Volunteers work to restor MacLane house

By Carl Hennell, of The Montana Standard

Like a good neighbor, Citizens for Preservation and Revitalization of Butte are lending helping hands to repair the old Mary MacLane house at 419 N. Excelsior on Butte's North Side.

The mothballed structure was once the home of Mary MacLane, a provocative, turnof-the-century author.

Butte-Silver Bow County acquired the house after it landed on the delinquent tax rolls.

`` We're just trying to keep it from deterio rating,'' said Larry Smith, a CPR member.

Previous owners misused the house, Smith said. They tried to expand a room by removing a supporting wall, which caused structural damage, he said.

CPR's first task was putting the wall back, then members boarded the windows and doors to keep people out. They also put on a new roof and removed a rickety exterior staircase, Smith said.

Most recently, volunteers painted and hung curtains.

CPR has had up to 15 members working on the house at one time and has volunteered a handful of weekends on the project, Smith said.

`` We're sprucing it up so neighbors don't start getting on the city's back to tear it down,'' Smith said.

CPR is a non-profit organization that works to revitalize the heritage of Butte. Each year, the organization awards grants to Butte residents so they can made improve ments to their historic homes.

`` We figure by doing a little work on the house, someone will come along and do the rest,'' Smith said.

t For more information:

Citizens for Preservation and Revitalization, Box 164, Butte 59703

Mary MacLane Web site: www.marymaclane.com