Late this summer, the Suffield Board of Selectmen announced that American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds would be available to non-profits for the use of restoration or maintenance of the Town’s historical buildings and assets. The Town is happy to support the improvement efforts of these various non-profits and the rich history each brings to Suffield.
Friends of the Farm at Hilltop
This $25,000 grant will be used toward the big white barn painting project. Stop by for an ice cream at the Hilltop Farm Store and Creamery or to explore their gardens and walking trails! For more information and upcoming events, visit: hilltopfarmsuffield.org
Friends of the Windsor Locks Canal Trail
This $7,500 grant will be used toward signage pointing out historical points of interest along with educational brochures, lumber to maintain benches and picnic tables, landscaping, erosion control, removal of graffiti and maintenance of equipment.
Antiquarian and Landmarks Society
This $17,000 grant will be used toward fence repairs for the Phelps-Hatheway House and Gardens located at 55 South Main St. The museum boasts an extensive collection of 18th-century antiques while the grounds feature a Colonial Revival Garden installed by landscape architect Mary Wells Edwards in 1964, a large herb bed, and scattered flowering shrubs, all lovingly maintained by the Suffield Garden Club.
West Suffield Center District Village Improvement Association
This $5,000 grant will be used toward the cupola repair at Academy Hall. The Academy Hall, once the schoolhouse for West Suffield’s Center District and long the home of the West Suffield Grange, is owned by the West Suffield Village Improvement Association. It was purchased from the town in 1913 and has served the community as host to many organizations and different events. Visit westsuffieldvia.org or call 860-668-4444 to inquire about your next upcoming event including wedding receptions, bridal and baby showers, birthdays, anniversaries and receptions!
Suffield Historical Society
This $11,500 grant will be used toward the funding of an air conditioning/HVAC feasibility study for its King House Museum. Adding air conditioning to the Museum will provide a healthier, more comfortable environment for visitors and volunteers during summer months when the Museum is open to the public. Being able to regulate the temperature and humidity level inside the Museum will contribute importantly to the long-term preservation of the house and its valuable collections. As the Museum is itself an important historical artifact built in 1764, any changes for air conditioning/HVAC systems must be done with care to minimize compromising the building’s historical integrity. Visit suffieldhistoricalsociety.org to learn more about upcoming events sponsored by the Suffield Historical Society.
Kent Memorial Library
This $9,000 grant will be used to digitize the Delphina Clark book collection along with other physical collections within the Library’s Historical Room. The Delphina Clark books are the most unique and well used collection in the Historical Room. The books are most helpful to people doing research on their house, or for people who had ancestors in town and want to know where they were living. Being able to digitize the books that were microfilmed will make it more assessable and easier for residents to view. The Town is happy to support the restoration and digitization efforts made by the Library. For more information, stop by the Kent Memorial Library!