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The Yankee Express

And the Cornerstone Award goes to Chris Robert and the Samuel Slater Experience

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“I wanted to create a fun, immersive, historical experience” for visitors to the museum dedicated to the life and work of Samuel Slater, Chris Robert tells the 43rd annual meeting of the Blackstone Valley Chamber of Commerce after accepting the Chamber’s Cornerstone Award.

 
 By Rod Lee
Not just anyone could undertake the formidable task of creating a museum—“an experience”—dedicated to the achievements of Samuel Slater.
Only an individual with the same kind of visionary spirit as that possessed by the father of the American Industrial Revolution would be able to tackle such a project.
Enter Christopher Robert.
By founding Webster Museums, Inc., a nonprofit, and seeing through to completion his concept for an interactive tribute to Samuel Slater’s life and work, Mr. Robert was presented with the Blackstone Valley Chamber of Commerce’s Cornerstone Award at the organization’s 43rd annual meeting at Pleasant Valley Country Club in Sutton on November 17.
The highlight of the meeting was a keynote address by Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker, who shared his personal thoughts on the extraordinary and successful measures his administration in collaboration with the State Legislature initiated to usher the Commonwealth through the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Samuel Slater Experience, which will celebrate a grand opening at the former National Guard Armory in the town of Webster tentatively in January, is just the latest example of the foresight that has defined Chris Robert’s approach to doing business in the Blackstone River Valley of Central Massachusetts—emulating Samuel Slater’s.
It would be hard to imagine anything less than his best effort from a “serial entrepreneur” who has already given the region Indian Ranch, the Samuel Slater Restaurant and the Indian Princess paddleboat.
Fittingly, Mr. Robert was saluted on the same morning that his daughter Suzette Raun Coppola stepped forward to accept recognition for Indian Ranch on the occasion of its 75th anniversary.
Anticipation for the unveiling of the Samuel Slater Experience to the public is running high for good reason. When it was pointed out during remarks offered on Mr. Robert’s behalf that he had invested $2.5 million of his own money to outfit the property and to hire professional museum designers to create the exhibits, he received a standing ovation from those in attendance in the ballroom at PVCC.
In accepting the award, Mr. Robert acknowledged that his main objective in establishing the Samuel Slater Experience was to create a place with a “Disneyesque” touch and that would offer students of all ages the chance to experience history and technology in a way they would remember.
The Samuel Slater Experience represents something of a coup for the town of Webster—an appropriate location for the museum. Samuel Slater established thirteen mills powered by Lake Chaubunagungamaug (Webster Lake) and the French River. He carved an area from Oxford to Dudley to form the town of Webster, naming it after his friend, Sen. Daniel Webster.
Samuel Slater is buried in Webster.
When in partnership with the Chamber no suitable building could be found to house the museum—including any of the former Samuel Slater mills—the town of Webster asked Mr. Robert to consider the armory. Built in 1935 on land once owned by Samuel Slater, it was deeded to the town in 2005 and used by the Webster fire and police departments to store their vehicles and equipment. Town of Webster officials fully supported Mr. Robert’s plan and leased the building to him for thirty years at one dollar a year.
Renovation and restoration of the 17,000-square-foot building was not easy. Though structurally sound, there was an abundance of asbestos. The wiring, plumbing and heating dated back to the 1930s. The roof leaked. The windows were unsealed and broken.
Local contractors were employed in bringing the building back.
Members of the Webster Dudley Business Alliance got a sneak peek of the new Samuel Slater Experience at their 15th annual meeting on October 26. That evening, Mr. Robert offered a brief synopsis of what inspired him to pursue his dream of honoring Samuel Slater and the town of Webster in its heyday.
At that meeting, the following officers and directors were elected: Lucas Perzan of Insation Technologies, president; Carl Kaliszewski of 511 Financial, vice president; Kim Labbe of The Smart Shopper, treasurer; Mark Marzeotti of The Marzeotti Group, secretary; and Deb Horan of Booklovers’ Gourmet, Halina Jachimczyk of Webster First Federal Credit Union, Erica LaBonte of B Kind Café, Jessica Sabine of The Rose Room, Tamara Taft of The Smart Shopper directors.
Nancy Healy of the Citadel Company was elected an alternate director.
Exiting board members Caryl Savard of Caryl’s Studio & Creative Design, Deborah Keefe of DAK Property Management and Bill Sabine of The Rose Room were acknowledged and thanked for their service.
Afterwards, attendees were treated to a grand tour of the museum, which features a replica ship and water wheel, mill housing and machinery, artifacts, holographic displays with full audio-visual effects and a full-size streetscape of “Boomtown Webster.”
Mr. Robert had some words of advice for BV Chamber of Commerce members and guests as he accepted the Cornerstone Award.
“If they ever offer you another building, take the asbestos out first!” he said.
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Contact Rod Lee at [email protected] or 774-232-2999.