The 18th and 19th century structures at the Wilton Historical Society‘s museum complex, which have been looking rather weather beaten, will be repainted with the help of a matching grant. In August, the Society was awarded $15,000 Historic Perservation matching grant by the 1772 Foundation and the CT Trust for Historic Preservation.
The grant will underwrite the cost of painting buildings, as well as carefully cleaning surfaces and restoring damaged areas prior to repainting. All the buildings at the Museum Complex at 224 Danbury Rd. will be repainted in the next few months: the Betts House, the Burt Barn, the Fitch House, the Abbott Barn and the Abbott Blacksmith Shop. Preparation began the week of May 1.
“The grant from the 1772 Foundation and the Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation has allowed us to move forward with badly needed exterior repainting and restoration of our antique buildings here at the Society.” said Leslie Nolan, executive director of the Wilton Historic Society. “The damaging snow and wind we had this winter really took a toll. We are very grateful for the grant.”
The work is entrusted to Jimmy Marmanides of JM Painting of Norwalk. A painter skilled in working with historic structures, Jimmy had painted the Society’s antique structures at Cannon Corner in the fall. The 1772 Foundation works to ensure the safe passage of our historic buildings and farmland to future generations. The Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation works in tandem with the 1772 Foundation in granting funds for historic preservation.