Examples of Previously Funded Mitchell Fund Projects
Philipsburg School District No. 1 (Philipsburg, MT)
The Preservation and Renovation of the Interior of the Historic Philipsburg School
A grant from the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Fund enabled the Philipsburg School District to perform a comprehensive examination of the interior of the Historic Philipsburg Grade School, built in 1896. The school district aimed to preserve the essential historic character of the building while modernizing the school to comply with current building codes and to provide handicapped access. The architect's report served as the basis for initiating a community-wide dialogue directed at securing community support for a bond levy that would provide funds for the restoration. In September of 2003, the community passed a bond issue for $2 million to undertake the interior restoration project.
Friends of City Park (New Orleans, LA)
Architectural Services for the Restoration of the City Park Carousel
The enclosed 1906 City Park Carousel was damaged by wind and flood waters caused by Hurricane Katrina. Funds from the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Fund were used to hire an architect specializing in historic fabric to plan a restoration of the carousel building and its contents. The buckled pine flooring, a leaking roof, broken windows, and damaged doors were all repaired and this project helped save one of the few remaining antique, carved wooden carousels in the country.
Vermont Museum and Gallery Alliance (Shelburne, VT)
Inventory of Painted Theater Curtains in Vermont
Begun in 1996, the Vermont Painted Theater Curtain Project sought to find and assess the condition of Vermont's historic painted theater curtains. With the help of a Mitchell Fund grant, the Vermont Museum and Gallery Alliance hire an art conservator and historian to carry out a statewide survey of almost sixty stage curtains. The curtains were examined, photographed and researched, and stopgap conservation techniques were implemented. At the beginning of the project only six curtains were known to exist, today almost 200 have been documented, with over half having been cleaned and restored.
Shelburne Farms (Shelburne, VT)
Interior Documentation and Structural Stabilization of the Breeding Barn
Shelburne Farms received a grant from the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Fund to conduct an interior 3-D laser scanning analysis of the 1888 breeding barn. The project used the most current radar imaging technology available to analyze the structural elements of the massive historic barn. The 3-D scan provided the detail that was necessary to ensure proper stabilization procedures that will meet all safety requirements and preserve the historic characteristics of the building’s interior. The grant also allowed for the creation of architectural drawings and plans needed to begin restoration of the barn.
Friends of Deep Eddy, Inc. (Austin, TX)
Deep Eddy Bathhouse Restoration Project
The Friends of Deep Eddy were awarded a Mitchell Fund grant to hire architects to begin the rehabilitation of the Deep Eddy Bathhouse. The bathhouse was constructed from 1935 to 1936 as part of the first WPA project in Austin. The group will restore the bathhouse to its original architectural integrity, taking into account changes required by codes and the ADA. Some of the proposed architectural changes include restored dressing areas, a new ticket kiosk based on the original design and location, and new ramps for the mobility impaired and families with stroller.
The Friends of ‘Iolani Palace (Honolulu, HI)
The ‘Iolani Palace Furniture Conservation Project
The Friends of 'Iolani Palace received a grant from the Mitchell Fund to begin a furniture conservation project at the 'Iolani Palace. The palace, located in Honolulu and constructed from 1879 to 1882, is the only royal palace in the United States. The grant will allow curatorial staff to work closely with two nationally recognized specialists to evaluate the best materials and treatment options for a collection of pieces, such as an armchair from King Kalakaua's bedroom. The specialists will also formulate estimates for conservation treatment proposals and train a local professional upholsterer to restore furnishings in the three of the palace's rooms.
