09/15/1997 Meeting Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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M aytield Village's stately Bennett- Van Curen house has a distin- guished past: Biult in 1847 by b:acksmith Jacob Bennett, its the oldest home in the village. iVow, thanks ro the efforts of 16 members of the Mayfield Townslup Historical Society and 12 volun- teers from Mayfield Heioy hts, Mayfield VIl- lage, Highland Heights and Gares MIDs, the home's furiire is guaranteed. Nine years after it was saved from the wreckulg ball and moved to its present lecation on S.O.M. Center Road, the Nlay- 6:td Townslup Historical Society Historic Hotise, a Cleaelcancl Mcagcazine 1997 Super Suburb Award winner, has been fully refiir- bished to its original splendor. It serves as the historical society's headquarters and contains a museum that chronicles more th:ui a cennuy of life in the foiir neighbor- ing conununities. The Historic House was dedicated on July 6, 1996, as part of the vil- l1,°.e's 75th-annivers:uy celebration. "The museum represents more than 12>000 hours of hard work," says 1Vancy Plastine, historical society curator. "Ded- icated volunteers came every Saturday for eight years to lend a hand with the restoration. Others helped by raising money for the project by holding quilt S U P E R S U B U R B S IVlayfield Vlllage's FIOI'1'ie Sweet H011"te shows and raffles." Plans to save the house began in 1987, when it was aruiounced the building, which the Van Curen family purchased in 1939 and lived in until 1960, would be demolished to mal:e way for commercial development on the northeast comer of S.O.M. Center:uid WIlson Mills roads. But Plastine and other historical-society mem- bers saw the dwelling's potential. "We just didn't think it would be right to lose a piece of vIDage history," she says. "T'he his- torical society raised $75,000 in sis weeks to have the house moved to its present location, install electricity and plumbing and lay a new foundation. After we accom- plished that, we knew we could finish what we set out to do." Volunteers took up the floor and tore down the ceilulg. They papered, painted and restored each room to reflect a specific period of die home's history. StLidents helped with the landscaping. Residents created a memory garden on the grotulds dedicated to loved ones. "Additions were made to dle house in 1870 and in 1930, when the original I:itchen was destroyed by fire," says historical society past president P.ttricia Negrelli. "Some of the rooms, incluciing the parlor and bedroom, are filled widi pieces from the 1840s, when the house was buIlt. The dining room and music room reflect the year 1870. The kitchen has been redone in the style of the 1930s. Volunteers tuicovered a treastue trove of atifacts in the basement, inchiding origi- nal glass-paneled doors, which now divide the music room - a Victorian parlor that showc:ises three antique organs - and the living room, wtuch features a camelback couch and square grand piano. rlldiough the hoiise is a commiuuty showplace, the historical society is far from finished. Volunteers are in the pro- cess of building a log cabin in the b.ue- ment, and plans also call for the constnic- tion of a classroom. "T11ere are days we really can't believe what we've accomplished," Plastine says. "We envisioned dungs and diey came oirt the way we envisioned them. I thutl: a guardian angel was watching over iu." CLEVELAND MAGAZINE 67 N'1.\l'FIC:LD VILLAGI:'S HISTOI2IC HOME PRL'SGRVATION: NrWCY PL15TiNE, ST.UVDING, CUItATOR OF TI{E MAYtIELD V(LI.AGii HISTORICAL SOCIEI'Y AND PA1'RICIA N@GRIsLLI, THIi SOCiECY'S PAST PRESIDENT, SPEARHEADED EFFORTS TO RESTORE THE BL'NNETT-V,\N CURIiN HObifi.