Congratulations to the Baldwin-Buss House Foundation!

What began as a vision more than nearly six years ago became a reality last month when the Baldwin-Buss House Foundation opened the doors to the restored and reimagined Baldwin-Buss House, a centuries-old endangered landmark that has stood in one of the most prominent locations in the city of Hudson for nearly two hundred years.

Built in 1825 by Lemuel Porter, the house is considered an outstanding example of early Western Reserve architecture.  Porter’s other notable projects include the Congregational Church located in Tallmadge Circle, Presidents House on Western Reserve Academy’s campus, and the Whedon Farwell House located at 30 Aurora Street. All are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

As the Baldwin-Buss house entered the 21^st century, concerns grew about the future of this iconic property. In 2015, the city of Hudson considered a proposal to move the house 50 feet from its current location and surround it with a mixed-use development that would include condominiums and a parking lot. Hudson Heritage Association watched the home carefully and in 2018, three HHA officers – Don Husat, Inga Walker and Kathy Russell — agreed it was time to take action.

Very quickly, the Baldwin-Buss House Foundation was established and the group embarked on an ambitious fundraising campaign to buy the property and restore it to its original condition. Over the ensuing years, the foundation not only raised $1.3 million, but also established a serendipitous relationship with the Margaret Clark Morgan Foundation, known more familiarly as Peg’s Foundation.  When it became clear the Baldwin-Buss Foundation’s fundraising efforts would fall short of its goal to both buy the property and restore the house, Peg’s Foundation stepped forward to buy the house, the surrounding land and two commercial properties on the site, and also contribute significant funding to the project. The two foundations established a partnership, with the understanding the funds that had been raised by the Baldwin-Buss House Foundation would be used for the home’s restoration.

An exhaustive effort has since taken place to carefully undo generations of unsympathetic additions that compromised the home’s architectural integrity. At the same time, researchers worked to document the structure’s original floor plan, the building’s chronology, significant architectural features and the decorative finishes that make it such an outstanding example of Porter’s work.  When possible, elements were saved through painstaking restoration. Other work involved finding expert craftsmen to replicate original elements that could not be salvaged or were missing (such as the pilaster bases, part of the exterior door fan light, and some exterior windows).

If you have not already done so, plan to take a walk to the Park Lane Green and look closely at the result of this years-long effort. One of Hudson’s most exceptional properties has gained a second life thanks to the hard work of a small group of dedicated volunteers and the generosity of more than 330 donors who helped make the dream of preserving this important piece of Hudson history a reality.  Hudson Heritage Association is proud to have provided the seed funding for this project and thanks the Baldwin-Buss House Foundation, Peg’s Foundation and the many individuals who made the decision that this house was too important to Hudson not to save.

For more information about the Baldwin-Buss House Foundation, the Baldwin-Buss House, the role of Peg’s Foundation and the project itself, visit https://www.bbhfoundation.org/.  For more information about Peg’s Foundation and its work on the Park Lane Project, visit https://parklaneproject.com/