The Newark Valley Historical Society is pleased to announce that The Mildred Faulkner Truman Foundation, of Owego, N.Y., has granted $20,000 to replace the roof on the Bement-Billings House at the Society’s Farmstead property, located on Route 38 just north of the village of Newark Valley.
The grant will provide for the removal and replacement of the existing cedar shake roof. It will include provisions to extend ventilation and moisture control that should assist in addressing chronic issues with humidity inside the historic structure. Local carpenter Barrett Vaughn has been contracted to complete the work.
Farmstead Director Ed Nizalowski, consulting with preservation architect Carl Stearns of Crawford and Stearns of Syracuse, N.Y., worked to document the problem. Identifying the roof replacement as a pressing need became the first step in the creation of a Farmstead Preservation and Development Project. The Project intends to prioritize other needs and desires for maintaining and expanding the property, and seeks the necessary funding to accomplish those goals.
Board of Trustees Chair Ross McGraw stated, “We are grateful for the generosity of the Mildred Faulkner Truman Foundation in providing this grant to assist us in preserving this National Register property. This grant not only helps us in that effort, but it also underscores the significance of the Farmstead to the larger community. It stands as an example of the importance of the Farmstead Preservation and Development Project that we have initiated.”
