Stone House Update

Also, during the summer, the downstairs apartment, which is in the wooden section of the building, was renovated. A new layout enabled the 1851 beehive oven, one of the museum’s unique features, to become incorporated into the museum section of the building. Previously it had been part of the apartment's kitchen.

Phase I was funded by three grants and donations.  An LCHIP matching grant of $95,000, a Putnam Foundation Grant of $15,000, and a $1000 grant from More than a Thrift Store. However, it was from CHS members and a caring community that enabled the LCHIP grant to be matched. Thank you!

Fundraising and grant writing for Phase II will begin in the spring. This phase will bring the building up to ADA compliance and museum fire code regulations, which includes a second emergency egress from both the upstairs apartment and the Stone House second floor. The base construction budget for this is estimated at $425,5000 - $480,000. CHS anticipates applying for another LCHIP grant in June 2021. A recent generous donation from the Harlan F. Stone II family will be used as the beginning of matching funds.  But this project will require additional grants and many more donations. Hopefully enough of Phase II can be completed to enable the museum to open to the general public in a timely manner.



CHS can always use a willing pair of hands to help at the Stone House this coming summer. If you can imagine yourself giving us a few hours, call Pam Walton at 603 363-8319. We are all wearing masks and distancing, working alone or with one other or with spouses.

Programs

To advertise these programs and to maintain a connection with our membership, CHS contracted with Constant Contact, an e-mail distribution company. Moving forward, most of our information will be emailed to you using this method. It should be noted that some computer programs will view it as SPAM. Please check your spam or junk folder and make our notices acceptable. Thank you.

Historical Society Work



Regular work is being conducted in groups of 2 or 3 so that safe distancing can be observed. The Cemetery Book for West Chesterfield is being updated. Photos are still being categorized. In fact, The Keene Shopper will publish some of them in February, so be on the look out! The Chesterfield Scrapbooks, which contain anything found published about our town, are still being kept. The website has been periodically updated. You can find a wealth of information on it about our town and the people in it. Take a few minutes and enjoy it.

A 2021 Calendar was created but because of problems with publishing and distribution, it has been shelved. There is no doubt that it will appear next fall as the 2022 calendar, with a few minor alterations.