David Bridges
The Arlington Historical Society is taking another step to support its efforts in the renovation of the Arlington Historical Museum.
The organization on Nov. 29 will participate in “Giving Tuesday,” an international movement encouraging individuals to support non-profit organizations through social media and online donations.
“We’ve never tried social-media-giving before,” said Catherine Aselford, who chairs the society’s fund-raising efforts. “Most of our funding comes from membership dues and individual donations. We have received some small grants, but they have been challenging to secure.”
Currently, the Historical Society is using funding from the National Trust for Historic Preservation to develop a revitalization plan for the museum, which dates to 1891 and until the 1950s was used as a public school.
It was deeded to the society in the early 1960s and, except for a modest renovation at the time of the handover, has not had an extensive facelift since.
“Giving Tuesday will provide us with an opportunity to remind our supporters that we need to save this great building,” Historical Society president Cathy Bonneville Hix said. “An online event will also raise our visibility and bring new people to enjoy the museum. Hopefully, they will help us save the building, too.”
Renovation of the museum is slated to begin later in the year, and be conducted in stages as funding becomes available.
“Our windows have deteriorated, creating poor interior conditions,” Historical Society leaders say. “The building’s HVAC system is leaking, putting at risk the 6,000 artifacts housed or displayed in the museum. There are signs of water leakage in the basement, which is threatening the building’s foundation.”
The museum is expected to remain open to the public during the renovation efforts, while items not on display have been moved off-site to keep them safe.
The museum, located on Arlington Ridge Road, is open Saturdays and Sundays. For information, see the Website at www.arlingtonhistoricalsociety.org.
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Mason Thompson
