Processing Your Payment

Please do not leave this page until complete. This can take a few moments.

November 18, 2025

Ellsworth community rallies for urgent roof fix to protect city's archives

A white house has wo chmneys. FILE PHOTO / COURTESY ELLSWORTH HISTORICAL SOCIETY Funds were raised to repair the roof at Chamberlain/Whitney House in order to ensure the protection of the city’s historical objects, photographs and documents.
By Laurie Schreiber

After launching a capital campaign in October to fund essential roof repairs over the city archives, the Ellsworth Historical Society has already surpassed its $26,000 goal.

The roof over the Archives campaign ensured a new roof for the historic Chamberlain/Whitney House, Ellsworth’s only official repository for the city’s history. 

A total of 37 community donors contributed more than the match needed for a $13,000 gift from a donor-advised fund at the Maine Community Foundation.

Roof shingles are degraded.
Photo / Courtesy Chris Bartol
A neighbor across from the Ellsworth Historical Society, Chris Bartol of Clocks By Christopher, volunteered to bring his bucket truck over to clean out the gutters and subsequently notified the society about the state of the roof shingles with a photo proof.

Built around 1825 at 357 State St. in the Ellsworth Falls neighborhood, the house was donated to the society in 2014 and serves as its headquarters, educational resource and archive and as a meeting space for community groups.  

But the roof was failing, with shingles curling and leaks appearing.

The society has said that, without prompt roof repairs, the collections, including thousands of documents, photographs and artifacts, could suffer damage that cannot be undone.

A group of people pose on a lawn in front of a porch.
Photo / Courtesy Ellsworth Historical Society
Ellsworth Historical Society Vice President Mark Worth, surrounded by other society volunteers, holds a check from Bar Harbor Bank and Trust for the roof project.

“This project was about more than shingles and sheathing — it was about preserving the city’s story,” said Bill Fogle, the society’s president. 

Bar Harbor Bank and Trust and Franklin Savings Bank each donated $1,000 toward the roof project.  

“Other donors made contributions in memory of their parents, or of their coach who led practices on Whitney Field, or in honor of the ‘generous people of Ellsworth, the locals,’” Betsy Arntzen, the society’s assistant treasurer and grants professional, told Mainebiz. 

One anonymous donor provided funds to complete the goal and to apply any funds over the needed amount to operating costs.  

“This generosity brought the total to 140% of the original goal,” said Arntzen.

Ralph Graham Roofing began the project over the five-week fundraising period due to the urgent condition of the roof and the fast-approaching winter weather. The job involved reroofing the house and a two-bay garage and installing new vents. 

“The structure could not withstand another season of snow and ice, so work proceeded while Ellsworth Historical Society raised the necessary funds,” said Arntzen. 

The fundraising campaign wrapped up “just as the final shingle was nailed in place,” she added.

The roof is Phase I of a project to stabilize and secure the house. Future work will include drainage and gutter improvements, HVAC upgrades and continued rehabilitation to support both the building and the collections it houses.

The society expects to hear next month about two grants that will cover appropriate HVAC systems and sealing the structure from pests.

Sign up for Enews

Mainebiz web partners

Most Recent

Most Recent

0 Comments

Order a PDF