With a wide margin of votes, Windham residents overwhelming approved giving $30,000 out of town savings to pay for a future Historical Visitors Center next to the Parson Smith House.
At Tuesday’s local elections, 1,087 residents voted in favor of the contribution with 587 opposing.
Once built, the visitors center would act as an “on-site history education” resource where the Windham Historical Society could lead tours and hold lectures about the historic home on River Road and Windham’s history tied to the landmark.
The intent of the referendum vote however was to gauge whether Windham voters were in support of the Windham Historical Society’s endeavor to purchase the Parson Smith House.
Built in 1764, the homestead was once the centerpiece of the Windham settlement known as New Marblehead. A Georgian home built in phases, the house is Windham’s first mansion, constructed for Reverend Peter Thatcher Smith.
Once a museum open to the public, the Parson Smith House, now under private ownership, is again up for sale and the Windham Historic Society hopes to pursue grants and donations to buy this piece of Windham’s heritage and preserve public access to the landmark.
If the Windham Historical Society is unable to purchase the Parson Smith House, the $30,000 will be returned to the town treasury.
“When we start writing grants, the foundations will see that (the Windham Historical Society) is working on behalf of citizens who want and desire public access to that grand old mansion,” said historical society member Walter Lunt who has spearheaded the effort to buy the Parson Smith House.
With the vote decided, the volunteer work to purchase the house has just begun. Aside from writing grant proposals to various historic foundations, volunteers are engaged in many fund-raising efforts, Lunt said.
On July 15, the Windham Historical Society will hold a yard sale to generate money for the purchase of the Parson Smith House and, on August 18, proceeds from a “Heritage Day” tour of historic homes in Windham will go toward the endeavor.
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