Since 1996, Riverton's Crane House has been both a museum and a touchstone to the city's past. But Leesa Lloyd , chairwoman of the Riverton Museum Board of Trustees, fears it is about to be lost.
The city is considering a suggestion to sell the land to Nancy Long, creator of Gardner village.
"We think [the Crane House] should be a public building, and not in private hands," Lloyd said.
Long said there is no formal offer to buy yet, and if she did, it would be preserved as a historic building, possibly as a museum.
"There is nobody who likes history more than me," Long said.
Mayor William Applegarth said a sale would solve a vexing problem for the city: The house, built in 1916 by Heber Crane, sits on top of the line separating city land and Long's property.
The 93-year-old house was moved to 1640 W. 13200 South in 1996 where it was placed over the property line. The move happened because it was going to be demolished to make way for widening Redwood Road (1700 West).
Derrick Brooks, the former museum chairman, said the city had paid the property taxes for the private lot as penance for the property-line intrusion.
But Long bought the property, and she said the house "clouded" her title.
Applegarth said a sale wouldn't necessarily mean that the house would cease to be a museum.
"We can control [its destiny] through the sale," Applegarth said.
Long said her plan, if the city goes along with her, is to establish her own museum. One possible use would be to display dolls from the McCurdy Historical Doll Museum in Provo.
Meanwhile, Lloyd said the museum board is talking to the City Council to find an alternative to selling the land.
