TINA L. SCOTT
EDITOR
The tower/cupola on the T.B. Scott Mansion was successfully removed and lowered to the ground by an experienced salvage crew with the aid of a large crane on Saturday morning. The team came together at 8:00 a.m., and before 12:00 noon, the beautifully-crafted structure had been placed a short distance from the building where its size could be fully appreciated at ground level when compared to the size of the crew gathered beside it. The tower/cupola is at least a full one-story tall.
As of late last week, Ascension Good Samaritan Hospital and its leadership pledged to provide support to the Merrill community-based effort to restore the mansion tower/cupola.
“It is our intent to ensure the safe removal of the tower/cupola of the mansion, and we are making arrangements to provide the necessary funding to cover the costs related to refurbishment, relocation, and installation as planned by the Merrill Parks and Recreation Committee,” said Jonathon Matuszewski, Chief Administrative Officer at Ascension Good Samaritan Hospital.
“Ascension Wisconsin acknowledges the significance of the T.B. Scott Mansion and its importance to the community, and that is why decommissioning efforts under the permit issued by the City of Merrill have focused on the preservation of essential architectural elements and artifacts,” said Matuszewski.
A press release issued Monday, Mar. 15, said Ascension has demonstrated this focus through:
• Use of a local salvage company with expertise in preservation, allowing items from the Mansion to be recycled and reused.
• Donation of signature items like the main fireplace mantel, decorative tiles, stained glass window, pocket door, corbels, and other items to the Merrill Historical Society for their use for an exhibit/display.
• Engagement with the Merrill High School History Class to produce a video featuring the history of the mansion, as part of their curriculum.
• Providing access to the Wisconsin Trust for Historic Preservation to complete a digital scan of the Mansion’s exterior, to preserve the data for educational and community historical purposes. (Such detailed data can be rendered into three-dimensional images and could even provide the data necessary to create a highly-detailed replica of the Mansion made to scale.)
“All of these activities have been put in motion following many years of discussion and evaluation of the condition of the mansion,” the press release stated. “This included a number of conversations from parties who displayed interest in acquiring the mansion, but none of those advanced beyond initial inquiries.”
