Restoring history

FLORIDA — The Seward/Mapes Homestead Restoration Committee of Florida raised $9,000 toward the preservation and restoration of the Seward/Mapes Homestead in 2016.
The committee presented the Village of Florida’s governing body with a $5,000 check in December to go toward the restoration of the homestead. That is in addition to a $4,000 contribution made earlier in 2016.
The organization raised a total of $9,000 toward a New York State matching fund grant for historic preservation. The year’s fundraising was accomplished through a combination of venues that included historic lectures, dining and antique appraisal events and generous donations from civic-minded businesses. To date, more than $15,500 has been raised.
The Seward/Mapes Homestead presents a rare opportunity to focus on the lives and accomplishments of two men deeply engaged in the American Civil War on different levels: William Henry Seward as secretary of State in the Lincoln Administration, and William E. Mapes, as a Union soldier in an illustrious volunteer regiment that fought in many horrific battles from Manassas Gap to Appomattox.
The Seward/Mapes Homestead Restoration Committee is a grass roots organization that assumed stewardship of the property after it was acquired from the Town of Warwick in 2010. Incorporated in 2011 and designated a 501c3 in 2014, volunteers have spent thousands of hours on the property and inside its buildings, stabilizing and restoring the historic site. It welcomes business sponsorships and members willing to dedicate time and expertise toward this educational and community enterprise. Information about the Seward/Mapes Homestead can be found on the organization’s website, www.sewardhomestead.org.