Granger House Victorian Museum caretakers halfway to fundraising goal for new roof

MARION - New roofs are expensive, and Granger House Victorian Museum caretakers want their community to know one is needed to protect the historic home.

Board members are in the midst of fundraising for a $30,000 roof, which will be made up of cedar shingles for historical accuracy. The members are about halfway to their goal, with a major fundraising event coming this weekend.

'Obviously, our goal here is to keep the house alive and well and open for many years to come for people to come and enjoy it,” said Vicki Noah, Granger House board vice president. 'We love this house. So I guess we want other people to come here and bring their kids and their kids' kids here.”

The 1848 Granger House will host an open-air market from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday with 18 vendors, including crafts and food trucks, with the proceeds going to the roof restoration. Visitors also can take $5 tours of the museum during the event.

Adam Hyatt, board president, said he hopes to have fundraising wrapped up by the end of October - a busy time for the museum with ghost tours and prime weather for crews to install cedar shingles.

The house was home to the Earl and Dora Granger family for almost 100 years, from 1876 to 1973. Some visitors, particularly around Halloween, are interested in the Granger family ghosts that supposedly continue to inhabit in the house.

The 20-year-old roof is worn and growing moss but has yet to leak. Noah said caretakers want to be proactive about the situation before any damage occurs.

'The nonprofit relies mostly on memberships and visitor donations for revenue as well as events. Residents also can donate to a GoFundMe campaign at https://www.gofundme.com/f/vicki039s-campaign-for-marion-historical-museum-inc for the roof replacement.

Once the house's roof is finished, caretakers will have to look into replacing the carriage house's roof as well.

'We just want her to keep on keeping on, I guess,” Noah said.

Comments: (319) 339-3172; maddy.arnold@thegazette.com

If you go

' What:

Granger House fundraiser open-air market featuring 18 vendors, crafts and food trucks

' Where:

Granger House, 970 10th St., Marion

' When:

11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday