The First Amendment Museum at the Gannett House in Augusta was awarded nearly $6,000 in grant funding it will use to restore original ironwork grills and railings as part of the building envelope rehabilitation project, the museum announced in a news release.

The $5,860 grant came from the Belvedere Historical Preservation Fund of the Maine Community Foundation.

The Gannett House, shown here in 2014, recently received a grant to help pay for the restoration of the original ironwork grills and railings at the historic property. Staff file photo by Joe Phelan

“This grant will make it possible for the project to move ahead swiftly with restoration of some important design elements that characterize the Gannett House’s eclectic style,” Rebecca Lazure, the project’s executive director, said in the press release. “The ironwork on the front of the Gannett House is one feature that makes the house unique in central Maine, it enhances the symmetrical appearance of the home’s façade.”

In addition to the ironwork, other ongoing work at the historic house includes a complete rehabilitation of the slate roof and gutter system, stucco cleaning and repair and window restoration. The work is being completed by StandFast Works Forge, of Parsonsfield.

The museum is undergoing a transformation to an interactive museum that will bring the property back into public and civic use. It will be a place that will stimulate and inspire public understanding of the rights and responsibilities of the First Amendment, according to the news release.

The Belvedere Historic Fund awards money to help the preservation and restoration of historic buildings in Maine, and the Maine Community Foundation works with donors and other partners to improve the quality of life of all Mainers, the release stated.

The Gannett House Project First Amendment Museum received a $7,430 grant earlier this year from the Maine Humanities Council to support the development of a travel-ready exhibit that introduced visitors to the origins, evolution and contemporary issues around the five freedoms of the First Amendment. The exhibit brought together stories that highlight the complicated subjects fostered by the First Amendment to expand public discourse around what this amendment means to democracy.

Located at 184 State St. in Augusta, just steps from the State House and the Blaine House, The Gannett House Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, nonpartisan organization committed to stimulating and inspiring public understanding of the rights and responsibilities inherent in the First Amendment. For more information, to go gannetthouseproject.org.