We popped in to the Dead River Historical Society, in Stratton, to check its hours, and found Pat Simpson, a local with deep, deep roots, bustling about and awaiting a cleaning crew. She let us pop in for a quick look-see, even though the museum doesn’t officially open until Memorial Day weekend (thereafter, Saturday and Sunday only, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.).
For fusty museum fans, this place rocks. It’s chock-full of artifacts and memories from Stratton, Eustis, and the lost town of Flagstaff, now buried beneath the lake that bears its name.
Get Pat talking about her memories: She started collecting her finds at the dump more than 30 years ago, when she realized the town’s residents were discarding them. There are pieces in here that would make an Antiques Road Show appraiser’s eyes pop. We’ll definitely return when it’s officially open, after Pat and her crew of volunteers have cleaned up and organized it for the season.