Black River
Academy
Museum
(Chartered 1835)
Ludlow, Vermont
www.bramvt.org
THE TOWER
TODAY . . .
Our new tower is built, the fire stairs are completed,
the stairs connect directly to each floor as stipulated by fire code and the
fire protection in the entire museum has been upgraded to full code. The
fire code upgrade of $30,000 was unexpected; but it now means we have a very
safe building on all floors for our visitors. Sadly, the museum is still
not accessible to all. We have the elevator shaft but not the cab
itself. We are continuing to raise these moneys. As this is new
construction we do not qualify for a number of grants or federal stimulus
funds. At present, almost all of our contributions have come from private
donors. Please come visit and use the new tower stairs if you wish.
Opening Day is Sat. June 5th, 1 - 4 PM and we will have a special
exhibit in collaboration with Clear Lake Furniture, “What the Rocker
Knows”. We would be delighted to accept any donations to the Capital
Campaign towards the elevator. Please send your check made out to BRAM, P.
O. Box 73, Ludlow, VT 05149, visit our web site,
www.bramvt.org, where all major credit cards and
PayPal are accepted, or just use the convenient “DONATE” button below.
Thank you for your support,
Anita Alic
Capital Campaign Chair
person or event? How about a brick engraved with their name . . . and a special message from you? Look at our
memorial brick walkway . . . just click
here.Our Mission . . .
-To present the ethnic and cultural traditions of the Black River Valley through collection and preservation of artifacts, records, and Memorabilia
- To provide educational opportunities for all ages in order to promote a thorough understanding of this heritage, especially through the textile industry
- To safeguard the identity of the Black River Academy building and history as the alma mater of President Calvin Coolidge and its other graduates
Calvin Coolidge,
Class of 1890,
President of the United States of America,
1923-1929
Mailing Address:
PO Box 73
14 High Street
Ludlow, VT 05149
Telephone:
802,228,5050
EMail:
or
From the Director's Notebook . . .
floor
of the mill. In 1892 the demand for Fullam chairs had increased and they
build a large three-storey building near the sawmill. The company was now
shipping to the large city markets via the railroad. At one time the
Fullam Company employed 30 workers and were manufacturing 30,000 to 40,000
chairs per year. In 1909 the Fullam company had expanded to include sheds
across the street where Michael’s Engineering is now located on Bridge
Street. During the next few years the company began to experience bad
times. Finally in 1915 the Ludlow Savings Bank and Trust Company
foreclosed. However, that was not the end of chair making in Ludlow.
ClearLake Furniture was created in 1992 by Brent Karner, master
woodworker, and Frank Procopio, furniture designer. Every piece of
ClearLake Furniture is crafted with time-proven techniques such as
interlocking joints, splined miters, and dovetails, it will become a
treasured heirloom for generations to come. This year BRAM has been
pleased to join with ClearLake in presenting our Fullam Chairs. Brent
Karner has designer and crafter a New Fullam Rocking Chair for us. This
chair is in our exhibit on the second floor and is being raffled off.
Tickets can be purchased at the Museum and other locations around Ludlow.
$10/ticket and 3 for $25. Brent will continue to produce the New Fullam
Rocking Chair and sell them at ClearLake Furniture.Schedule:
Tuesday - Saturday
Noon to 4 PM
Need some Holiday gifts? Take a look at our new Cook Book and other gifts . . . click here for more . . .