$25G to restore building at Bethpage site
James McKenna is seen outside the doctor's office at Old Bethpage Village Restoration in Old Bethpage. The History Channel will provide a $25,000 grant to rehabilitate the deteriorating 19th century doctor's office. (Dec. 16, 2011) Credit: John Dunn
A 19th century Hempstead doctor's office moved to Old Bethpage Village Restoration in 1993 but never opened to the public will be restored with a $25,000 grant from the History cable TV channel.
"It's a great example of a concept that needs community support," Libby O'Connell, chief historian for the channel, said of the village created in 1963 when Nassau County acquired the 165-acre Powell farm. The museum, now 209 acres, is home to 51 historic buildings and seven reconstructions.
The grant comes from the TV channel's Save Our History program that has provided $1.45 million for historic sites since 1998 to encourage them to build partnerships with other community organizations. O'Connell, of Lloyd Harbor, said Old Bethpage Village was selected to inspire other corporations and individuals to support it because of greatly reduced county funding in recent years.
County Executive Edward Mangano said the grant "will help to ensure that visitors and residents continue to enjoy this terrific facility. This public-private partnership is a great example of how the private sector can help local governments preserve our history for future generations."
The village director, Jim McKenna, said the 11/2-story doctor's office was built around 1800 on Henry Street in Hempstead and in 1816 was owned by Dr. James Searing. Later, it was moved to serve as a tenant house on the Harper Estate in Hempstead and was purchased in 1956 by William Meisser, who moved it to Bellerose as a museum.
"What we'd like to do with the house is restore the interior and interpret 19th century medicine," hopefully with a re-enactor portraying a doctor, McKenna said. He said exhibits about medicine in that time period are rare.
Some exterior restoration was done in 1993, and a fireplace rebuilt inside the following year, McKenna said. To open the building to the public, it needs foundation repairs, exterior painting and possibly a new roof. Inside, new plaster, a new ceiling, molding and fixtures, and a fire alarm are required.
McKenna said the grant would cover all the work because the building is only one small room.
"It has been a dream of mine to get this building restored," said McKenna, who is retiring this month after running the site for 21 years.
