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Museum Closing - Hartford CourantBy STEVEN GOODE
Courant Staff Writer
August 18 2005
WINDSOR -- When the Huntington House Museum opened in the fall of 2001, Michael Rabbett, a Windsor businessman and president of the museum's board, said the biggest challenge would be developing community support.
"Without it we'll be dead," Rabbett said at the time.
Less than four years later, Rabbett's warning looks prophetic. The museum announced Wednesday that it would close for good on Aug. 27.
"It was a surprise when it happened, but I think we were only kidding ourselves," Rabbett said Wednesday. "People in town weren't supporting it. We should have closed two years ago."
The art museum was the dream of Daniel Ferraina, a local developer, and his wife, Alice, who stepped forward and bought the dilapidated, three-story, neo-classical Colonial revival home built in 1901 for $350,000 when it appeared to be heading for demolition.
Then the Ferrainas spent another $500,000 restoring the interior of the home, adding things such as a sprinkler and ventilation system and handicapped access.
Ferraina leased the building for $1 a year to the Huntington House Museum Inc., which was formed to operate the museum, build an endowment, maintain the building and make it financially self-sufficient.
Through membership drives, the nonprofit corporation initially raised about $165,000. But with an annual operating budget of about $160,000 and museum membership stalled at about 200, Rabbett said the effort fell short of what was needed. Ferraina continued to help out financially, but became disillusioned with the lack of community support.
"That's not enough when you have a town of 30,000," Rabbett said. "If we had 5,000 members he would have continued to support it."
Rabbett said he received a letter from Ferraina at the end of July informing him that the lease would not be renewed and that the property would be put up for sale in January. He said the board held an emergency meeting and decided not to try to persuade Ferraina to change his mind.
"There was no thought of that," Rabbett said. "I don't disagree with him."
Ferraina said Wednesday that the general lack of support and concern from residents over the last several years wore him down to the point that he felt the town didn't deserve the museum.
"I just lost faith in the community in its commitment to support this kind of venue," said Ferraina, who added that he had continued to pay more than $13,000 a year in taxes on the property as well. "I personally just got tired of it."
Mayor Donald Trinks said Wednesday that he felt bad for Ferraina and understood his frustration.
"I thought and he thought the town would support it," Trinks said.
Copyright 2005, Hartford Courant
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