Culbertson Mansion group gets state grant

The Indiana Historical Society has awarded the Friends of the Culbertson Mansion a $50,000 grant for helping uphold the state's heritage at the historic site.

The Friends will use the funding to preserve and restore the cast iron located throughout the mansion, a state historic site at 914 E. Main St. in New Albany. The organization is one of 15 statewide that received a state grant, according to a press release from the Indiana Historical Society.

"It is truly remarkable what the Friends have accomplished, and this grant award illustrates their continued dedication to our shared history," said Jessica Stavros, the site's manager, in the release. "The Friends' commitment to the site exhibits much more than a restoration of the highest quality - it also inspires investment in historic preservation, promotes economic tourism for Southern Indiana and highlights local history as a relevant and essential component of this community."

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The mansion, built by Williams Culbertson in 1867 for $120,000, lets visitors look into the tastes, ideals and lifestyles of people during the late 1800's, according to its website. Culbertson moved to New Albany and eventually started his own utility company in 1854. He would become known as one of the richest men in the state.

Since the restoration of the mansion started 34 years ago, the Friends have raised more than $1 million to restore the three-story structure, which was accepted as a State Historic Site in 1976, according to its website.

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Madeleine Winer is the Southern Indiana communities reporter for the Courier-Journal. Contact her at 502-582-4087 or mrwiner@courier-journal.com.