Will a 6-foot-tall fence stop break-ins at Meeker Mansion? Puyallup caretakers hope so
Those who pass by a historic Puyallup landmark on Spring Street may notice something different next year.
The Puyallup Historical Society, which owns and runs the Meeker Mansion at 312 Spring St., is looking to install a fence around the building. President Shelly Schlumpf said the mansion has had a long history of trespassing and vandalism, including three arson fires that happened decades ago.
“We’ve had windows and doors busted in,” Schlumpf said. “This has probably been an ongoing issue since I’ve been here.”
The new 6-foot-tall fence would have gold colored tips on top and would not resemble a cyclone or chain-link fence, Schlumpf said. It will cost about $500,000, which the Puyallup Historical Society has yet to secure, she said.
Schlumpf said they have about $250,000 available to put towards the fence project — $100,000 from a state-funded grant, about $33,000 from a county-funded grant and the rest from their budget. They will need to come up with the other half of the price tag through other sources of funding. They may have to consider applying for short-term loans, among other things, she said.
“I think we’re going to be creative enough to make that happen … I am motivated, we are all motivated,” Schlumpf said.
There was a fire at the mansion in October 1992, according to The News Tribune’s archives. The mansion’s basement, library and bathroom were charred and sustained water damage. There were also two other fires that happened before that.
There was also a window at the mansion that was busted in half in October 2020 and cost about $1,200 to fix, Schlumpf said. And someone broke through the kitchen door about three years ago. In January, a trailer that held a historic wagon had its tires, wheels and battery stolen, she said.
“It is constant,” Schlumpf said.
In August, a man hid in the bathroom and tried to stay overnight. Schlumpf said they have had to train staff and volunteers on what to do when they are confronted with trespassers.
The mansion currently does not have a gate or fence surrounding the property, but it has multiple security cameras. Schlumpf said the mansion is accessible, and it is not uncommon for them to make calls to the Puyallup Police Department.
“A lot of people assume that … it’s city property,” Schlumpf said. “They feel they have the right to access the property whether we’re closed or not.”
The mansion is not publicly funded and owned like other museums, Schlumpf said. The Puyallup Historical Society does not have the same financial resources as those museums, so issues such as trespassing and vandalism place a “financial burden” on the group, she said.
“It takes us away from the mission that we’re actually here for — to preserve information and share with the public about the history of Puyallup, the Meekers and the Oregon Trail,” Schlumpf said.
The Meeker Mansion was built in 1890 and used to house Ezra Meeker, the first mayor of Puyallup, and his wife Eliza Jane. The Puyallup Historical Society acquired the mansion around 1970.
