By Pat Saxton, Museum Director
I’m sure many visitors to the Museum have walked up the uneven, somewhat patched pavers that guide you to the Museum’s front door and never noticed them. I look at them every morning and wonder where they came from and how long they have graced the entrance to the Museum. Each one, like a snowflake is unique. One can see footprints of river rapids on them, where time has worn the layers of slate-like stone away. That is why it was a difficult decision to replace the old uneven pavers with new even pavers.
Each paver has a unique pattern that has emerged over decades of rain, sand, wind and many visitor’s shoes.
But how could we just replace these historical pavers with new ones? Eureka! In an effort to reclaim, reuse and recycle we are setting the pavers aside and will use them when the outdoor classroom in the Botanical and Cultural Garden is complete later this year. These pavers will have a final resting place under the large trees, for both adults and children to admire. By then we hope to have the analysis done so we can put up signage to explain why the pavers look like they came from a riverbed. Maybe we will even learn the origin!
I think Dr. Keith and I are in total agreement that the historical pavers will have a much easier job resting under the shade of the Scarlet Cordia and Yellow Elder trees!
