Huntley Historical Society seeks donations for future museum
An earlier version of this story should have stated the Huntley Historical Society is seeking to convert a 19th century farmhouse and barn into a museum.
The Huntley Historical Society is seeking funds to convert a 19th century barn and farmhouse into a museum for showcasing historical artifacts.
The buildings - on the former Sun Valley Farm property off Main Street west of Route 47 - are owned by the Huntley Park District, which purchased the site along with 50 acres in Betsey Warrington Park, partially through federal grant funding.
Built before 1863, the structures are believed to be pre-Civil War and among "the oldest buildings in McHenry County," said park board member and historical society President Jim Blasky.
The village has owned the farmland since 1999.
Park district officials have agreed to grant use of the buildings to the historical society, which doesn't own any property.
Over the years, the district has made improvements to the structures, including fixing the roof and foundation for $30,000, and installing a new heating system, Blasky said.
"They want to have it occupied," Blasky said. "We've made it structurally sound. Now, we are looking to go through some of the plans to see if it's possible to get in there. We have to comply with ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) restrictions to be able to get in there. Being a building of the 1800s, it wasn't really equipped for ADA compliance at that time."
Past fundraisers have generated nearly half the roughly $50,000 needed to refurbish the space with two bathrooms and make both buildings handicap accessible, he added.
"Now we are in the process of looking for possible grants," Blasky said. "We're hoping to see if we can get some (sponsorship) interest from the village, our own chamber businesses."
Some historical memorabilia, such as newspaper articles, documents, and clothing dating back 60 years, now stored in the basement of Huntley Village Hall eventually will be displayed in the future museum. Society members also are seeking donations of historical items for the museum. Blasky hopes the museum will be up and running within next year.
To donate toward the project, call Blasky at (847) 669-9607.