Klamath Falls, Ore. – A Klamath Falls historic landmark may soon need some attention.
The Baldwin Hotel was built in 1905, and opened in 1906.
“The hotel operated until 1977, when it was shut down.” Notes Klamath County Museums Manager Todd Kepple. “There was some fear that the building would be demolished. The county stepped in, bought the building, and opened it as a museum in 1978.”
The building now provides a glimpse back into the days when Klamath Falls was known as ‘Linkville’.
But, there are some problems that come with old age.
“For instance, we are still on fuses with our electrical system here.” Kepple explains. “We had a county commissioner that looked at that the other day, and said, ‘Well – that’s got to be fixed right now’.”
The building has been heated with wood, coal, and much later, gas.
“But now those furnaces are aging.” Points out Kepple. “So we’re looking at a way to try to heat the building a little more economically.”
A set of stairs outside also needs to be replaced.
But, Kepple says that will need to be done carefully. “Because the building is on the National Register of Historic Places, we’re somewhat limited in what we can do as far as the appearance of the building.”
Despite its flaws, Kepple notes the Baldwin still stands tall. “For a building that’s 115 years old, or thereabouts, it’s really a pretty remarkable stable building.”
While the majority of museum operations are funded through tax dollars in Klamath County, donations are still welcomed.
You can find out more about the Klamath County Museum Foundation, and related links here: culturaltrust.org/get-involved/nonprofits/klamath-county-museum-foundation
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