Nestled in the heart of South Troy, the iconic Burden Ironworks Museum is receiving a well needed face lift, thanks to the Community Loan Fund! Owned by the Hudson Mohawk Industrial Gateway (HMIG), the museum itself was constructed between 1881 and 1882 in the Romanesque Revival style. The former office of the Burden Iron Works contains an extensive exhibit on Troy’s industrial history throughout the 19th century, when factories produced parts of the U.S.S. Monitor, the replacement for the Liberty Bell, and some of the world’s most innovative products, including stoves, mass-produced horseshoes and railroad spikes, detachable shirt collars, fire hydrants, and surveying equipment.
HMIG is receiving a $300,000 revolving line of credit to finance the renovation of the museum, which includes the repair and restoration of interior and storm windows, new weather proof doors, and durable stone steps leading to the entrance of the building. Additionally, this loan will be used to replace the decorative ironwork that has been missing from the museum for more than 50 years. HMIG has secured a grant from New York State to support the work, but required a bridge loan from the Community Loan Fund to fund the needed repairs before they are reimbursed. In addition to being a historic Gilded Age building, the Burden Ironworks Museum is also proudly listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
“We had a very positive interaction with everyone at the Community Loan Fund,” said Executive Director of the Hudson Mohawk Industrial Gateway, Dr. Susan M. Ouellette.
“Our process of securing this loan was mostly painless thanks to the work done by Dorian Wells (Sr. Lending Officer). He made sure all of our questions were answered and was extremely patient with us during the process. Thanks to Dorian and the team at the Community Loan Fund, we are able to restore this building to its rightful glory once again.”
