Meeting set for Port Williams to discuss efforts to save Prescott House Museum

New preservation society to provide updates, opportunity for public input

An upcoming public meeting in Port Williams will share updates from the Prescott House Preservation Society on efforts to save the museum. The newly incorporated non-profit society is involved in ongoing efforts to acquire and operate the museum, located outside Port Williams in Starrs Point, for the benefit of the community and “our pride of place.” Peter Muttart, who launched a community effort to save the museum, said in a July 15 notice that the meeting is taking place at the Port Williams Community Hall at 1045 Highway 358 in Port Williams on July 22 at 4:30 p.m.

It’s expected to run until 5:30 or 6 p.m. The notice says the questions of why, when, how, and who will be answered, and there will be an opportunity for interested individuals to give input. In a recent interview, Muttart said he’s extremely pleased with the response to efforts to save the museum and is getting communications virtually every day from people who are interested.

One purpose of the meeting would be to rally additional support and gather the names of more people who want to get involved. “We will be asking people who are interested to express a preference as to how they would like to serve,” Muttart said in June, pointing out that many interested parties have backgrounds in museum work. He said many come with talent, many come with treasure, and many come with both.

The society intends to form several committees to handle various aspects of the initiative, including finance, fundraising, publicity, an executive committee, and others. The Nova Scotia Department of Communities, Culture, Tourism, and Heritage announced on Feb. 19 that Prescott House in Starrs Point is one of three provincial museums and four visitor information centres to close. The provincial government has yet to announce any decisions regarding the future use of the Prescott House property, or the historic collections the former provincial museum holds.

About Prescott House - Charles Prescott built the house, which is considered one of the finest examples of Georgian architecture in Nova Scotia, between 1811 and 1816 on the property known as Acacia Grove. - Prescott was a pioneer of the Annapolis Valley apple industry, introducing the Gravenstein. -

The property left family ownership for about 70 years until his great granddaughter, Mary Allison Prescott, purchased and revitalized it. - She offered the house and furnishings to the province to establish a museum after she passed away. The Prescott House Museum opened in 1973.

- Many items in the museum’s collection were originally owned by Charles Prescott and other members of the Prescott family.