The recent announcement that Strawbery Banke approved the sale of the Wentworth-Weinbaum House has raised concerns that this is the first of more sales to come for the museum. Larry Yerdon, president of Strawbery Banke, emphasizes that the sale of the Wentworth-Weinbaum House should have no impact on the museum’s overall vitality.

“We’re looking at the long-term future of the house,” Yerdon says. “It’s not really key to our mission. Plus, it returns the house to the tax rolls.”

The house was built around 1770 by Joshua Wentworth, a relative of three different governors of the state, including the last royal governor. In the 20th century, the house, then located on Hanover Street, was owned by the Weinbaum family and served as the headquarters for the Weinbaum News for 12 years before it became part of Strawbery Banke. The Wentworth-Weinbaum House was moved to its current Hancock Street location in 1973. In its 33 years as part of the Strawbery Banke museum, the house has never been open to the public. “It’s been mothballed,” as Yerdon put it.

Yerdon says the house would require extensive repairs to make it suitable for exhibition; its use as a newspaper office left the interior altered substantially.

The sale of the building comes after arranging multiple easements on the property which will ensure that the historic value of the structure is not compromised. The house exhibits several instances of unique, historical woodworking techniques.

“The easements are extensive,” Yerdon says. “There are pages and pages of restrictions.” Yerdon says the easements, among other things, will protect this woodworking; for example, the staircase may never be removed or altered. The conditions of sale also stipulate that the house may only be used as a private residence.

Proceeds from the sale will be put in a special fund dedicated to restoration of the museum’s other buildings. “There are restoration projects going on continually,” Yerdon said. “There’s always something: a door here, a window there.”

Though it might seem counteractive to the museum’s mission to sell off its properties, Yerdon says that this sale will have little effect on the museum’s standing or the public’s experience of its historical homes; as the public was never allowed access to the home, the Strawbery Banke board believes the public and the house will only benefit from the house’s restoration by a private owner.

“It’s our job to preserve these buildings for the future,” said Yerdon. With the easements on the home in place, he believes the historical nature of the house is protected. “Someone will go in there and do a great job restoring it, and there will be another beautiful house in the South End.”