Residents Fight to Save Historic Home
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TRENTON, Tenn. – Some West Tennesseans are fighting to save a historic Trenton home that is falling apart. Residents said keeping the more than 100-year-old building in good condition is worth the money, because it brings tourism to Trenton. It is easy to miss the historical Freed House when you are driving by. That is why volunteers who help maintain it, want a change. “This house tells an amazing story of the Freed family and how they immigrated here and settled here, and then left such an impact on this area,” said Sandy Moss, a member of the Freed House committee. Volunteers with the committee are asking city leaders to invest more money to preserve the historic Civil War home, which was willed over to the city in 1969. They also want the city and residents to do a better job promoting the local attraction. “At one point, the Freed House ladies were doing five or six tours a month,” Moss said. “Ms. Holder, who’s probably the most active of volunteers, has been called to do one tour in the last 18 months.” Volunteers said they can only do so much. “It’s just falling in disrepair and it needs to be saved and it needs to be valued as a valued tourist attraction.” City officials said they already budget $2,000 to $3,000 a year for maintenance, and usually spend more. “We try to keep it up as best we can,” said Mayor Tony Burriss. “We fix the roof when the roof goes bad. We do some things that need to be done that way, but it’s just hard to keep a house that old maintained.” Volunteers said some loose wallpaper is just one sign that the home is becoming neglected. They said they are constantly battling several leaks throughout the home. Mayor Burriss said they are looking at getting grant money to help cover costs, but they are looking for someone to partner with them to maintain it, and possibly turn it into a museum. “We don’t want anything to happen to the house,” Burriss said. “It’s just hard for us to put the money into the house that needs to be put there.” Volunteers said they hope something happens, before it is too late. “All of a sudden the hole in the roof gets bigger and then the ceiling falls in, and structurally it becomes a real challenge to save,” Moss said.
