Hill House Restoration Project

WE NEED YOUR HELP!

The Hill House

The Thomas A. Hill House was completed in 1835. As with any old house, it needs constant
attention and sometimes major interventions. Right now, Hill House needs some significant
interventions. We have been working quietly over the last year on raising funds to replace the
perimeter ornamental fence on the granite walls along High and Union Streets, and install
chain-link fencing on the property line and across the back. Additionally, if you have visited the
house in the last several years you know that the portico is failing. It is in very bad condition
and needs restoration ASAP. We have raised $60,000 for the fence and $51,500 for the portico
with another $25,000 if we can raise $18,500 to complete a challenge grant. It is time to leave
the quiet phase of our campaign and reach out to all of you.

Fence Restoration Project- Help Us Finish It!

The Bangor Historical Society is in the process of rehabilitating the granite wall surrounding Hill
House and restoring the fence that used to sit atop the wall. The wall restoration is scheduled
to start this fall and be finished in time to install the fence atop it before the end of November.
 
The fence is being restored in order to bring back the property’s historic presence, control traffic flow around the property, and to secure the property.  In addition to the ornamental fence atop the granite perimeter walls along High and Union Streets, BHS will be installing black chain link fencing along the tree line with our abutting neighbor on Union St. and across the back of the property.
 
BHS has been awardedd $60,000 from the City of Bangor, through its CDBG grant for this estimated $70,000 project. Help us get to the finish line by:

Sponsoring a Fence Section for $250

Sponsoring a One Foot Section for $50.

Portico Restoration Project

One of the outstanding features of the Thomas A. Hill House is its three-sided portico.
Several years ago, it became very apparent that something was happening with the portico since the granite decking became uneven and some slabs were even separating from the building. We were granted funding from the Belvedere Historic Preservation fund to do an engineering study. As suspected, in 1835 foundation building practices weren’t quite what they are today. The foundation under the portico has suffered the ravages of Maine winter frost and has deteriorated. Today the condition of the portico threatens the structural stability of Hill House.

To restore the portico, we will need to remove all of the granite slabs, remove the columns and restore them, excavate, rebuild the foundation, replace the granite slabs, and restored columns. The project comes with a big price tag of more than $350,000 (that was the estimate last year). We have determined that we can do the project in phases so we can raise funds over several years to complete the restoration. The worst side is the back so we have applied for grants for that section first. We have been successful in raising more than $56,000 and if we raise $14,000 more we will receive another $25,000 from a challenge grant. That will get us to a level to do the back portico. We are also waiting to hear about a grant for the second side. Nonetheless our successes so far we need to raise more funds for the portico—our goal is to raise at least another $120,000 so regardless of the outstanding grant we can do 2 sides starting next spring. Please help us fix the portico and restore the stability of Hill House by making a contribution today:

Pillar Preserver—$1,000 (16 pillars)
Support a Slab—$500 (77 slabs)
Foundation Fixer—$250
Step Supporter—$100
Portico Patron—$50

Please help us restore this valuable asset of our community.

For more information, please email Matt Bishop at curator@bangorhistoricalsociety.org or call 207-942-1900