Staff file photo / R. Michael Semple Clara Wolverton of Cleveland, left, a paintings conservator, points out a copyright mark on the Norman Rockwell painting “A Guiding Hand” to attorney Ned Gold of Howland, center, as Eagle Scout Christian Sincich, 17, of Howland, looks on as Rockwell paintings are inventoried and inspected at the Medici Museum of Art on Feb. 1.

HOWLAND — After more than two years of negotiations and drama, Ned Gold vividly remembers seeing the Norman Rockwell paintings and the rest of the Boy Scouts of America art collection arrive at the Medici Museum of Art on Jan. 31.

“I’m driving toward the museum. I could see the truck in back of the museum, and I could see art coming out,” he said. “I just went, ‘Whew, it’s finally here. It finally made it.'”

The arrival of the Rockwells and their exhibition at the Howland museum was selected as one of the top 10 stories of 2020 by the Tribune Chronicle.

Gold, a Howland attorney who’s been involved with the Boy Scouts for more than 70 years and received its highest honor — the Silver Buffalo Award — this year, started his efforts to make the Mahoning Valley home to the Rockwells in December 2017, when the BSA announced it was moving its museum from Texas to New Mexico, but it wouldn’t be able to relocate the art collection.

“I’ve got to find a way to get the collection here,” Gold said. “We’re right square in the middle. Forty percent of the (U.S.) population is within a day’s drive.”

After the Butler Institute of American Art decided to table a plan to become custodians of the collection in 2018, Foundation Medici severed its ties with the Youngstown museum, established the former Butler-Trumbull Branch as an independent museum and pursued the BSA Collection on its own. An agreement was reached in late 2019.

However, 2020 brought a new obstacle. The official grand opening was supposed to happen just a few days after Gov. Mike DeWine issued a statewide stay-at-home order because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The museum eventually opened in May by requiring visitors to schedule an appointment in advance as a way to maintain crowd size. And an official ribbon cutting took place in October with Ohio Secretary of State (and former Boy Scout) Frank LaRose in attendance.

“It’s such an incredible collection,” Gold said. “Whether you have an interest in Scouting or not, the art is phenomenal. It shows his genius as an artist.”

Despite the problems caused by COVID-19, Gold and Katelyn Amendolara-Russo, associate director of the museum, both said the collection has drawn many out of state visitors, and more are expected next year if travel increases as the vaccination effort expands.

“(Medici Director) John Anderson and Ned have spurred so much change, fighting to acquire it and taking the initiative to get the whole collection here,” Amendolara-Russo said. “They gave the community a gift of a new museum, a new creative space. With a $2 million expansion (near completion), we’re starting off 2021 with a positive outlook.”

The expansion, which should be finished by mid-March, will double the number of galleries in the building from five to 10 and make it possible to exhibit other temporary shows while keeping the Rockwells on display.

“I’ve been able to come in contact with artists I studied in school and always admired,” Amendolara-Russo said. “Medici is making contacts for exciting shows in 2021.”