Tuning up: Volunteers help with Hamilton House makeover

COEUR d’ALENE — Financially, the Hamilton House was rescued to become the Music Conservatory of Coeur d'Alene.

Physically, there remains much work to be done.

Today is a start.

Volunteers will converge on the house at 627 Government Way this morning to tackle smaller projects for a few hours. Sunday, Girl Scouts are scheduled to hold a raking party as they clean up the outside grounds.

Next Saturday, a bigger group of volunteers will come out, from about 9 to noon, to clean, wash, paint and whatever else needs to be done.

More volunteers are more than welcome to pitch in, said Zoe Ann Thruman, development coordinator.

“Absolutely,” she said Friday. “It’s a big house, so it’s a big job.”

The Hamilton House, built in 1908, was on the brink of destruction before Coeur d'Alene Mayor Steve Widmyer and Windermere/Coeur d'Alene Realty Inc. owner Donald "Pepper" Smock stepped in. They bought the property for $500,001 from Kootenai County to save it from being leveled and leased the building to the Music Conservatory for years to come.

Sponsors, donors and supporters are still needed. Some of the major pieces of the renovation remain to be done, such as repairing concrete and the roofline, and removing dry rot.

Shelves, carpeting and light fixtures need to be added or updated.

Old, barren rooms must be transformed in preparation for instructors and students to fill them with music.

Anyone who wants to volunteer to help at the new home of the Music Conservatory should email: info@cdaconservatory.org