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On Thursday, March 6, President Daniel Weiss presented a partnership plan before Northampton County Council to save Bachmann Publick House, the oldest building in Easton. The building had to close two years ago due to financial problems.
Weiss called the building ”one of the most important historical assets in this community.”
The proposed museum programming would include “active” exhibits focusing on the American Colonial period. This approach would not just emphasize material artifacts of this historical period, but also present “in character” portrayals of America’s development.
There would also be a heavy academic focus with a more direct effort made in developing research, specialized conferences, and publications emphasizing the Colonial and Early American periods. The building would be open to students and faculty for research and would be available to rent for meetings and events. Weiss hopes that the building would be open on a regular, but not necessarily daily, basis.
The plan would cost $205,000 a year for the next four years. The College would hire and pay for a museum curator/executive director at $75,000 to $80,000 a year. This person might also teach a course at Lafayette.
The County is being asked to contribute $130,000 annually to fund programs, maintenance, and operating costs. The goal of the plan would be for the building to be self-sustaining after four years through rental, tour, and other income sources.
Weiss also proposed that the Bachmann Publick House would have a governing board, similar to a board of directors. The board would include people from the College and the County, as well as city residents.
Numerous people at the March 6 presentation, including Easton Mayor Sal Panto, Jr. and Colleen Lavdar, executive director of the Northampton County Historical and Genealogical Society, urged the council to give their support.
No action was taken at the meeting, so the proposal will now go before the council’s economic development and finance committees.
Bachmann Publick House, built in 1753, is located on the northeast corner of Second and Northampton Streets in Easton. It served as the county’s first court and is believed to have been visited by several notable colonial figures, including George Washington and Benjamin Franklin. Bachmann Publick House is one of the few existing early colonial buildings in Easton.