Replacement of the roof on the Doak House Museum began July 29, made possible by a grant from local businessman and philanthropist Scott M. Niswonger. Materials being used, such as the shingle held by Niswonger at left, are representative of those used in the early 1800s. At right is George Collins, director of Museum Program and Studies at Tusculum College. (Tusculum College photo)

Grant allows replacement of Doak House Museum roof

Scaffolding now surrounds a part of the the Doak House Museum as workmen from Leatherwood, Inc. of Franklin, replace the roof of the oldest building on the Tusculum College campus.

The work has been made possible by a $38,000 grant from local businessman and philanthropist Scott M. Niswonger received by Tusculum's Department of Museum Program and Studies, of which the Doak House Museum is an integral part.

George Collins, director of Museum Programs at Tusculum, expressed appreciation to Niswonger for providing the grant for the roof replacement project.

"We are extremely pleased to receive this critical grant," Collins said. "This is a very important home not only in the history of Tusculum, but also in the history of our community and East Tennessee. The fact that it hosts so many children, just as it has done for over 170 years, made this repair even more critical."

The roof on the museum, which was the one-time home of the Rev. Samuel Witherspoon Doak, co-founder of the college, was last replaced in 1974. The Doak House Museum hosted more than 7,000 school children from Northeast Tennessee last year for a variety of educational programs. The museum focuses its interpretation on the history of education, as well as the social and religious history of the early 19th century.

Leatherwood, Inc., the contractor completing the project, specializes in the repair of historical structures. The materials to be used and style are representative of those used on buildings from the early 1800s

Work is scheduled to be finished in approximately a month, and will allow educational programs in the fall to continue as scheduled. Activities at the Doak House Museum also provide hands-on learning experiences for students in Tusculum's Museum Studies' undergraduate major program. In addition to the Doak House activities and undergraduate major program, the Museum Studies Department also operates the President Andrew Johnson Museum and Library housing the college's special collections that include the Charles Coffin Collection, the Andrew Johnson Library, and the College Archives.

Workers from Leatherwood, Inc., began the process of replacing the Doak House Museum roof on July 29. (Tusculum College photo)