MEDINA, Ohio -- It’s one thing for a historical society to purchase a beloved historic home. It’s quite another to restore that home to its former glory.
That’s what the Medina County Historical Society has discovered in buying the McDowell-Phillips house at 205. S. Prospect St. But they seem to be up to the task.
Ever since the historical society announced plans to purchase the house from Drew and Miriam Phillips, the home has been in the news. From the start of the capital campaign in the spring to raise $500,000 to the transfer of the deed in December 2019, the public has not only donated generously, but has attended open houses at the home and expressed interest in the progress of the restoration.
Brian Feron, historical society president, recently retired from his full-time job in order to spend countless hours supervising and assisting with the work being done to the house to restore it and make it available for the community to enjoy programs there.
The round attic dormer with the unique “Lighthouse” window facing Prospect Street has withstood a lot of damage over the decades and is being repaired. (Photo Courtesy of Medina County Historical Society)
Currently, work is being carried out on the exterior of the house to remove old, rotted shingles and to replace them with new, similar shingles. Restoration specialist Tom Cavalier, along with Alan and Brian Koeth from Koeth Enterprises, have been working tirelessly in less than perfect weather conditions to replace the shingles and to make other exterior repairs.
To complicate their work, the recent tornado that skipped through Medina tore the copper flashing from a portion of the peak of the roof and scattered more than 20 slate shingles from the roof onto neighboring lawns.
Cavalier sent out a plea for matching shingles to repair the damage.
Luckily, Chris Elsasser, a society member from Columbia Station, saw the plea. She realized that the damaged shingles matched the color and size of the Vermont slate removed from a historic barn on her property and neatly stacked in her back yard. She generously donated the slate to the historical society.
For the last month, a hydraulic lift from RentEquip on Ohio 18 has been on the property, providing safe access to the building while the craftsmen removed the old shingles and replaced them with new. Business owner Jim Brown donated two more weeks of lift rental to repair the roof and to complete the shingle work.
Another project: The round attic dormer with the unique “Lighthouse” window facing Prospect Street was constructed with over 100 pieces of individual framed glass. On close inspection, 70 of those pieces were found to be cracked or broken. The panes are held in place by glazing from the exterior.
While the lift is still available, Cavalier will be able to make repairs to the window with glass found in the attic.
In addition to the work on the exterior of the house, the foundation of the small barn on the property has been repaired and the barn readied for a concrete floor and apron, coming this summer along with new barn doors.
And the recently restored McDowell carriage and sleigh will soon be returned to their original home in the barn.
Last weekend, a crew of volunteers cut down and removed three big, dead ash trees in the back yard. After Cavalier made the initial cut to make sure the trees would come down in a safe zone, an orchestra of chainsaws went to work, manned by Noel Sargent, Kara Wolff, Courtney Benson, Mike Feron and Alan Koeth.
“A little horse trading for labor and firewood saved MCHS several thousand dollars to remove the trees," Feron said.
Indoors, plasterers have begun work on the ceiling of the first-floor den and dining room.
Local historian Joann King, who continues to unearth priceless artifacts from nooks and crannies of the house, said it best: “This grand old home is breathing a sigh of relief.”
The historical society is continuing to raise funds for future projects to preserve this iconic home. For information on how to join the society or how to help, log on to medinacountyhistoricalsociety.com, email mchs@zoominternet.net or call 330-722-1341 or 330-722-4409.
The society is currently closed due to the coronavirus pandemic, but volunteers are regularly checking email and phones.
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