The Ross Gowdy House in New Richmond received several upgrades and improvements thanks to a grant received by the village of New Richmond. The window and gutter improvements were completed on the historical home.

The Ross Gowdy House in New Richmond received several upgrades and improvements thanks to a grant received by the village of New Richmond. The window and gutter improvements were completed on the historical home.
By Kristin Bednarski
Sun staff

The village of New Richmond recently received three grants to help improve the Ross Gowdy House, a historic home in the village.

New Richmond Administrator Dave Kennedy said the Gowdy House is recognized as a historical landmark by the Ohio Historical Preservation Office and it was eligible to receive certified local government grant money for improvments.

“The fund has been able to do real nice improvements to that building,” Kennedy said.

Kennedy said the improvements included window repairs and repairs and improvements made to the gutters on the house.

“Everything had to match the original design,” Kennedy said about the improvements.

The total amount of grant money received by the village exceeded $17,000 with nearly $9,000 provided as a match.

The first grant for window repairs was a $3,915 grant with a $2,021 match. The second grant for window repairs was a $7,004 grant with a $3,636 match and the grant for a box gutter system was $6,492 with a $3,248 match.

Kennedy said the village did not provide the matching funds, but rather Historic New Richmond, an organization dedicated to honor and preserve history in the village, provided the local share.

Kennedy said it is nice they are able to work with the historical society so improvements can be made on the building.

“It’s a nice marriage between the village and historical preservation group,” Kennedy said. “With all that hard work you have a historic building that is in great shape.”

According to the historical society’s website, the Gowdy House was built in 1853 during New Richmond’s most prosperous era of steamboat manufacturing.

The Gowdy House is located at 125 George Street in the village and is open the second Saturday of the month April through October.

For more information about the Gowdy House visit www.historicnr.org.