AMESBURY — With some of its windows dating back to the 1800s, Lowell’s Boat Shop recently received a $10,000 grant which will be used to restore some of them as soon as this fall.
The grant was handed out by Preservation Massachusetts, a Plymouth-based nonprofit, in partnership with another nonprofit, The 1772 Foundation, with the organizations handing out $125,000 worth of grants every year. The grants are up to $10,000, and need to be matched by grant recipients.
Graham McKay, executive director of Lowell’s Boat Shop, said the boat shop’s windows are in varying condition, with some being located in spots difficult to access, hindering their upkeep.
“So the windows themselves, some of them in certain parts of the building are in rougher shape than others, mostly the harder to get to places. And so, those have faced a lot of wear and tear. They probably haven’t received attention in 40 years, 50 years maybe, a lot of them. And, they’ve held up extraordinarily well, and that’s a testament to the wood that was used originally in them,” he said.
McKay also said some of the windows in question date back to previous centuries, and attributed their wear and tear to weather.
“Some of the sills, especially on the south facing side where they get wet, and then also the sun blazes on them all day, it really is hard on the wood itself, and these are old windows. These, I would assume, probably date to the late 19th, early 20th century. And, this place is essentially a barn, so there’s no storm windows to protect them or anything, they’re just out there,” he said.
So, McKay said he was grateful to receive the grant that will ensure windows at the boat shop can be restored.
“If you think about what it takes to maintain this structure, this property and all that, that there are grantors out there that are willing to do that just makes it all possible. If it weren’t for those kinds of funds, then our communities, especially here, would not be as beautiful. The historic properties that we value so much would be so much more difficult to maintain,” he said.
Jessica Rudden-Dube, executive director of Preservation Massachusetts, said Lowell’s Boat Shop stood out among other applicants due to its mission and commitment to carrying on the historic trade of boat building.
“It’s like a reinvestment into our historic resources. Not only are they being great stewards of the building, but they’re also pushing the historic trades forward into the future,” she said. “And, they engage with a lot of students and kids and families, and it’s in alignment with our mission as well.”
McKay also praised Lowell’s Boat Shop employee Pepper Wallace for her involvement.
“I’m very thankful to Pepper for writing this grant, and having the motivation to do it and also having the skill set to be able to do it. And, it is all these little improvements that the general public doesn’t see that keep these places from falling down around us,” he said.
Now, the boat shop will need to raise the money to match the $10,000 grant, McKay said, and the work on the windows is set to be completed by this fall.