Cole Land Transportation Museum holds first Founder’s Day

BANGOR, Maine (WABI) - The Cole Land Transportation Museum held their first Founder’s Day Sunday, to celebrate the life and legacy of the museum’s founder Galen Cole.

Cole was a distinguished World War II veteran, served as Mayor of Bangor, and was known for his statewide philanthropy, successful business, love of historic transportation, and passion for preserving knowledge to pass down to new generations.

The community was invited to celebrate Cole’s life and see the new sculpture in his honor for the first time. Created by teacher and sculptor Anthony Alemany, Cole is commemorated with a life-sized bronze statue, seated by the entrance of the museum to greet visitors on their way in.

Speakers included Senator Susan Collins and Cole’s daughter and granddaughter, as well as musical accompaniment by the Bangor Band and Mallett Brothers.

“Galen has made such a big impact on our community because of what he’s done,” explains Museum Director Jennifer Munson. “He gave thousands and thousands of dollars in scholarships, programs to help children read, programs for veterans. And all of this impacts our community here in the state of Maine, so he’s helping people who need a helping hand even after he’s passed. He passed in 2020, and he’s still helping people because of that legacy.”

According to Alemany, the choice of the sculpture’s material conveys a strong message about Cole’s lasting impact on the community. “Bronze is a very classical material and is still used today. . .You know, paintings will fade and many like marble can crumble and fall apart. But bronze will last for thousands of years. As I learned more about Galen Cole and just kind of the power behind his legacy and how important he was to the community, it felt very appropriate to use material like bronze to really kind of solidify that.”

Founder’s Day proved to be a great kick-off event to the museum’s season, which begins on May 1st. For more information on the Cole Land Transportation Museum, visit their website.

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