Milford Century Club re-opens after repairing damage caused by Hurricane Sandy

In a grand-re-opening ceremony on June 12, 2015, the Milford Century Club welcomed guests to its refurbished home at 18 N. Church St. in Milford, Del. Tim Slavin, director of the Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs, and representatives of the National Park Service, were on-hand for the ceremony which was hosted by Dave and Dawn Kenton of the Milford Century Club, LLC.

Exterior of the Milford Century Club after repairs and repainting.

Built in 1885 as a schoolhouse for the Classical Academy and sold to the Milford New Century Club in 1905, the building was individually listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. Noted for its architectural features and for its long-standing use as a community center, the structure was severely damaged in October 2012 as a result of high wind, wind-driven rain and rising water from Hurricane Sandy.

Attendees at the grand re-opening ceremony for the Milford Century Club. From left: Isabella Kott, National Park Service (NPS) intern; Seth Tinkham, NPS staff; Joan Larrivee, Hurricane Sandy grant manager for the Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs (HCA); Dave Kenton; HCA director Tim Slavin; Dawn Kenton; and Jenifer Eggleston, NPS staff.

Repairs to the property included replacement of the heating-ventilation-air-conditioning system, replacement of the roof, exterior painting and associated interior and exterior repairs. These repairs will allow the Milford Century Club to again be used year-round for civic projects and rental for local events.

Funding for the repairs was provided, in part, by a $60,000 grant from the Hurricane Sandy Disaster Relief Assistance Grants for Historic Properties program, a component of the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act of 2013. As part of the act, $50 million was appropriated to the National Park Service to cover the costs of preserving and/or rehabilitating historic properties damaged by the storm. Subsequently, the Park Service allocated $1 million for Delaware’s component of the program which is administered by the Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs. The purpose of the program is to help return damaged historic properties to useful condition, preserving the state’s cultural heritage for future generations.

For a press account of the re-opening ceremony, go to the following:

Milford New Century Club Rededicated
Milford LIVE, Del.—June 23, 2015