Community Corner
Something Old, Something New for Kent Historical Society
Preview of refurbished 237 E. Main St. site gave supporters a sneak peak
A downtown home built in 1883 has a new owner in the .
Although not yet open to the public, a four-hour preview Saturday of the Clapp-Woodward house, located at 237 E. Main St., allowed historical-society patrons and donors to see the organization's new museum and headquarters.
The opening to the general public will take place next month.
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"This is our sneak preview for those who have been supporters or contributed to the campaign," Kent Historical Society Board President Sandra Halem said.
Volunteers are refurbishing the three-story home, originally built for Harriet Kent Clapp on land deeded to her by her father, Zenas Kent, from top to bottom, including the detailed woodwork and metal hinges, doorknobs and locks.
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"We've been doing a great deal of interior restoration, all as authentically as possible to the period of the hosue," Halem said.
Additionally, the house is now set up for wireless Internet access, with 500 feet of cable put in place behind its walls, Jona Burton, an historical society volunteer, said.
"When they get it done, it's going to be beautiful. It's a welcome sight and people should be really happy about it. It brings back a lot of memories to see this," Robert Meeker, a donor who has lived in Kent for 83 years, said.
The new facility will be ready in time for the historical society's annual tradition of giving tours to third-grade students in all Kent public and private schools, said Kent Historical Society Trustee Becky Dunlap, a teacher at Longcoy Elementary.
"When the sale closed on Dec. 29 and they said, 'We'll have it ready for the kids,' I thought, 'not in a million years,'" she said. "Every place we study, and every concept, goes back to local history, and then it ends with the tour. It's a chance for (students) to see it, and show their parents and be the experts."
In recent years, the house has primarily been used as realty and law offices until its $275,000 purchase by the Kent Historical Society, Administrative Director Tom Hatch said.
"It was an opportunity to acquire a house that had links to the Kent family and also to the Woodward family. The community has been very generous," Hatch said.
The Kent Historical Society, formerly located at 234 S. Water St., will open the doors of its new location to the public from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. June 18.