150 volunteer hours spent cleaning vandalized museum

CORINTH, N.Y. (NEWS10) - Clean-up efforts are underway at the Hudson River Mill Museum after it was allegedly vandalized Monday morning by three juveniles. Museum employees are still devastated but said they are feeling the love from the local community and volunteers who have helped work to get the building back in order.

According to Maureen Kelly, a board member and treasurer Hudson River Mill Museum, about 150 hours have been put in by 45 volunteers to clean up the museum over the past three days.

"We spent the first day, the first eight hours, in silence," Kelly said. "All you heard was the sweeping of smashing glass and sorting glass. I can tell you what I saw here; I have never seen it anywhere before in my life. I have never seen this level of destruction that happened inside this room."

It's been only four days since the museum was ransacked, and Kelly said she's still trying to process how this landmark will ever recover.

"I can't fathom that there is a motive for this," Kelly said. "My instant thought is this is the undereducation of America right here. That was my thought, like, 'OK, this is where we are now.'"

So far, 24 exhibits have been boxed up. Kelly said the next steps are sorting through all of the exhibit material to see if it is salvageable or if it needs to be disposed of. The museum is also in talks with professionals who can repair the structural damages to the building, such as the drywall, broken windows, and water system. However, Kelly said since the bathrooms were destroyed, the museum will no longer be able to open restrooms.

The three young suspects are facing charges after allegedly damaging the landmark; they have been released to the custody of their parents. Kelly believes that the individuals involved should face consequences. Kelly estimates that it will take anywhere from five to 10 years to fully fix the entire building, but she plans to have most of the smaller damage fixed by May. There are currently exhibits open now for the public.

The museum was open Saturday for volunteers to help clean up the space, and for the employees to answer any questions the public may have about the incident.