NEWFIELD — Lots of hard work, community fundraisers, increased membership, donations and a land sale means 19th Century Willowbrook Village will be able to open for both the 2012 and 2013 seasons.

Now, the board of directors is concentrating on making sure there’s a season in 2014.

Nineteenth Century Willowbrook Village has been a part of the community since Don and Marguerite “Pan” King bought the first property, the old 1813 William Durgin homestead, in 1965. King opened the village to the public in 1970.

It is a page out of time, a look, its brochures say, at “the way life used to be.”

The museum village pumps about $250,000 into the local economy annually, and employs upwards of 20 part-time workers during the season, supporters say.

But Willowbrook has been a victim of the sour economy and the need to tackle long overdue maintenance, which ate away at its endowment’s interest and principal. Board President Douglas King, son of the founders, said that in the fall of 2009, as a result of a national financial crisis, the invested endowment shrunk from about $750,000 to about $300,000. That accelerated the need to find alternate, consistent sources of funding.

The board of directors feared the upcoming 2012 season might be the museum’s last. But they set about to tackle the problem, and at a recent board meeting, agreed to forge ahead for the next two seasons ”“ Willowbrook opens on Memorial Day weekend and winds down each year on Columbus Day.

King said there was an outpouring of support once the seriousness of the financial situation became known.

“A number of things tipped the scales for us,” said King in an email from his home in New York. King said, among other factors, a series of stories in the news heightened awareness of the situation at Willowbrook.

“That resulted in increased memberships and contributions,” he said. “We held a number of fundraisers over the summer and fall and while they did not produce staggering amounts of income, it all helps. Finally, we were able to sell a piece of property ”“ that was the major source of additional funds.”

The land sold that helped swell the coffers was not needed for museum operations and was unlikely to be needed in the future, he said.

King said memberships have been growing steadily ”“ from 60 in 2008, to 257 in 2009, 300 in 2010, and 440 so far in 2011 ”“ and they’re looking for 650 in 2012. Visitors to the village increased by 1,000 this season, he said, while 81 school classes made the trip to Willowbrook.

Fundraisers included Sunday brunches and bean suppers that not only provided financial support, but brought the community together on Willowbrook’s behalf, said King.

The fundraisers will continue, said board Vice President Ruth Bridges Ayers. The board will meet soon to plan a series of fundraisers for the coming season.

Willowbrook had its roots in the 1960s, when the elder King began to see farms that had operated for generations disappear, one by one. He bought farm implements and carriages, sleighs, blacksmithing tools and more, amassing a collection his son said connects themes of change over time and how invention and innovation impacted rural life. One highlight is the 1894 Armitage Herschell carousel, where brightly painted horses swirl to music of the period.

Douglas King said there will be a change at Willowbrook early next year. Amelia Chamberlain, director of the museum since 2004, has resigned due to a family illness and will depart in January. He said the board will begin the search for a new director and appoint an interim until a new director is found.

— Senior Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 324-4444 or twells@journaltribune.com.