Stow's Heritage House will undergo restoration, upgrade following October fire

April Helms, Akron Beacon Journal
·2 min read
Many artifacts in the Heritage House in Silver Springs Park in Stow, including this piano, were damaged or destroyed in an October fire.
Many artifacts in the Heritage House in Silver Springs Park in Stow, including this piano, were damaged or destroyed in an October fire.

The Stow Historical Society will start planning the restoration and renovation of the historic Heritage House at Silver Springs Park.

On Oct. 15, the 1838 structure, which was originally a stagecoach stop built near the intersection of Graham and Fishcreek roads, caught fire and sustained significant damage.

"The fire destroyed most of the second story along with 90% of all its contents which included the antique tool room, piano, the recreated furnished bedroom, and most of the old fashion clothing," said Bryan Menke, president of the historical society. "The downstairs and basement artifacts were removed and await further cleaning and storage for future use."

John Duckworth, left, and Timothy Burns look over a trunk that was damaged during the October fire at Stow Heritage House.
John Duckworth, left, and Timothy Burns look over a trunk that was damaged during the October fire at Stow Heritage House.

Stow Fire Chief Mark Stone said the cause of the fire is undetermined.

Restoration plans will begin with removing the fire-damaged areas and submitting plans to bring the building up to code, plus estimating the total costs of restoration, Menke said. Insurance will only cover the structural damage repairs to restore the museum to as close as possible to its original design while staying on a tight budget.

"Our next step will be to have the board meet with the city’s building department along with our local contractor to determine the first of many phases of reconstruction," Menke said. "Our goal is to keep the exterior of the museum original and modify the interior slightly to accommodate third grade school tours and visitors during our open houses more efficiently."

Plans for the renovated Heritage House also include an ADA-compliant entrance on the main level, Menke said.

John Duckworth, left, and Bryan Menke examine a framed picture. Many artifacts were damaged during the October fire at Stow Heritage House.
John Duckworth, left, and Bryan Menke examine a framed picture. Many artifacts were damaged during the October fire at Stow Heritage House.

The historical society is raising funds to complete this restoration project through their Go Fund Me account, the Joshua Stow Festival and the Harvest Festival events. To date, $6,225 of the organization's $45,000 goal has been raised.

Reporter April Helms can be reached at ahelms@thebeaconjournal.com.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Heritage House in Stow will be restored, upgraded after fire