Renovation Work Underway At Historic Niles Mansion

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chainmansion-2

A $275,000 renovation project is underway at the historic Chapin Mansion in Niles. Niles History Center Director Christina Arseneau tells WSJM News a crowdfunding effort to secure a state matching grant for part of the work has reached its goal. There are two main purposes of the project.

“One is to renovate the front porch and upper balcony, which is basically the facade of the Chapin Mansion, and while we’re doing that we thought it would be a good idea to add an ADA-compliant accessibility ramp,” Arseneau said.

Arseneau says a contractor encased the project area with scaffolding and heavy-duty plastic so work could start in cold weather. It should be done by fall. Arseneau says the mansion will be used for more events and exhibits when done. It already houses a collection started in the 1930s.

“You can learn all the way from pre-historic fossils, we have of course history on Fort St. Joseph, the French fur trading fort that was founded along the banks of the St. Joe.”

The museum also cover the birth of industry in Niles. The city-owned mansion was built in 1882 and formerly served as city hall. It’s the focal point of the Niles History Center campus, which also includes the Fort St. Joseph Museum.