History is alive again in Seaford

After two years of construction, the Seaford Historical Museum is reopening to the public. What initially began as a project to upgrade the heating system turned into a full-fledged renovation of the building that was the community’s third schoolhouse, and later home to the Fire Department.

“It’s a longtime coming,” said Seaford Historical Society President Judy Bongiovi. “Now we have this beautiful building to put out all the beautiful holdings.”

The public was given its first look at the renovated building during the Historical Society’s annual Harvest Festival on Sept. 27. There are still some finishing touches left, and displays must be created. But major construction is complete, with the building in its best shape in years, Bongiovi said.

The 1893 structure was used as a school until 1917. Two years later, it was donated to the Seaford Fire Department. Eventually, a new brick firehouse was built on Southard Avenue. The old schoolhouse became a museum, sat vacant for years, then was taken over by the Historical Society in 2006.

The initial plan was to repair the boiler and insulate the attic, as cold temperatures in the building had caused pipes to burst two winters ago. A new heating system was installed for the main room and air conditioning was added, which Bongiovi said is a necessity, not a luxury. “To keep the holdings at an even temperature is most important,” she said, adding that mold can grow on old parchment, and fabric can deteriorate if not kept properly.

The work didn’t stop there. The old plaster walls — some covered in tin and others in wood paneling — were ripped down. With the walls open, insulation was installed and the electrical system was upgraded. Bongiovi noted that when Historical Society members would pull out plugs, sparks would fly. “This is a building from 1893,” she said. “It’s a wood frame and sparks are not good. It was a fire waiting to happen.”

The ceiling was replaced, the building was made handicapped-accessible, new alarm systems were installed and the original maple floor was refinished. As one project led to another, the museum was closed for nearly a year.