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| $250,000 Grant for Elton Tavern
The Town of Burlington has been awarded a $250, 000 grant for the construction of a building addition to the historic Elton Tavern. The award has been made through the State of Connecticut Office of Policy and Management, which administers the Small Town Economic Assistance Program (STEAP). In announcing the grant this past spring, Governor M. Jodi Rell said, �Renovations to the historic tavern will provide a setting in which the community can gather.� A Building Committee has met on a regular basis for over a year with architect Roger Clarke to formulate plans and construction documents for the new 1,200-foot single story addition. First Selectman Kathy Zabel encouraged the Society to apply for the grant. Dyrinda Cole, along with Jackie and Jon Shadford, stepped forward when the opportunity became available. As indicated in our last newsletter, we intend to �recreate� the general form of the original Ell addition to the rear of the building. In doing so we should be able to address the most serious limitations inherent in the original structure: public access; larger meeting space, available for year�round use; secure, climate-conditioned archival storage; and removal of incidental functions from the original structure. The new structure will provide grade level building access and restrooms suitable for wheelchairs, a generous size meeting room/educational area, a small catering kitchen a convenient office and much needed storage. Relocation of the restrooms, kitchen and office functions from the original structure to the addition will permit the restoration of the existing Tavern rooms to resemble their original use and appearance. Nathaniel (Nat) Walker has agreed to be our Construction Manager and Dwight Harris has volunteered to be our Clerk of the Works. We are anxious to begin construction and anticipate that bid documents will be completed soon. The State Historic Commission has requested that we hire a professional archeologist to perform a reconnaissance survey within the project area to avoid or mitigate impacts to any significant buried archaeological remains. Documenting the existing foundation stones and the original dug well will also be part of this work. We anticipate that the completion of the archeology survey will be the last requirement before the bidding process can begin. Feel free to contact Nat Walker at [email protected] if you have any questions or comments on this project. The other building Committee members are Judy Ainley, Dyrinda Cole, Dwight Harris, Jon Shadford and Pat Small. Jackie Shadford, President Endowment Fund Established The Board of Directors is pleased to announce the establishment of the Burlington Historical Society Endowment Fund, which is administered through the Main Street Community Foundation, Inc; located in Bristol, Connecticut. The endowment fund is a restricted fund. A portion of the income produced can be used to sustain our mission to the community in perpetuity. The Historical Society received $61,000 in 1981 from Elsie E. Hutchins and a like amount from the estate of Florence Russell in 1995. Their bequests have helped keep the Historical Society afloat since the annual expense to maintain the Elton Tavern is more than our receipts. At last year�s BHS Annual Meeting our membership requested that we make every attempt not to touch the principal from these endowment bequests. Your contribution can grow the Society�s endowment to ensure a stable future: to better preserve the historic Elton Tavern, to maintain its collections and to expand educational programs for both children and adults. Your contribution, of whatever size, will be welcomed and appreciated. For further information please contact Sandy Mazeau, Finance Committee advisor or Treasurer, Pat Small. Please make checks payable to the Burlington Historical Society and mail to PO Box 1215, Burlington CT, 06013. |