ORLAND – The Orland Historical Society has kicked off its first capital fundraising effort for restoration of the society building.

The 200-year-old building has served as the society’s home since it was founded in 1966, but now the building needs extensive and expensive repairs, according to the society’s president, Wayne Ames.

The building has served a number of functions since it was built at the turn of the 19th century. It was a ship’s chandlery for a while, and served as the post office and the selectman’s office. The Grange purchased the building in 1907 and made some improvements, including wiring the entire building at a cost of $38.12.

“The building has been an integral part of the old village of Orland,” Ames said. “It has been the heart of the community in all its functions.”

The building now houses the historical society records and a variety of displays related to the history of Maine and of the town, such as old tools, artifacts from the Red Paint People, a Civil War uniform and even the interior facade from the old Orland Post Office.

Society members have known for a while that the building needs attention, and they have been taking care of minor problems. But a recent engineering study of the building by Centrum Engineers, showed that the building needs major and immediate attention to take care of drainage and rot problems.

“We’re losing it from the bottom up,” he said.

The building needs to be jacked up and dug out. It needs a new cellar and some structural work, including replacing the rotting sills. Then, Ames said, they need to work on the drainage to get the water away from the building.

Initial estimates for the work range between $100,000 and $150,000.

“That’s just to save what we’ve got,” he said.

At some point, the society also will need to run water to the building, install restrooms and make it handicapped accessible.

Members considered some other options, including construction of a new building or moving it to a new site. But because it has been such an important part of the village, they decided to maintain it where it is.

Although the building is not listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Ames said, it qualifies to be on the register. That makes the society eligible for grant funding through the state’s Community Development Block Grant program, which has a historic preservation component. The society could have applied this year but did not have the matching funds. That’s what the fundraising campaign is all about.

The society needs to raise between $25,000 and $30,000. Last week, members sent out letters to about 2,000 town residents and other potential donors, and they hope to have much of the needed money raised by next spring in order to apply for the funds. That application also requires the society to hold public hearings on the grant which also will be done in the spring. Grants are awarded in July, so work on the building likely will not begin until the next year.

Contributions may be sent to the society at P.O. Box 242, Orland 04472.

Rich Hewitt may be contacted at rhewitt@bangordailynews.net or 667-9394