CLEVELAND, Tenn. – A comprehensive program to restore the landmark Craigmiles House, which serves as the history branch and archives building of the Cleveland Bradley-County Public Library, is in full swing.
The facility, on Ocoee Street in Cleveland’s historic district, houses Civil War military records, court records and assorted manuscripts and correspondence of genealogical and historical significance. The building served as the city’s main library between 1923 and 1987. When the main library took up residence across the street in 1988, the Craigmiles House began a new life dedicated to archival research.
In a recent meeting, the library’s board of trustees discussed the project’s progress, both in work completed and private funding received.
The current task of repainting the building’s exterior has been a complicated and interesting process, said trustee Bill Burch, who is overseeing renovation efforts.
Burch praised the work performed by Bryant Restoration Services, which has custom-built pieces after discovering rotten wood features revealed during preparation for painting.
“When you take the paint off, it exposes rot,” Burch said. “When you get behind the wood, you don’t know what you will find in an older building.”
The renovation program has achieved a number of benchmarks since this spring.
Burch said a new concrete ramp that is compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act was recently constructed.
The history branch’s exterior brick also has undergone restorative work, including cleaning, waterproofing and replacing varying depths of mortar between the bricks.
Replacing old mortar, known as “repointing,” was done to improve the building’s structural integrity, Burch said.
Library board Chairman John Hagler said the board has more in mind than simply restoring the landmark building.
The ultimate goal is not only to preserve the building’s historic features but to offer the community a modern room in which to conduct genealogical research, he said.
Private fundraising efforts are underway to go beyond $300,000 in potential grant money from the Tucker Foundation, Hagler said.
The foundation has awarded $150,000 to the library foundation since June 2014, money allocated to current preservation projects. However, if the library foundation raises $75,000 on its own, the Tucker Foundation will commit an additional $75,000, he said.
Renovation needs likely will exceed the $300,000 mark, but that was always expected, Hagler said, reiterating Burch’s statement on unexpected repairs and replacements inherent with older buildings.
Recent fundraising efforts have resulted in $19,000 in donations and pledges.
The Friends of the Library will donate $5,000 to history branch projects, and a recent walking tour of the facility raised $14,000 in cash and pledges, library officials said.
Renovation efforts have received praise from history branch researchers.
“I am so proud that they have expanded it so much and are using it, keeping it active,” researcher Debbie Riggs said as she watched restoration specialists at work Thursday afternoon.
Paul Leach is based in Cleveland. Email him at paul.leach.press@gmail.com.