Love history? Milford Historical Society needs your help

Milford Historical Society is seeking volunteers to help preserve and protect the Parson Thorne Mansion

Milford Historical Society is looking to expand its volunteer base in order to open the museum to the public more often. Volunteers are needed to conduct tours of the Parson Thorne Mansion and to assist with events designed to raise funds to preserve one of the oldest buildings in Milford.

“We are listening to the public who claim the mansion is never open,” Ralph Prettyman, President of the Board of Trustees for Milford Historical Society said. “The fact is our board over the years as dwindled to just a few people which led to our volunteer base dwindling as well. We have brought on new trustees and are in the process of planning a new barn-style visitor center on the property which is going to require more help.”

Milford Historical Society hopes to be able to grow a volunteer base initially that would allow them to open the mansion to the public at least one weekend per month with long-range plans to open every weekend and possible several days during the week. They are also seeking history lovers interested in joining the Board of Trustees as well as volunteers for fund-raising events at the mansion.

“We are planning our first Gala on the Lawn on October 12” Prettyman said. “This will follow our semi-annual antique market which we are expanding this year to include other vendors as well as food trucks. We plan to cap of the day with a semi-formal cocktail party-style gala in order to introduce more people to the mansion and the works of the society. More details will be forthcoming soon about those events.”

A grant from the state through the Community Reinvestment Fund is allowing the historical society to construct the visitor center but will cover only the construction costs. Additional fund raisers are planned to raise money for permit fees, furnishings and other equipment necessary to complete the visitor center. The visitor center will provide an area for events, meeting space, an office and additional exhibit space as well as a small gift shop area. The historical society is also looking for volunteers to assist in the planning of this much needed project.

“We are trying to get information out to the public about what we are doing with the mansion and the grounds,” Prettyman said. “We just recently reinstated our newsletter which went out over the past few weeks. We are hoping to grow our membership and volunteer base while also providing the public with details on the mansion, its historical inhabitants and the history of Milford itself.”

To volunteer for the historical society, email parsonthorne@gmail.com . To sign up to receive the newsletter, email MHSDENewsletter@gmail.com .