BAE Systems and Community Support Opens
New Visitor Center at Sotterley Plantation
On May 1st, Sotterley Plantation officially opened for the guided tour season. This would not have been possible, however, if not for the generous support and hard work of several incredible members of the community, and under an extremely tight deadline! This joining of forces has not only transformed a building into our new Visitor Center, but also saved Sotterley thousands of dollars.
As many know, the basement wall of the former Museum Shop collapsed. The Knott House became the best choice to house both the Visitor Center and Museum Shop.
Just a mere three weeks out from the big day, several employees of BAE Systems rode in on their white horses (white trucks, actually) and transformed the one-time Knott House into the NEW Visitor Center and Museum Shop. Their worked ranged from reinforcing and re-hanging the ceiling, sanding and painting the Exhibit Room, Museum Shop, and restroom walls, building new bookshelves, purchasing and installing a new door and locks, repainting the outside railings, hanging new track lighting, moving electrical fixtures, and enclosing a closet. Over the past seven years, BAE Systems has consistently played a major role in enabling the site to remain open to the public, because of their continued belief in the Sotterley Plantation mission - of serving as an educational resource and cultural venue while seeking to preserve, interpret and research the plantation’s diverse cultures and environments throughout its history. This latest incredible act of generosity is added to the long list of their support of Sotterley and other organizations within the community.
Just a mere three weeks out from the big day, several employees of BAE Systems rode in on their white horses (white trucks, actually) and transformed the one-time Knott House into the NEW Visitor Center and Museum Shop. Their worked ranged from reinforcing and re-hanging the ceiling, sanding and painting the Exhibit Room, Museum Shop, and restroom walls, building new bookshelves, purchasing and installing a new door and locks, repainting the outside railings, hanging new track lighting, moving electrical fixtures, and enclosing a closet. Over the past seven years, BAE Systems has consistently played a major role in enabling the site to remain open to the public, because of their continued belief in the Sotterley Plantation mission - of serving as an educational resource and cultural venue while seeking to preserve, interpret and research the plantation’s diverse cultures and environments throughout its history. This latest incredible act of generosity is added to the long list of their support of Sotterley and other organizations within the community.
Dennis Kund, longtime supporter of Sotterley, created the new, incredible, you can’t miss us now on-site signage. Over the years, this unsung hero has billed minimally for his services, donating most of it. His assistant Marguerite Seifert was a tremendous help in creating and installing the new artwork and signs. Clark’s Flooring also donated well over half of the cost for the new carpet, padding, and installation.
Because of a generous community, Sotterley now boasts a new Visitor Center, and we’re not done yet! More new exhibits are yet to come, and we hope to have many of these changes ready for our visitors this summer. Come and experience these magnificent changes at Sotterley for yourself!
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