By Shelby Stewart-Soldan
Staff Writer
Ortonville — The painting project on the Old Mill Museum is complete, thanks to the Ortonville DPW and the DPW director Bob Hauxwell.
“We had reached out to many contractors about taking on the project, but they seemed to know it was a bigger job than we did,” said village manager Ryan Madis. “Volunteers were considered too, but with the age and delicate nature of some of the work, it was best to use professional skills. The attention to detail and care that Bob and his crew put into every step of the process was invaluable. They are the reason it looks so great in the end; their patience and determination to do the best job possible really made this project special.”
The Old Mill Museum, 366 Mill St., is an old Grist Mill which has been preserved by the Ortonville Community Historical Society. The property also houses the Mann School House and the recently-built Old Mill Blacksmith Shop.
“With the goal of completing one or two walls before Septemberfest, Bob and his crew, Matt Vanover and Tony Gray, set about chipping away at the project, beginning with the west wall along the creek,” said Madis. “They spent over 100 hours on that wall alone, scraping paint, repairing siding, installing a new gutter and flashing, and finally painting. They next tackled the north wall, along Mill Street, and had to creatively address some issues on the parts of the building that never see sunlight.”
In addition to Hauxwell and his crew, village resident and operator of Prime Time Services Scott Zimmer was able to use his crew and equipment to reach the higher and more dangerous parts of the building with a 60 foot boom.
“He completed the work on the second story of the north wall, as well as the east and south walls,” said Madis. “Prime Time Services really changed the game in completing the entire paint job before SeptemberFest and before the weather turned. Their help went a very long way – their effort and care, and not just covering up issues, was tremendous. The work exposed some of the original joinery on the building. Scott got to see the original dowel pins and joints that hold up the entire structure while replacing siding and insulation.”
The Ortonville Community Historical Society also contributed to the project, and are helping the DPW take on the painting of the Mann School House next.
“This project wouldn’t be possible without their passion to preserve the Mill the right way, and they would love to have visitors come see the work as well as the treasures housed inside the Mill,” said Madis.
The Old Mill Museum is open for tours on Saturdays, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.