Inmates painting Gen. Knox museum

THOMASTON — The scraping and painting of the exterior of Montpelier, the Gen. Henry Knox Museum, is nearing completion, according to Alan Snow, president of the board of the Friends of Montpelier. Gen. Knox was George Washington’s secretary of war.

With limited funds, the board arranged for inmates of the Maine State Prison to do the work, and the paint was donated by Ellsworth Builders Supply Inc.

“This has been a difficult and time-consuming project,” said Snow. “But George Jones has been right on the job, making certain that the work is done as it should be and that the paint will stand up over time.” Jones is a master carpenter at Maine State Prison. He and Paul Doughty, the building maintenance supervisor, have been in charge of the crew performing the Montpelier work.

The Friends of Montpelier have pledged to raise the $20,000 that will be needed to complete the exterior restoration of the museum. “Although we have had significant donations of materials and manpower, such as the paint and the prison crew, we still need cash to accomplish some of our objectives,” said Snow.

Camden National Bank and two other local businesses made large contributions to begin the fund-raising campaign for the Montpelier face lift, and contributions in smaller amounts from individuals and organizations have been better than expected, according to Snow.

Once the painting is completed, the balustrades on the museum’s roof will be replaced, rear porch and steps repaired and the herb garden rehabilitated.

“Even though the building is structurally sound, neglect due to lack of state funds over many years has ruined the museum’s reputation,” said Snow.

The museum is an attraction often overlooked by visitors and residents alike. “People forget that inside is a fascinating collection of Gen. Knox’s furnishings, many with historical links to other important people of Knox’s time, including George Washington and LaFayette.”