PERRYSBURG – The Perrysburg Historic Museum can finally make itself at home in the Historic Spafford
Homestead.
The group purchased the property, which was built by the son of the city’s founding father in the early
19th century, from Frank Keating III. Pending city approval of more plans for the site, located at 27338
W. River Road, the museum seems poised to open sometime next year.
"Since the last about nine months, we worked really hard to raise the money and get it done and get
it done by the date," said Judy Justus, the museum president, about her group’s fundraising
efforts.
The museum was spurred to purchased the property for $130,000 by an anonymous donor who has agreed to pay
the organization $134,000 for purchasing the building before July 31. The museum closed on the property
the day prior to the deadline.
Aurora Spafford built the home in 1823, and the Greek Revival dwelling was added to the Secretary of the
Interior’s National Historic registration in 1974 and was included in the city’s historic district in
1991.
Although the outside of the home "is preserved beautifully," Justus said, renovating the inside
will require considerable work. The inside of the house is gutted, and there currently are no walls. The
first early estimate to bring the place up to snuff came in at around $170,000, she said.
Ultimately, the museum group wants to convert the front room into a library that will contain stories
about the first families of Perrysburg, as well as books about Native Americans and the Civil War. The
area likely will be called "Judge Spafford’s Office."
Additionally, there are plans for a "keeping room" where the Spaffords lived, as well as an
upstairs bedroom, an old school room and a "war room" that will feature uniforms and
ammunition from the first and second world wars.
The group also intends to build a small barn and log cabin on the site. Exhibits are expected to rotate
throughout the property.
The city council unanimously approved the zoning change at its July 7 meeting for the property from
Single-Family Residential to Institutional based on recommendations from the planning commission. By
approving the measure, council deemed the new zoning designation to be consistent with the museum’s
intention to create a museum facility on the property.
Zoning Administrator Rick Thielen said at the time that the historic museum must still obtain approval
of: a preliminary site plan; a special approval request; a final site plan; a variance request for bus
parking; and approval from the Historic Landmarks Commission. He said the city may not see any paperwork
for the museum until September.
According to Justus, the museum’s architect is still drawing up site plans.
About 100 homes in the adjacent neighborhood back up to the .75-acre house. Residents in the area were
initially vocal about their concerns surrounding the possibility of bringing the museum into the
neighborhood, though the museum and residents later agreed to consult one another as plans proceed.
"They’ve been very congenial," Justus said. "They’re meeting with us on site plans."
