Mary Cogswell,  Chair

At last the Upton-Chandler House Museum has opened!!

On a Sunday afternoon on November 21, 2004, we held an open house for the folks of Warner to view the progress made after four years of reconstruction, rehabilitation, and restoration of the grand old house. It was an opportunity for people to see the rooms after artist and interior painter David Wiggins and family completed four months of interior painting, including floor and wall stenciling, free-style art work, wood graining, and the creation of the front hall mural. More than 100 guests attended the event and left with many positive comments.

Finally, the Upton-Chandler House Museum held its grand opening on July 4, 2005. From 9:00-12 noon an estimated crowd of 200 people toured the house and viewed the summer exhibits "The Story of This Old House" and "Pine Grove Cemetery Association Celebrates 150 Years". After a welcoming speech by President Beverley Howe and a review of the restoration by the Committee Chairman, a ribbon cutting ceremony was held with John ("Jack") Chandler’s daughter and son, Rose Chandler Daniels and Tom Chandler, doing the honors.

We are now working on the last two phrases of this project – 1) the creation of two archival storage rooms in the ell, and 2) the landscaping of both the front and back yards.

Robert Shoemaker and Charlie Betz have finished rebuilding the back ell. Electricity, the security system, and the Unico heating/cooling system have been extended to both levels of the ell. For the next few months they will work on constructing the two archival storage rooms. Once completed, metal shelving will be installed, giving the collections more storage room in a temperature controlled environment.

This past August Rebecca and I held two training sessions for volunteers to give guided tours at the Museum. Linda Hartman, June Lindner, Evie Joss and Bev Howe have volunteered – we hope others will join us for next year’s coverage.

The Upton-Chandler House Museum received an average of 4 visitors every Tuesday afternoon this summer, and 5 to 10 visitors every Saturday. Despite the dismal weather this past Fall Foliage Festival Weekend, the House was open from 9:00 to 4:00 both days. 27 folks stopped by on Saturday and 89 people braved the dryer weather on Sunday.

The Upton-Chandler House is now closed for the season. We may open for special events, but will reopen for the regular season next Spring, from Memorial Day weekend through Columbus Day, Tuesday afternoons 1:00-4:00PM and Saturday mornings 9:00-1:00PM.

A very special thank you goes to Committee members Linda and David Hartman, Ken and Nancy Cogswell, Rebecca Courser, Evie Joss, Kim Morgan, Robert Shoemaker, and Tom Greenlaw for all their work in making the rehabilitation of this grand old house possible.

Respectfully submitted,

Mary Cogswell

Chairman