The following letter is from the Lock Museum of America, www.lockmuseumofamerica.org, in Terryville, CT.
Dear Fellow Lock Enthusiast:
The Lock Museum of America is the first and only Non Profit 501(c)(3) museum dedicated to the preservation of America’s unique and magnificent lock history through museum exhibits, publications, conferences, and research assistance. Support from you in the form of a tax deductible $100.00 donation, or any amount that can be used to help, would allow us to:
- Improve our interpretive services for our visitors
- Aid in the expansion of the museum
- Allow us to purchase and install a computer system for digitalizing our collections and expanding our ability to reach those with questions and interest in our collection of vast history
- Contribute to the purchase of a dehumidification system to aid in the preservation of our very sensitive library
(Donations are made possible through our website or a Check/ Money Order to Lock Museum of America, PO Box 104, Terryville, CT 06786)
Built in 1972, the museum houses eight display rooms, each with a unique focus on the eras of lock making and specific lock and hardware types. For example, one of our primary attractions is the original patent model of the Mortise Cylinder Pin Tumbler Lock designed by Linus Yale Jr. in 1865. While this device is considered the greatest invention in the history of lock making, each piece in our collection is certainly not without historical precedence. Close by is a 4,000 year old Egyptian made pin tumbler lock.
We are a small, specialized organization, with membership spanning worldwide. We take pride in the fact that we have been virtually self-reliant and sustainable through tireless volunteer efforts, membership fees, and a small operational endowment since the building’s construction. However, more than 40 years later, we seek funds to assist with major structural repairs, and updated means of communication and preservation to save the mechanical art created through pride and craftsmanship of early lock makers and inventors. Keeping our museum at high productivity, and available for the community through your generosity would be considered a gift words cannot describe to our humble nonprofit museum.
Thank you for your consideration of the lock Museum of America. We look forward to hearing from you, and if you find yourself in the Terryville, Connecticut area, please stop by.
Sincerely,
Thomas Hennessy Jr.
President
