Each year we pause in January. While we do this for several reasons, the most important one is to protect the mansion. It is a naturally slower time of year for travelers and local visitors, so for up to a month each year we give the building time to rest while we pamper it with a gentle, thorough cleaning, basic repairs, and some glowing polish. With so many people so interested in our beloved mansion, we must take the time to make sure it is supported and ready to provide thousands more guests with the opportunity to experience an important link to our community’s past and present.

This year we have an even greater task: with funding from SB12 in the 2023 legislature we will begin restoring/upgrading our boiler system. The gargantuan project has already begun and includes replacement of pipes that are over 120 years old, modification of the steam/hot water system that is our only source of heat, and subsequent restoration of all historic materials dislocated in the process. It effects every floor, practically every room, of the mansion. We will be unable to reliably host indoor private events and fundraisers between demolition and project completion. We hope to be all healed up and back to normal with a fully functional boiler system by late spring of 2024.

We are a self-funded historic house museum. The same part-time staff that plans and produces Clue Games, Murder Mystery Dinners, Codebreakers and Mysteries at the Moss experiences, Brew-seum events, Halloween and Christmas festivities and private weddings and occasions are responsible for caring for the museum collection, giving tours and creating interpretative materials, applying for short-term grants, planning and managing preservation projects, developing educational programming, training volunteers, basic operation of the facility and more. This is our time to carefully reflect on the past year, to stop and listen to the mansion and pay close attention to all the small details that can be overlooked in the normal everyday bustle. With a large preservation project added to our list, we are asking our supporters to be patient and be kind – we will post our 2024 schedule as soon as possible.