historic Trust about forging a relationship with the University to expand the museum’s programs and provide some relief to those running the museum, who a board member described as “looking forward to late middle age.”
With the university’s help, museum representative Art Tuttle said the museum’s doors could open six days a week; now they only open Friday and Saturday.
At this point, Tuttle said it is in the University’s hands to go to the state on the matter. He said he expects it may take a few years to see UWF’s name on the museum as it is on another historic part of Milton, Arcadia Mill. Tuttle said, “We wouldn't be involved if we didn't know the track record of the Historic Trust, which to me has been for this area pretty good.”
So what could UWF’s involvement mean?
Tuttle said if the Historic Trust becomes custodian of the property, currently owned by the Santa Rosa Historical Society, the museum’s operating days could go to six, which would allow a sign to go up on I-10. “DOT requires (the museum) be open a certain amount of time to put a sign up. That would be a boon to Milton/Bagdad historic area.” He added the museum currently opens during off hours for school trips but would be able to support more robust programs if this were to take place.
Rob Overton, Executive Director of UWF’s Pensacola Historic Trust said the Trust was approached last year on the matter. Overton said he spoke with internal departments within UWF and found some interest in the WFRM but there are “a lot of details to work out.”
These discussions are in infancy, but Tuttle said the WFRM board, the Trust, and SRHS President Vernon Compton are “all three of us on the same page. We're all working toward the same goal, which is, that the museum be continued in operation long after we're gone and the property be maintained and sustained long after we're gone.”
Tuttle’s response to these ideas not coming to fruition was, “I'm not going to live forever and my board members are not going to live forever. We are, unfortunately, mostly retired. We have some members that are young. George is a retired airline pilot and I’m a retired naval officer. Many members are retired naval officers, one a retired train master of CSX, the treasurer….We put in a huge amount of physical work. The budget has to be supplemented by manpower. We'll operate as long as we're able.”
Tuttle added he wants the depot itself to be preserved as a legacy to all the people of West Florida. “The only way that's going to be done if it’s put on a firm foundation,” he said.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: West Florida Railroad Museum hopes for future through UWF