By Kristin Rover
Sun staff

Historic New Richmond, an organization dedicated to preserving, protecting and promoting the history of the village of New Richmond, has received a grant to complete the third phase of the window repair project at the historic Ross Gowdy House Museum.

Greg Roberts, vice president of Historic New Richmond, said the organization was awarded a $7,000 grant from the Ohio History Fund and the organization will contribute a local match of $5,160.

Roberts said they are appreciative of the efforts of the Ohio Historical Society and the support of the History Fund.

“It has been a multi-grant project to restore the windows of the Ross Gowdy House,” Roberts said.

Roberts said because the Ross Gowdy House is on the National Register of Historic Places, they must keep with the historic design of the building.

“You can’t just put in your vinyl replacement windows,” he said. “They have to be true to the original.”

The organization received three grants last year for improvement projects to the building.

The first and second phases of window repairs were funded through grants from the Ohio Historic Preservation Office’s Certified Local Government program.

Roberts said New Richmond Administrator Dave Kennedy has been instrumental in helping New Richmond become a Certified Local Government.

“That makes the National Register properties eligible for these types of grants,” Roberts said.

The organization also received a CLG grant for the museum to repair the box gutters on the building last year.

Roberts said Historic New Richmond receives donations and hosts antique shows in the village to provide matching funds for grants. He said they are also able to use volunteer time and apply that to the match as well.

Roberts said they are hoping to begin the window improvements soon.

The Ross Gowdy House Museum is located at 125 George Street in the Susanna Historic District of the village.

According to the organization, the house was build around 1853 during New Richmond’s most prosperous era of steamboat manufacturing.

The museum at the Gowdy House is open on the second Saturday of the month from April through October.

For more information about the Ross Gowdy House Museum, visit www.historicnr.org, or call (513) 553-9770.