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Riverbank Museum To Remain Open During Downtown Festival
Engine
Riverbank teacher Elia Oliveira tours downtown Riverbank in River Red, Riverbank Volunteer Fire Departments first fire engine during Museum Day activities on Saturday, Sept. 26, at the Riverbank Historical Museum. Oliveira was the lucky attendee at the museum that afternoon. The 1919 Model T engine will be on hand again this weekend, during the annual Cheese and Wine Expo in downtown Riverbank and the museum will be open to visitors both days. Ric McGinnis/The News

 

Riverbank Historical Society has announced that it will be open both days during the upcoming Cheese and Wine Festival in downtown Riverbank this coming weekend.

President Paulette Roberson said the museum will be open to visitors both days, in addition to volunteers staffing a booth in front of the building.

Out on the street in front, ‘River Red,’ the historical society’s 1919 Model T Ford engine, originally called Number 1, will be available for families to photograph youngsters. Donations will be accepted, going towards the upcoming fund to build an addition to the museum, to house the engine and much more, on property next door, according to Roberson.

The fire engine was originally purchased by the Volunteer Fire Department, the first engine in use here. It was donated to the historical society so that part of Riverbank’s history could be preserved.

The engine was named River Red in a contest in local elementary schools a few years ago, with a third grade class at Crossroads Elementary winning the honor.

The Riverbank Historical Museum is regularly open three times a week, on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. until noon. It’s also open on Saturdays from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. but will be open all day both days, Saturday and Sunday this weekend, during Cheese and Wine. It is staffed by volunteer members of the Historical Society.

The museum is a former Carnegie Library. It was opened in 1921 and served as the library in Riverbank until the county built a new facility a few blocks down the street in 1978. Since that time it has served many other uses and in 1997 was listed as a National Historic Place.

The museum is located at 3237 Santa Fe, next door to City Hall North.