Will also house Early Childhood Lab
Castleton University has received a $200,000 grant from the Alma Gibbs Donchian Foundation to support the revitalization of Granger House, which will be the new home of the president.
“I am grateful for the generous support of the Alma Gibbs Donchian Foundation,” said Castleton University President Karen M. Scolforo. “The Granger House is an important historic landmark and this grant is a key piece for the University to move forward with this project.”
Following the renovations, Granger House will become a focal point for the campus and village community, serving as the new residence of the university president and the setting for campus, community and philanthropic events. The old president’s office will become an early childhood education center.
The revitalization project aims to protect and preserve Granger House as a cultural heritage resource and prepare it for use as a modern residence.
Granger House was designed and built by Noadiah Granger around 1800, and serves as an important example of Federal-style architecture from the early history of Vermont. It was entered into the National Register of Historic Places in 1979 as part of the Castleton Village Historic District and is one of the oldest homes in Castleton.
The home, acquired by the university in 2012, features one of the outstanding spiral staircases by the noted Vermont architect and craftsman Thomas R. Dake.
The university is conducting these renovations as part of its plan to create the early childhood lab, which will be housed in the current home of the university president. The lab, launching in July 2020, pairs Castleton’s new bachelor of arts and dual major in early childhood education and special education with a public childcare center and learning lab.
