RR museum offers special December activities, photos with Santa

Santa’s visits, a Friday night opening and an opportunity to receive a model train set will highlight activities at the beautifully decorated Moark Regional Railroad Museum during December.

For 28 years, the museum has been located in the historic 1928 Frisco Depot across Fifth Street from the Black River Coliseum. Admission is free. It is operated and maintained by a dedicated group of volunteers. There is no paid staff.

Prior to the Christmas parade in Downtown Poplar Bluff, the museum will be open from 5-7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 6. This will be a good opportunity to see a new English train layout donated to the museum by the Brosseau family at Silva.

Santa will be at the museum on Saturdays, Dec. 7 and 21, from 1-4 p.m. He will have a candy cane for each child. You may take photos of your children with Santa.

A $65 Santa Fe model train set will be given away at 4 p.m. Dec. 21. Donations of $1 per ticket will be accepted. All proceeds will be used to maintain the museum.

The museum will be open at 10 a.m. Dec. 14, when the Downtown Poplar Bluff organization will have Santa at the Farmers Market on the south side of the Frisco Depot.

December is a great time to buy model train gifts in the museum’s Train Shop, according to volunteers. To arrange a private tour or to make a purchase on a week day, call 573-686-2241 at least three days in advance. The museum number is 573-785-4539.