Here’s why this local mansion and visitor center will temporarily close Nov. 1
The building is getting a makeover.
A 108 year-old mansion near Concord’s historic North Bridge will temporarily close in November for a major makeover.
The 1911 North Bridge Visitor Center in Minute Man National Historical Park, which is also known as the Buttrick Mansion, will close for a $1.2 million restoration Nov. 1 and reopen in April of 2020, according to the National Park Service.
The restoration, funded by the National Park Service Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act, will focus on the rehabilitation of the building’s exterior, according to the service, which will include repairs to the roof, doors, windows, trim, and portico. A new accessible ramp will also be installed at the southeast loggia. On the inside, workers will repair water-damaged ceilings, improve the restroom, install plumbing and electrical upgrades, and add a new air conditioning unit to the visitor center area.
“This preservation project is incredibly important as we prepare park facilities for the upcoming 250th anniversary of the events of 1775,” said BJ Dunn, park superintendent, in a press release. “The North Bridge Visitor Center and Buttrick Gardens are an educational gateway and vista for visitors to the North Bridge.”
The brick mansion, built by descendants of the Buttrick family, was sold to the National Park Service in 1963. Several artifacts are on display inside the mansion, including a powder horn carried by minuteman Willard Buttrick on April 19, 1775.
Work will begin Sept. 23, and visitors will be permitted in the building through Oct. 31.
