The joy of seeing the Damascus Heritage Museum finally open last week was tempered for some by the knowledge that the building sits on leased land.
The Damascus Heritage Society holds a five-year lease with the county to house the museum in a former Montgomery County Public Schools' portable classroom across the parking lot from the Damascus Library and Senior Center on Main Street. And some members of the organization hope to find a permanent site for the facility.
But getting the doors open this time — two previous groups failed in establishing a museum designed to put the spotlight on the community's history — was the first step.
"It was wonderful," Linda Olsen, vice president of the Damascus Heritage Society, said of the Nov. 17 grand opeing. "The day went without a hitch. We couldn't believe it happened."
The contract with the county allows the group to extend the lease, but the heritage society has looked at more than 30 pieces of land to find a permanent site, said Dan King, executive secretary of the heritage society.
Its sights are set on a 3.5-acre parcel on Woodfield Road near the current location. The land is owned by the State Highway Administration and is only accessible through the library parking lot. For that reason, King, who has led the land search, does not think the parcel would be of use to anybody else, but it would be perfect for a museum and cultural arts center, he said.
"I can't think of a better location," King said.
The state has offered to sell the county the land for $528,000, but for the heritage society the asking price is the appraised value of $1.14 million, said Brian Jones, an aide to Councilman Michael J. Knapp (D-Dist. 2) of Germantown.
To prevent someone else from snatching up the parcel before the county or the heritage society could buy it, Knapp's staff wrote a letter to the State Highway Administration expressing formal interest in the land and establishing the right of first refusal, Jones said.
King had hoped the county could arrange for the museum to buy it at the county's price. As a down payment it would use a $200,000 grant it won from the state, King said.
Jones does not think the heritage society can buy the land at the county's price or that the county could buy the land on behalf of the heritage society.
"I would say this is our permanent site for right now," heritage society President Randy Scritchfield said.
During its first year, the museum will house revolving exhibits of local interest.
The first exhibit, which will be on display through the end of January, features gear and memorabilia from the Damascus Volunteer Fire Department.
"This is still just the beginning," Scritchfield said.
The Damascus Heritage Museum, located at 9701Main St., will be open Wednesdays and Saturdays from noon to 5 p.m. and by appointment for groups of 10 or more. Call Linda Olsen at 301-253-1811 for an appointment.
