The deed of the Cavendish “Stone” Church has been transferred to the town.
Below is a progress report on the activities that are underway to prepare the
building to be used as the permanent home of the Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
exhibit, as well as a small venue for concerts, lectures and other uses by the
Cavendish community:
• Working with the Vermont Preservation Trust, an evaluation
was done of the building and a restoration plan developed. The issue with the
pigeons has been resolved and the building has been appropriately cleaned.
Slate repair on the roof was undertaken in the fall. The estimated cost of
these three activities was $5,949. Through grants and in-kind contributions,
the Cavendish Historical Society (CHS) paid $2,699. The next step is to repair
the cupola. We are waiting on estimates. Once these are obtained, we will be
talking to several local foundations about underwriting this cost, which has
been estimated to be $14,000
• This spring, additional cleaning of the interior was
carried out and an inventory and appraisal made of the Church’s content. We are
currently discussing what should be done, including the sale of some of the
items, with residents having first right of refusal.
• The book, The Writer Who Changed History:
Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, for
students in grades 4-7 has been written as part of CHS’s Solzhenitsyn project
“I wrote and waited.” All proceeds of the sale of the book will goes towards
this initiative, including upkeep and exhibit space at the Stone Church. The
book is undergoing its final edit and it is anticipated that it will be
available for international distribution by Christmas.
• The building is in very
good shape and is available for public use. If interested, please e-mail margoc@tds.net or call 802-226-7807.
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