Mormon Station State Park closed for expansion

Staff Reports

Work on Mormon Station State Historic Park should be completed in time for Pops in the Park, but will delay the opening of the museum by at least a month.

Workers tore up pavers starting last week and a construction barrier is up around the park as sewer and water are installed for the first time.

"We're doing a ton of stuff," said Park Supervisor Suzanne Sturtevant. "The pavers are being pulled up and replaced with stamped concrete. Contractors have torn out a portion of the fort fence and are building a new restroom."

In addition to construction, the fence between the park and the Campbell property will be taken down, expanding the park by an acre. This will allow for a second group use area and new picnic tables will be added during the second phase of construction, which is scheduled for completion before Candy Dance.

"We plan to be done and ready for July 1 for Pops in the Park is in there," she said. "We've got to be all done by June 30. It is going to be painful going through the process, but the end result will be really nice."

Work on the park began March 27 when work crews started pulling up the walkway pavers.

In addition to new restrooms, pathways through the park, and stockade fence, there will also be a new barbecue, a tiled counter top in the pavilion area.

Seven new Victorian-style benches donated by the Town of Genoa, the Support Historic Genoa Committee and the Friends of Snowshoe Thompson will be installed in the park.

The museum typically opens on April 1, and Sturtevant said she hopes the museum will make the May 1 deadline.

"We're not going to open the museum if people can't get to it safely," she said.

Museum hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. A $2 entrance fee will be charged to tour the museum for visitors 13 and older.