CLINTON HISTORICAL SOCIETY
REPORT OF THE
CAPITAL CAMPAIGN
2000-2002
and
RENOVATION OF
ONE FOUNTAIN STREET
Including Honor Roll of Contributors
PRESERVE THE PAST FOR THE FUTURE
February 2003
THANK YOU!!!
To All Donors:
It's with sincere thanks and appreciation that the Society acknowledges all those individuals, organizations, foundations, and businesses who made the fund drive so successful.
The $300,000 goal was surpassed by nearly $9000.
This, indeed, is a remarkable achievement and has been made possible by the generosity of the donors and their commitment to the preservation of Clinton's and Kirkland's past.
We knew that our members and the community would rise to the challenge to remake the Baptist Church into a great facility to store, display, and research our history.
That objective has been met, and then some!
We trust that this report is complete and accurate and hope no donor has been inadvertently omitted.
If you have not seen the results, we invite you to come to a meeting, drop in on our Wednesday hours between 1 and 3 PM, or attend events during the July "Historic Clinton Week."
Richard L. Williams
President
Clarence E. Aldridge
Campaign Chair
BACKGROUND
The Clinton Historical Society was founded in 1962 and used the second floor of the Kirkland Town Library for its meetings and to store the growing collection of Clinton and Kirkland history. This included books, pictures, slides, paintings, artifacts, ephemera, and documents.
When the Clinton Baptist Church became available in the early 1990's, the Society agreed to take possession for $1.00. However, the building was in poor shape with ceiling plaster falling, sills needing repairs, roof and tower leaking, a 50-year old heating plant, the interior and exterior needing painting, etc..
In the fall of 1993, the Society moved out of the Town Library and into the former Baptist Church at One Fountain Street, the oldest church structure in Clinton, having been built in 1832. Some emergency repairs had to be made immediately, but the building was used for several years as the Society's meeting place and storage facility prior to renovations in 1999.
After much discussion and analysis the Society embarked in July 1999 on a major renovation and preservation project to tackle the deficiencies and reconstruct the building for use as an historical society.
Using some $75,000 in bequeathed funds the project began. The Society applied for I.R.S. 501(c)(3) tax exempt status and hired contractor Dwight Dibble to do the renovation. The Library's meeting room was used again for the Society's public programs for the 1999 fall and 2000 spring season.
By summer 2000 the building was back to a useable condition with much work accomplished. Meetings were held again, after a one year's absence, in the One Fountain Street building.
Further renovations, particularly on the basement floor, were done in spring 2001 and were finished for a members' reception in June 2001 and a grand opening in July 2001.
THE RENOVATION PROJECT
The project included these major features.
- Preservation of the building included a new roof, stabilization of the tower, reinforced foundation walls, installation of rain gutters and ground drainage system, replacement of deteriorated siding and exterior painting.
- The restoration of eleven stained glass windows was accomplished by Don Henry, artisan-owner of Sullivan Studios, Sullivan, NY. The windows were dedicated to the late Florence Gerrish Britcher.
- New front doors that replicated the design from 1870 were constructed and installed by Mark Lawlor, craftsman and donor.
- Appropriate provision was made for easy physical access to the main auditorium and basement from the ground level by installation of a self-operated elevator(lift.) Access through a new ground level outside door eliminated unsightly ramps and preserves the historic architectural style.
- The main floor was rearranged to provide space for exhibits and public meetings. The church pews were replaced with moveable, stackable chairs to provide flexible seating arrangements. A kitchenette was placed in the south alcove. The old choir loft was rebuilt and doubled in area to provide office and storage on the third level.
- An area on the main floor was set aside and furnished as a library to house books and documents of the Society's collection. It was designated as the Philip E. Munson Library, in memory of Phil Munson, a co-founder of the society in 1962, long time Clinton Village Historian and editor of the NEWSLETTER from 1963 to 2000.
- A large portion of the basement area was designated as a museum to house artifacts in the Society's collection. Within this area, Dwight Dibble designed and constructed a replica of the late Robert Wagoner, former proprietor of the Rexhall Park Row Pharmacy, and displayed for many years in his store (now CVS.) Included in the exhibit are memorabilia from the Clinton Pharmaceutical Company, forerunner of Bristol-Meyers Co.
- A new heating and air conditioning system was installed covering all levels of the building.
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