By: Ryan Hutton, North Adams Transcript
ADAMS -- The Susan B. Anthony Birthplace and Museum got a very nice gift last week, and it was no April Fool’s joke -- The Adams Historical Society donated $10,000 to the home of Adams’ most famous daughter.
According to society member Eugene Michalenko, even in these difficult financial times, it was money well spent.
"The Susan B. Anthony museum is run by a group of very dedicated women and we want to be able to support them as best we can," he said.
Michalenko said the money came from the historical society’s endowment that has been building over several years after a number of people in the 1980s and 1990s either donated money or left it to the society in a will.
"We never really spent any of the money and it continued to grow in the local banks," Michalenko said. "We never played it in the stock market or anything like that. We never really had any need to. So many of our artifacts are donated and we get free space to use from the town and the library. This seemed like a good way to give back to the community.
The 190-year-old East Road home was purchased by Carol Crossed at auction in 2006 and she formed a non-profit organization responsible of its upkeep and repair. So far, over $100,000 has been put into the building to reinforce the outer back walls of the building and the basement. In 2007, the roof had to be replaced after it had partially collapsed and a new heating and air-conditioning system was installed.
Crossed plans on renovating the home into a museum about Anthony’s life and history. Last summer, the upper floor of the home was renovated into modern living space for the curator but the downstairs and attic will be restored to the way they were in the 1820s.
One of the main features of the museum will be the restoration of the store that Anthony’s father, Daniel, ran out of the home in addition to his textile mill. The attic will be another attraction because it used to be used to house young girls and women that worked in Daniel Anthony’s mill.
"I’m excited that they’re renovating it into a real museum. We need a real tourist attraction in town," Michalenko said. "I don’t think we’ve ever had a more dutiful, committed group of owners who have real concern for the Susan B. Anthony home becoming a real national treasure."
To reach Ryan Hutton, e-mail rhutton@thetranscript.com
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