Lovell-Kane Museum receives historic railroad warehouse addition

The Lovell-Kane Area Museum has some additional room to display exhibits thanks to the addition of a building that is, in itself, historic.

The museum recently completed the renovation of the historic Kane railroad warehouse, which had been moved to the museum site on Oregon Avenue in Lovell.

Museum board president Karen Spragg said the warehouse was attached to the CB&Q Railroad depot at Kane for many years, and although she doesn’t know the exact age of the building, she noted that the railroad was built through Kane in 1906, so the warehouse was likely constructed soon after. There was a section house on the site, as well.

It was moved to the Wiley and Carol Layne property five miles east of Lovell when the Kane townsite was taken over by the Bureau of Reclamation in 1965. Carol Layne told the museum board several years ago that the museum could have the warehouse, Spragg said, but it took some time to find someone to move the structure. Eventually, Matt Bassett stepped forward to move the building. The building was moved in September of 2020 by Bassett and three others after a storage shed on the site was scooted a few feet to the west to make room. A stump also had to be removed, which Bassett took care of, Spragg said.

The museum board then applied for a grant through the Wyoming Cultural Trust Fund in April, and a matching grant of $4,167.67 was approved on July 1, matched with labor, electrical work and roofing work.

In preparation for the renovation, the Young Men group of the Lovell Fourth Ward helped tear out wallboard and clean out the building in the spring of 2021, and the building simply sat on site until the museum board found the grant nearly two years later and applied.

“We had less than a week to get it in, and we did,” Spragg said.

Once word of the grant was received, the board went to work on the project. Jay Brinkerhoff was in line to do the roofing work but was injured on another roofing job. Vance Leithead tore the old roof off, and Jeff Pearson donated new roof sheeting and roofing nails. Josh Paumer installed a new metal roof, assisted by wife Erin.

Shane Kannard did the electrical work, installing new recessed lights and outlets, Spragg said, and Bassett and family put up new plywood for the ceiling, floor and walls to complete interior work. Tim DeFuentes repaired cracks and painted the exterior wall, assisted by his father-in-law Stuart Morthole. Board members Becky Ontiveroz, Spragg and Angie Hutzenbiler stained the interior.

“We’re trying to keep it rustic,” Spragg said.

The 12- by 14-foot building is providing additional display space for the museum and now displays four saddles, one pack saddle, tack, railroad implements and tools including two picks, farrier equipment, a blacksmith bellows and farm implements. James Blau, Sami Poulsen and Sam Spragg helped set up the displays, Spragg said.

“I think it turned out good,” she said.

Resting just outside the building is the old Kane mail wagon, which Spragg has asked wagon craftsman Pat Steed to repair. He and David Sorenson will build a ramp, she added.