An eclectic museum cannot be replicated, it just kind of evolves, one donated piece of history at a time until voilà, you have created a coveted treasure whose flavor and character cannot be replicated.That is the Historical Society, with the old double-ender moored on its front lawn in the center of town, a monument to the sea-going work ethic that remains ingrained in Block Island’s year-round citizens, no matter their calling today.
And while the amazing treasures and stories that lie within are the work of a legion of volunteers, and the result of hundreds of small fundraisers over the years, it is clearly the life’s work of Pam Littlefield Gasner, who since 1985, has at times duct-taped the place together to create this polished gem of a living story on the island of Block Island.And what a storyteller and story she has painted over the nearly 40 years she has poured into the museum, her eyes proudly reflecting a can-do, warm spirit that few can replicate. Not only is the museum a treasure, so too is she.After decades of work begun in 1985, she has decided to step down as the Historical Society executive director to devote
