NILES — The intricate details of Chapin Mansion, from its chandeliers to its door hinges, were on full display Tuesday evening for dozens of area residents attending a grand reopening celebration of the Niles History Center building. For the first time in its 137-year history, its front entrance was accessible to all.

The celebration marked the end of sixth months of porch and balcony renovations and the installment of an Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant metal ramp leading up to its front entrance.

The former home of Henry and Ruby Chapin was sold to the city in 1933. It then became the host of city meetings until 2012. Now, it serves as what Niles History Center Director Christina Arseneau and her team call a “living history” museum.

Arseneau identified the need for the project in 2016 after noticing Chapin Mansion’s porch deterioration and stairs-only accessibility.

“At the NHC, we often heard comments from visitors and saw posts on social media asking when the mansion [would] be accessible,” she said. “One in five people will face a physical handicap at some point, even if it is only temporary.”

The project was approved in 2018. It was funded by a $55,000 grant from the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs; $15,000 in donations from individuals and foundations through crowdfunding platform Patronicity; and a $15,000 matching grant by a Michigan Economic Development Corporation program.

“The MEDC is thrilled to be able to provide the matching dollars to help get the project to the finish line, and it truly is a testament to the Niles community and what this place really means,” said Michelle Audette-Bauman, area community assistance team member for the Michigan Economic Development Corporation.

Audette-Bauman was one of three people to speak at the ceremony after Arseneau cut a ribbon at 6 p.m., officially recognizing the mansion’s reopening.

Mayor Nick Shelton spoke about his personal experience of building renovations. He said he owns a home built in 1907, and, despite his love for it, renovations can be time-consuming and costly.

“While it is easy for a home to be old, preservation of an old home is anything but easy,” he said. “But preservation is worth the time.”

If preserved correctly, Shelton said it reflects a community that cares, which was made evident by the turnout at the celebration and the donations given to the Chapin Mansion project.

“These boxes of wood and nails and plaster mean something to us,” he said. “They’re a reminder of our place. They’re a reflection of a Niles most of us never knew.”

State Rep. Brad Paquette, who represents Niles, said the event reminded him of his days as a history teacher.

He said he would assign students to create biographies of themselves. When students had writer’s block, he would give them two tips: to blend their stories with others and to interact with the history around them.

“Here we are today, interacting with history, and most importantly, with one another,” he said at the reopening. “This will allow us to make history in this community in which we are blessed to share time with together.”

After the speakers finished their remarks, community development director Sanya Vitale welcomed the audience back into the mansion for refreshments and long gazes at the mansion’s detailed floors, windows, furniture and accents.