WENDELL – The newly official Wendell Historical Society has until June 13 to come up with $45,000 to purchase the former depot store and post office, having reached an agreement with the longtime owner’s daughter.

Kristina Hartjens, executor of the late Anny Hartjens’ estate, said she is excited to preserve her family’s legacy and offer the iconic 466 Wendell Depot Road structure to the Historical Society. 

“It would be so cool,” she said this week. The elder Hartjens died in October, at age 78.

The younger Hartjens explained she was sifting through her mother’s belongings in the family house at 270 Wendell Depot Road when she came across a large number of historical town documents and old newspaper clippings. Not wanting these pieces of history to get lost or damaged, she opted to hold an estate sale on Feb. 25 and posted it as a public Facebook event. Historical Society President Edward Hines noticed the post and decided to attend the sale, but not before asking Hartjens to set aside anything related to Wendell’s history so it could be digitized and preserved.

“She was very excited about that,” he recounted. “They had set aside three boxes of stuff.”

Hines said he made a small donation in exchange for the items and was driving down the road when he thought to swing past the former depot store and post office.

“And that’s when it dawned on me that that might be the perfect location (for the Historical Society’s repository and museum),” he said, adding that he contacted colleague Pamela Richardson and the purchasing process began. The offer was accepted on March 1 after the structure’s integrity was confirmed by a contractor.

Hines said a crowdfunding campaign will be launched on April 27 in an attempt to generate the $45,000. A retired music teacher, he mentioned he has already received financial support from several former students. Tax-deductible donations can be sent to: the Wendell Historical Society, PO Box 941, Wendell MA 01379. There is also a PayPal link on the Society’s website, www.wendellhistoricalsociety.org. According to Hines, it would cost roughly $200,000 to get the museum up and running right now.

“Make no mistake, this is a huge endeavor and it’s going to take a lot of people to make it happen,” He said. “I’m going to give it my best shot, and I don’t know how it’s going to turn out.”

The Historical Society is now registered with the town and the state. Hines said the paperwork necessary to become a federally-recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization has been filed.

According to an emailed statement from Hines, the structure’s basement would make a great workshop because it is dry and has a strong concrete foundation, as well as sills that are in excellent shape.

The first floor has the old showroom, lunch counter and post office. This area, he wrote, has the potential to be converted into a simple museum with permanent and temporary displays for shows. The temporary displays can be removed to open up the floor space for living-room style readings and concerts. The old post office area could be converted into a small gift shop with an administrative office in the back. The second floor is a large area with four rooms that served as an apartment many years ago.

Reach Domenic Poli at: dpoli@recorder.com or 413-930-4120.

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