After years of hoping, planning and pleading, the Morgan Hill
Historical Museum may be about to move
– again – to a new site, quite possibly before the end of the
year.
After years of hoping, planning and pleading, the Morgan Hill Historical Museum may be about to move – again – to a new site, quite possibly before the end of the year.
A contract between the city, which owns the building, and the Historical Society, which owns the contents and operates the museum, is about to be signed, clearing the way for the move. The museum, also called The Acton House, sits smack in the way of the city’s proposed new library on West Main and DeWitt avenues and the city wanted it out of the way.
The Historical Society owns Villa Mira Monte, what remains of Diana and Hiram Morgan Hill’s 6,000-acre estate at 17860 Monterey Road that includes the Morgan Hill House, an 1886 Victorian listed on the National Registry of Historic Places.
By bringing the museum building to a site behind the old house, the Society will have its property and responsibilities centralized, visitors can take in two spots of historic interest at once and Villa Mira Monte, the site of many weddings, parties and meetings, will gain two additional accessible bathrooms for a total of three – not an insignificant addition.
The Acton House, built in 1911, was donated to the city by Ida and Chris Williams for use as a museum in 1980; it was moved from its original location on Warren Avenue to West Main Avenue in 1983.
Before the museum, and a smaller house called the Acton Farmhouse, can leave for its new digs the Society and the city must work out the usual code and permit obligations but, at the moment, that appears to be going smoothly.
Rebecca Tolentino of the planning department said the project went to the department’s review committee last week.
“Now I’m just waiting for their comments,” she said.
Gloria Pariseau, past president of the Society and the dynamo behind the move, is optimistic.
“They’ve never processed a historic project like this,” she told the Society board last Tuesday. “Potential issues,” she said, “are the fire access, parking and burrowing owls.”
Because of the estate’s historical connection to the city and because the city paid for part of the Morgan Hill House restoration, 1993-98, Villa Mira Monte has been designated a public park.
“The city announced in writing in 1994 to the (Santa Clara County) Board of Supervisors that this is a public park under private ownership,” Pariseau said. While the Society pays for most maintenance of the site, the city pays for water.
Pariseau said the project will occur in three phases. Phase one, paid for with $350,000 the Redevelopment Agency reserved for the job several years ago, will include moving the house to its new home, building a pad so the plumbing will drain to code standards, building a foundation and handicap ramps and allow for utility hookups and some renovation.
A detention pond to handle drainage displaced by installing the museum will be built on the site of a future parking lot near the railroad tracks.
“At this point, the building will be usable and can reopen as the museum,” Pariseau said.
Architect Reid Lerner, who designed the recent renovation of the old Morgan Hill School, has drawn the plans for the museum move and resettlement. MH Engineering did the site plan, Pariseau said.
Phase Two will develop driveway access, complete the parking lot and build a formal drain from the property out to Central Avenue to the south.
Phase Three will complete the site with construction of a free-standing auxiliary building designed for large events and complete with a commercial kitchen, something currently lacking in the house. The Malech Family Trust recently bequeathed $200,000 for this building with the stipulation that it be shared with the Lion’s Club of Morgan Hill.
Pariseau estimates a total of $1.5 million will be needed to complete all three phases.
“This is a conservative figure,” Pariseau said. “As a private organization we can get the work done for less. Fortunately, each phase can stand on its own until we find the money.”
Pariseau works for Custom One, a construction firm with wide experience in renovating historic buildings. The firm’s most recent triumph in that direction was the saving, moving and reconstruction of the old Morgan Hill School, which is now at Llagas and Hale avenues enjoying a new life as a private school.
In August the Morgan Hill School renovation project was awarded the state’s highest award for historic preservation.
The Acton Farmhouse, also once owned by the Acton family, successful old-time Morgan Hill farmers, will be moved onto the back of the Villa Mira Monte property at the same time.
This home will be located on the north side of the Villa Mira Monte property, just behind the Morgan Hill House but closer to the edge of the property. This is approximately the site of a bunkhouse for ranch hands that existed when Hiram Morgan Hill ran the place as a working ranch.
The Historical Society hasn’t made formal plans for the house but has considered using it as a gift shop and caretaker’s apartment. The museum building also has an apartment on its second floor.
The job of packing up the contents of more than 100 years of history to clear the museum for its move will fall to as many Historical Society members and friends as want to show up and help. The call for boxes, paper and free and willing labor will go out in early October, Pariseau said. She promised 90 days’ notice to provide ample time for packing.
Details on the MHHS at www.mhhistoric.org or 779-5755.
