WP House Repairs are Underway

WAITSBURG – Narum Concrete and Construction of Walla Walla set to work to excavate and replace the deteriorating foundation of the Wilson-Phillips House Museum last month. Several community members have stepped forward with donations to cover the cost of the project, but more are needed.

The WP House Museum has been closed since last spring when inspectors informed the Waitsburg Historical Society that the home had structural damage and the foundation, which was causing the house to list to one side, would need to be replaced. The cost was estimated at $38,000, about three times the organization's annual budget.

As of Sept. 26, the historical had received $10,000 in cash donations and pledges from individuals in the community. They have also been awarded a $5,000 grant from the Blue Mountain Community Foundation's discretionary fund, to be used specifically toward repairs, according to Waitsburg Historical Society president Richard Hinds.

Additional grant applications have been submitted, but at this time, the society is approximately $23,000 short of paying for the repairs, which should be completed by mid-October.

"This is your museum. And although help from corporate sponsors is always welcome, it is the citizens of Waitsburg who are the owners and benefactors," Hinds said.

The Wilson-Phillips House was donated to the historical society by Mary Phillips and is now part of the Bruce Museum Complex, which includes the Bruce House Museum, Carriage House, Wilson-Phillips House, Wilson-Phillips Garage, and a small building housing a display of Wait's Mill.

In addition to housing rotating displays on the main floor, other rooms in the WP House hold displays of vintage fashion, military items, a barbershop, a sewing room, and more.

The Historical Society welcomes any and all donations from community members or interested parties, Hinds said. The Waitsburg Historical Society is a 501 c3 not for profit organization and all donations are tax deductible.

Donations can be made directly through the "Donate" link on the Historical Society web page at waitsburghistoricalsociety.org, mailed to the Historical Society at PO Box 841, Waitsburg, WA 99361, or by contacting Richard Hinds at (713) 252-1196 or Tom Land at (206) 795-4620.