For over 120 years, the Curtis Memorial Library building on Pleasant Street has served to welcome readers, writers, poets, and those seeking a quiet refuge to read a newspaper or book, research local history, warm up by the fireplace, or simply sit and take in the art and architecture of the space.
At a recent gathering of library supporters, Curtis Board Member Dave Millar of Riley Insurance, announced a mini-campaign to restore the building’s original windows. Dave shared, “As a sixth-generation Brunswick business owner and descendant of one of Curtis Memorial Library’s first Directors, the library has always been an important part of my personal, professional and community life. Curtis is a key contributor to Brunswick’s educational, cultural and social community — welcoming nearly 1,000 visitors of all ages daily to our original 1904 Building and the 1999 contemporary addition. The library offers a great sense of place for our community – it feels more like home than just a location on a map.”
“Riley Insurance is honored to be the lead sponsor of the campaign to restore the original windows in the beloved 1904 Building – preserving the historical integrity of the building for generations to come, while being mindful of our sustainability goals and values.”
The library is working with Restoration Resources of Alna to restore the nine (9) exterior-facing, 11-foot windows in the original 1904 Building, plus the two smaller interior-facing windows. This work will include scraping and glazing, sash repair, rope replacement and weight balancing, some glass and storm replacement. Work is expected to begin in May, with one window removed at a time and restored offsite as to minimize disruption.
In addition to Riley Insurance, the Curtis Friends, and several individual donors from Brunswick and Harpswell have contributed or pledged $10,000 each to underwrite the restoration of one window, work that will be enjoyed by generations of library visitors to come.
To learn more about underwriting opportunities with the window restoration project, or take a tour of the 1904 Building, please reach out to Dave Millar at Riley Insurance (dmillar@rileyinsuranceagency.com), or contact Liz Doucett (edoucett@curtislibrary.com) or Joy Fehl (jfehl@curtislibrary.com) at Curtis Memorial Library.
