Kenneth Worcester Dow's Letter: Village donor wants local involvement

Letter: Village donor wants local involvement

Kenneth Worcester Dow
St. Augustine Record
Published Saturday, August 04, 2001
My name is Kenneth Dow. I donated my property between Cordova Street and St. George Street in St. Augustine to the Museum of Arts and Science in Daytona with the goal of restoring these homes to their original beauty.

Once restored, these homes would serve as a quality museum complex housing my family furnishings, specific artwork, and treasures that I had collected specifically for these homes. The focus of this project has never wavered, and neither has my intent to see it through to its fruition.

I have made myself clear from the conception of this project that I want the property to remain as historically original as possible. The Museum of Arts and Sciences assured me that the Village Museum would house the quality artwork, furniture, and other belongings that I have donated specifically for this project, to make the Village Museum a credible, historically accurate display.

It saddens me to read, and hear the turmoil over the Village Museum. I personally want to thank all my friends and the St. Augustine residents who made the grand opening of the village such a huge success.

I watched in awe as the wonderful night unfolded before me, and I shared in the joy that we all felt that night, seeing a lifetime of work recognized and appreciated. I thought that my dream of housing a quality, credible museum complex was fulfilled.

I hope Gary Libby will restore a more workable, friendly relationship with the St. Augustine community, and return to our original (and only) goal of making an authentic historical village and a quality museum with wonderful learning opportunities for all to delight in for years to come.

I strived for years trying to create a collection to be proud of, and made acquisitions to the collection with a museum in mind. It is deeply distressing to me to think that all of my hard work in the research and acquisition of materials, referencing and verifying records is all for naught. I am saddened to think of what will become of my prized collection.