456958_423270004365801_1750469931_oWith the Guthrie County Historical Village now open for the season, area residents will be able to visit the 1915 Pullman Observation and Cafe Car that is currently being restored.

After receiving more than $3,700 from the Guthrie County Community Foundation to help with the restoration, the next step in the project is to place a new roof on the car.  Museum curator Kristine Jorgensen says this is an exciting development after such a long winter.

“The president of our foundation here has just been talking to the company that is going to apply the roof, and we’re hoping it’s going to be done sometime in May, so it’s just around the corner.  Again, we’re really waiting on the weather to cooperate with us and we’re excited to get that done.”

Jorgensen says the Pullman Car restoration is not only the “biggest project” the Historical Village has ever undertaken, it’s also a “piece-by-piece” process.

So, then after the roof goes on, what is that next step?

“Once we get this roof done, we’ll probably look toward getting the exterior completed.  There is a lot of metal work so that’s not going to be a fast project.  I would say it’s probably going to be a few years before we finally get (the Pullman Car) completed, but when we do, it’ll be worth it.”

Jorgensen says she and the Village Foundation could have gone two directions with the Pullman Car project.  One option could have been to fast-track the project, getting it close to how they want it to look in a shorter timeframe.

However, the group opted for the take-their-time route, which Jorgensen believes “is the right way” to go about completing this important restoration.

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