Grant funds will help renovate Meeker Mansion’s carriage entrance

Those who visit the Meeker Mansion in Puyallup often enter through the house’s carriage entrance.

Located on the side of the building, a long, gravel driveway leads to a portico and the entrance. But if visitors look closely, they can see some cracks in the wood and pillars.

Fixing these issues were next on the Puyallup Historical Society’s list. Thanks to a recently acquired grant, it’ll be able to take on rehabilitating the problem areas — and once they’re fixed, can begin the project of giving the mansion a new paint job.

“Painting is on the top of our list,” said historian Andy Anderson. “(Fixing the carriage entrance) is one of the things that needs to get done before painting the house.”

The Puyallup Historical Society was one of nine recipients of the 2017 Valerie Sivinski Washington Preserves Fund grant, and was given $1,000 for its rehabilitation endeavors of the carriage entrance.

Established in 1976, the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation is Washington’s only statewide, historic preservation nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving the state’s historical places. The Trust’s goal is to give away $10,000 in grant funding annually.

In the past, board members from the Puyallup Historical Society have applied for the grant, receiving $1,500 in 2013 and $2,000 in 2011. The money focused on other aspects of the mansion in need of rehabilitation.

“It was mostly windowsill replacement and treatments,” Anderson said.

The historical society submitted its application for the grant in October, which included a project budget, timeline, letters of support and photos illustrating the project. Recipients were announced at the Trust’s annual Holiday Benefit at the Stimson-Green Manor in Seattle on Dec. 6. Puyallup Historical Society board member and treasurer Wayne Fass attended.

The grant money has to be spent within the year, said Anderson, who hopes to get the rehabilitation project done as early as possible. The next step for the society is to hire a carpenter to look at the carriage entrance.

“He’ll come out and see what needs to be replaced,” Fass said. “He’ll make a bid, and we’ll talk about it.”

Other grant applications and donation plans are in the works to help the mansion raise money for the painting project.

This story was originally published December 20, 2016 at 9:39 AM with the headline "Grant funds will help renovate Meeker Mansion’s carriage entrance."