Ritchie Delivers $100,000 To Help Preserve Waddington's Historic Clark House

State Senator Patty Ritchie is announcing that she has secured $100,000 in state funding for the Clark House Preservation Inc. to continue to make improvements to the historic Clark House in the Village of Waddington.

Built in 1893, the Clark House was the Village’s major downtown hotel until it became vacant and was in danger of being demolished due to it being a safety hazard. In 1997, the building was acquired by a group of concerned citizens who formed the non-profit, community-based group Clark House Preservation Inc., which is working to restore the historic building.

“Twenty years ago, a small group of citizens decided to take on the challenge of saving their downtown by trying to preserve an important piece of their history—a 100-year-old hotel that had once served as a stagecoach stop, a place for weary travelers and the focal point of Waddington,” said Senator Ritchie.

“Over the past two decades, they have worked extremely hard to preserve the building, and it’s my hope that this funding will help them continue to improve this historic landmark and in turn, create a brighter future for Waddington’s downtown.”

“Saving Waddington’s most important historic landmark is vital to our long-term effort to revitalize downtown and bring new businesses, jobs and possibilities to our riverfront community,” said Russell Strait, president of Clark House Preservation, Inc. “Thank you Senator Ritchie for sharing our vision and helping us to make it a reality.”

"Clark House is a tremendous part of the revival of Waddington's downtown and we can't thank Senator Ritchie enough for securing this funding, which will help us continue to develop this historic landmark," said Village of Waddington Mayor Janet Otto-Cassada. 

Clark House Preservation has invested over $300,000 in private donations and donated services to begin restoring the historic inn on Main Street. Improvements over the past decade have included new windows, foundation repairs, the addition of a steel support structure to stabilize the basement and second floor, and other improvements to prevent the building from collapsing.

Last winter, the Clark House served as the centerpiece of “Christmas in Waddington,” which featured dozens of artisans, artists and businesses during the holiday season.

Attn. Photo Editors: Senator Ritchie is pictured at Tuesday's announcement in the above photo with Clark House supporters including Village of Waddington Mayor Janet Otto-Cassada (pictured on Senator Ritchie's left), Russ Strait, Board President (pictured on Senator Ritchie's right) and Board Member James Thew (pictured on far right).