McConnell Mansion in need of work

MOSCOW — The Latah County Historical Society is facing a dilemma.

The signs of old age are showing on the exterior of the 137-year-old McConnell Mansion. Time, as well as the weather, has taken its toll on the Moscow landmark. Most notably, the ornate windows that are a signature part of the home’s Victorian Eastlake style are deteriorating.

There are cracks in the glass. There are gaps in the window frames. The paint is chipping and the wood underneath is exposed. The decorative wooden ornaments are falling apart.

The 41 windows, most of which are original, do not provide much insulation. Hayley Noble, executive director of the Latah County Historical Society, said the society’s heating bill in December was more than $800.

Noble and the Historical Society have a tough choice in determining how to fix the windows.

“We’re really still trying to decide which route we want to go: Replacement, or preserve what we already have and try to save as much as we can,” she said.

Currently, the less expensive option is to replace the windows. Noble said replacing the windows would cost $3,000 to $3,500 per window, according to one estimate.

“It’s hard because it’s all about the money,” Noble said. “Replacing is going to be the cheaper option, but we lose the original glass and that’s a shame.”

Noble said when it comes to historic preservation, the ideal option is salvage as much of the original glass and wood as possible. The cracked windows would have to be replaced no matter what, but the others could be saved.”

However, that option has a bigger price tag. Noble said preserving the windows would cost $17,000 per window, according to an estimate she received.

It’s not just the windows that need an upgrade. The metal siding on the exterior is rusting. Noble said that, ideally, the Historical Society would pull off the metal siding and display the wood underneath. However, the organization does not know if that wood is in good condition.

Noble and her staff are trying to come up with fundraising options to help them pay for these repairs. In addition to seeking grants, they are also asking for donations from the public and from businesses.

The construction work will likely happen in phases and likely take a couple of years to complete, Noble said.

“I know we’re not going to be able to please everybody depending on which route we go down,” Noble said. “And that’s going to be really hard because we are tasked with stewarding the history of Latah County and so we’re going to do our best that we can in stewarding this building, too, because it belongs to everybody.”

Kuipers can be reached at akuipers@dnews.com.