If you have been wondering what has become of the Bainbridge-Decatur County Museum, it is safely in storage.

About a year ago, with the knowledge that West Bainbridge Middle School would be closed when the new high school was opened, we asked the school board if there would be any space in the school so we could re-establish the museum. It is hoped that once all their plans are finalized as to where everyone will be located next school year, they will be able to have some thoughts on how to utilize the extra space at WBMS.

There has also been some talk of possibly placing the museum downtown where the current board offices are located, in what was originally the Bainbridge Post Office.

Again, it’s all still in the suggestion stages. If you have been following the news stories about the new high school written in The Post-Searchlight, you know that it won’t be long when the big shifts in student populations will begin.

We can only hope that in some of the moving, we can allocate some space to re-establish the museum.

For years, the museum was part of the Arts Council’s Firehouse Gallery downtown across from the courthouse annex. When the building was renovated, that portion of the building, which once housed the museum was thought by members of the Historical Society to be inadequate for future expansion.

Hence, the museum went into storage, and we have been looking for a new home for several years.

Local historical museums are important even in small towns like Bainbridge. Our past dictates our future, and we must have our sense of local history.

So therefore, we hope when all the moves are complete, there will be some room designated to re-establish the museum.

Meanwhile, the Historical Society needs membership. Our meetings are open to the public, and all you need do if you wish to attend is call in a reservation. Our next meeting is Monday, March 9, at the Bainbridge Country Club. Price of admission includes cost of the dinner, which is $18 that includes a wine social hour.

Membership is $25 per year per couple, and we need your support, especially if these things come to pass with re-opening and re-establishing the museum. Like all things, we’ll have to have some fund-raisers.

Our speaker this meeting is Dr. C.C. Bragg of Thomasville, a published historian, who will discuss the powderworks factory in Augusta, which still stands today, and the roll it played in supplying ammunition to the southern states during the Civil War.

The historical society meets six times a year on the second Monday of January, March, May, September and November.

If you would like to join us for dinner this next meeting, please call J.B. Swicord, treasurer, at 246-5753, or yours truly at 248-0955.

If you are interested in become active in the business activities of the Historical Society, we have openings for members onto the board of directors, and we especially need some ideas for fund-raisers and some volunteer help if all the above plans come about.