Some Current Needs at the
Hudson Mohawk Industrial Gateway

Burden Iron Works Museum-materials

• Comfortex® room-darkening cellular shades for 17 windows (each approx. 48 X 72); windows are currently bare
• Commercial carpeting and underlayment for same, or durable tile flooring (approx. 350 square yards); floor is currently a composite of old hardwood flooring and plywood underlayment
• Wiring and fixtures to light the main hall (approx. 50 feet by 50 feet, high-ceilinged); lighting is currently a few barebones ceramic fixtures surface-mounted and wired with temporary, surface-mounted armored cable
• Cherry wainscoting-style paneling for eyelevel wall covering (approx. 36 inches high in some areas, approx. 60 inches high in others, and about 240 linear feet total, plus stain and polyurethane to finish same); current treatment is bare studs over brick where original cherry paneling was located before removal by previous owner
• Plaster of paris to repair wood-lath-and-plaster walls in main hall and in library (approx. two dozen bags)
• Materials to create partition wall between main hall and south alcove/conference room and to enclose stairs to attic (studs, sheetrock, fiberglass soundproofing, doorway unit to attic, new treads to attic, railing for stairs, double-door unit between main hall and conference room, and paint for same-approx. $1,800 total)
• Custom cherry molding around windows to replace pieces removed by previous owner (approx. 100 linear feet)
• Fiberglass insulation for under-floor installation in main hall and in library (R-30, 16 inches on center, no vapor barrier, approx. 2500 square feet)
• Materials for ceiling in library (approx. 20 12-foot 2X8 joists, hangars for same, fiberglass insulation for same, plastic vapor barrier for same, sheetrock to cover same, paint to prime and finish same, plus miscellaneous hardware for installation); existing installation consists of just a few cross-hatched 2X4s with plastic vapor barrier [Note: Apollo Lodge No. 13, Free and Accepted Masons , 9 Brunswick Road, Troy, have graciously donated funds toward this need. The Gateway is most grateful to the Apollo Lodge for their generosity and for their implicit expression of faith in the purposes of the Gateway. About $350 to $500 more in funds or materials is needed to get this job done. Please consider contributing to this project now, because it would be advantageous to finish the work before the winter of 1997-1998. Thank you.]
• Heavy-duty, locking rollers/casters for mounting under exhibits so they can be removed from main hall for special functions (approx. 200 rollers)
• Padded folding chairs for conference room and for special events in main hall (approximately 150 needed)
• Large retractable wall-mounted projection screen
• Mortar to repoint and repair damaged exterior brickwork
• Snowblower
• Clear acrylic box on pedestal for soliciting cash donations from visitors
• Clear acrylic covers for three existing exhibit cases
• Quadraphonic sound system for main hall
• Display racks for gift shop
• Wall-mount bookshelving for offices
• Paint for plaster walls in main hall, for window frames (interior and exterior), and for exterior doors (exterior only)
• Light bulbs (miscellaneous sizes and wattages)
• Paper supplies (paper towels, tissues, napkins, toilet tissue)

Burden Iron Works Museum-labor

• Architects to draw up plans for library ceiling, for partition wall, and for attic stair enclosure
• Skilled plasterers to repair plaster walls in main hall
• Skilled masons to repoint and repair damaged brickwork on exterior
• Skilled electricians to rewire main hall and library
• Skilled ornamental ironworking firm to fashion an iron chandelier for the main hall out of Burden iron from the Gateway's collections
• Carpenters and construction workers to install all other materials listed above

Burden Iron Works Museum-materials and labor combined

• Signage for exterior of building
• Blacktopping for driveway and parking lot
• Reconstruction of hearths in five surviving fireplaces
• Construction of a handicapped-access ramp (plans already drawn and approved, existing bids indicating a cost of approximately $20,000)
• Repair and restoration of existing vault door and safe inside vault

Hudson-Mohawk Industrial Gateway-general

• Gateway2000 Destination PC for graphics presentations to school groups (approx. $4,000)
• Desktop Pentium PC and laserjet printer for routine office work
• Scanner and color inkjet printer for graphics work
• Digital camera
• SVGA-to-NTSC video converter box for displaying computer output on TV (approximately $100)
• Cash register for gift shop (approximately $130)
• High-quality paper for printing of various mailings and brochures
• Routine letter-size copier/printer paper
• Internet account and web site [Note: One of our more generous new members has offered to underwrite the Gateway's own Internet domain. Watch for that to become a reality later in 1997. Still needed is money for software and hardware to manage that site.]
• Funds to start an endowment [Note: Three members of the Gateway's Board of Trustees have now pledged funds toward this purpose, to be paid as soon as there are sufficient pledges to meet the necessary minimum to open the appropriate investment account. The Gateway is most grateful for these visionary pledges. Please consider adding a pledge of your own so that the Gateway can get the endowment launched during 1997. Thank you.]
• Frequent-flyer miles so that the Executive Director can afford to attend the annual meetings of the Society for History of Technology (the premier organization for the history of technology in the world, of which he has been a member since 1972) and the American Association of Museums, and so that the Gateway can bring in nationally-recognized experts to advise about exhibits, programs, and publications