(above) Miller-Cory House Gets New Lease on Life Through a Grant from The Westfield Foundation
Westfield Foundation and the Miller-Cory House Renovation
Submitted by Ingrid McKinley
The Miller-Cory House Museum was established by the Westfield Historical Society in 1972 and is a nationally recognized historic site. The volunteer members of the museum are dedicated to the preservation of the 18th century dwelling, its grounds and gardens. As a “living museum” open to the general public, the museum’s purpose is to recreate not only the atmosphere, but also the everyday activities of colonial life.
The property has been a fixture in Westfield since 1740 and has served the community as the town’s first and only colonial living history museum.
Over the years, the roof of the museum has been deteriorating and is in desperate need of repair. The delicate renovation requires the use of historically accurate materials which are very costly and not easy to come by. The work requires a contractor with expertise in historically appropriate materials to maintain the historical accuracy of the living museum.
In the spring of 2020, the Westfield Foundation was approached to provide funding for this project. The Board of Trustees of the Foundation approved a $140,000 grant to accomplish the goal. This grant was funded by the Bertha Bogaert Fund, a fund established in the Foundation by bequest under the will of Ms. Bogaert and has been designated to provide significant funding to major projects in the Westfield area. Other projects funded by the Bogaert Fund have included a $400,000 grant to the Mindowaskin Park playground, a $93,000 grant to equip a STEM classroom at Westfield High School, a $200,000 grant to the Westfield Y capital campaign, and others.
Since 1975, the mission of the Westfield Foundation has been to provide funding support in the arts, health, aging, historic preservation, social services and civic projects. In pursuit of these goals, the Foundation has granted more than $7,000,000 to various organizations. For more information about the Westfield Foundation, contact Executive Director Betsy Chance at 908-233-9787 or foundation@westfieldnj.com.
