Preserving Edna St. Vincent Millay's Birthplace

According to Bangor Daily News, the Rockland Historical Society in Maine recently purchased the house where Edna St. Vincent Millay was born. The group plans to renovate the property in order to create a museum devoted to the study of Edna St. Vincent Millay's life and a gathering place for living writers.

ROCKLAND, Maine — The Rockland Historical Society has purchased the birthplace of one of the country’s most renowned poets.

The nonprofit organization finalized Thursday the purchase of the Broadway duplex where Edna St. Vincent Millay was born in 1892, Rockland Historical Society President Brian Harden said Saturday. The group has been working on purchasing the property since last fall.

The goal is to create a museum in the apartment where Millay was born. The other apartment would be rented out to support the operation of the historic site. The museum could be used to hold literary seminars. The home also could be a place for writers to meet with publishers.

Harden said a news release will be issued by the historical society later on Monday.

The house was for sale for $88,000, but the historical society was able to acquire it for $60,000. The property had been owned since 1993 by Bryan and Michelle Marshall.

Historical society curator Ann Morris said earlier this year that the bank that has a mortgage on the property had agreed to allow the current owner to sell it for less than what is owed.

The Quimby Family Foundation has agreed to donate money to help to with the project. The Quimby Foundation has offered to match up to $100,000 money raised for restoration. The society has also just learned that the Davis Family Foundation has provided a grant of $40,000 toward rehabilitation of the house.

Harden said the plan is for renovations to begin this spring with exterior repairs, replacing the aged electrical system and upgrading the failing heating system.

Continue reading at Bangor Daily News.