maryland and pennsylvania historical society antique machinery sold for scrap,when donated for preservation muddy creek forks Pennsylvania

The Maryland & Pennsylvania Railroad Preservation Society does not, and never has, scrapped any artifacts or antiques that we have accepted for our permanent collection.  All items offered to our museum are evaluated as to their suitability for the collection.  When we accept an item the donor excutes a Deed of Gift and we accession the item as part of the permanent collection.  If we decide that an item offered to us is not suitable for the collection, we offer the donor the choice of having us return it or dispose of it.

When our museum site was purchased in 1992, many items were left in the buildings by the previous owner.  Many of these items have been in storage ever since and never displayed.  In 2016 the storage areas were cleaned out.  Those items that were not deemed suitable to add to the permanent collection were taken for sale at auction.  Items the auctioneer declined were scrapped.  None of these items were antiques or artifacts received from donors.

We do have a scrap metal dumpster on site to collect scrap metal generated in our maintenance and restoration of railroad equipment.  No items accepted for the collection have ever been disposed of in the dumpster.

Since the initial complaint against our museum contains no details to support the allegation, I cannot provide a more specific rebuttal.  But I can state categorically that we have never scrapped or sold any item offered to us by a donor unless instructed to do so by the donor.

Just because it is old doesn't make it valuable or something "unique" and worth keeping. If it had sentimental value to you..perhaps you should have kept it.

Did you specify you were donating it only on the condition that they keep, restore(if needed) and maintain it? Did you ask if they could use what you had? Did you provide them any additional funds to help defer the cost of the maintenance and upkeep?

This is important because if your equipment needed their entire years budget to get restored they may feel it isn't of enough historical value. If it was in perfect working order but had a high maintenance cost(or even any cost) again...it may not be something they could do. Or perhaps it is something they already had several of and with limited space they need to make room. Where perhaps by getting rid of it for scrap, the money they got on that they were able to keep something else going or add other things.