Former Lake Pleasant fire station proposed for gathering space, artifact storage

LAKE PLEASANT — The Montague Historical Society and Lake Pleasant Village Association are exploring the possibility of using the former fire station on Adams Street as a multipurpose gathering and artifact storage space, as discussed at Monday’s Historical Commission meeting.

Local historian Ed Gregory, a member of both the Historical Commission and Historical Society, brought up the topic following a conversation with historian and Lake Pleasant Village Association member David James. Gregory recapped that the idea blossomed after the Historical Society received a donation of historical papers and pictorial items. James added that the village association is interested in using the building as a function space, sharing it for winter meetings and inviting craftspeople for vendor sales.

Historical Commission Chair David Brule concluded during Monday’s meeting that a “site visit is the logical next step” in evaluating the building’s feasibility for such use.

James estimated the former fire station to be “at least 75 years old.” After being decommissioned around the 1990s, the station was owned by the Turners Falls Water District until the district was dissolved roughly 15 years ago, according to James. The building is now owned by the Turners Falls Water Department and is used for storage, he continued.

Gregory told the Historical Commission that the Lake Pleasant Village Association “thinks there may be some historic value in the building.” The Historical Commission is tasked with making decisions relative to the preservation and regulation of historic buildings in town.

“As far as historical, I’m still working to get some information on that,” James said.

With the idea of using the former fire station as a multipurpose gathering and artifact storage space being in what James described as “just an early stages exploration,” Gregory suggested James visit the site soon “to see if it’s worth pursuing.”

“The possibility of future storage space for the Montague Historical Society collection is in the thought process,” Gregory wrote in an email. “We have to visit the building to determine its potential for safe storage of historical collections.”

Previously, Gregory explored a structure at 12 Station St. in Montague Center, once presumed to be a blacksmith shop, as a candidate for storing the artifacts. Upon visiting the site, however, Gregory found the building to be “beyond salvaging” for such purposes. It has been proposed for demolition.

Reach Julian Mendoza at 413-772-0261, ext. 261 or jmendoza@recorder.com.