CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — The Customs House Museum and Cultural Center in downtown Clarksville is about to undergo a major renovation after a 2024 hail storm caused extensive damage to its historic roof.
The 128-year-old building — built by the federal government in 1898 to support the booming dark fired tobacco industry — will be under scaffolding for 420 days while crews replace the slate roof and iconic patina copper.
The City of Clarksville has contracted with The Tradesmen Group to replace the hail-damaged copper and slate roof.
The project is expected to be complete by Summer of 2027. The project is estimated at $2.5 million. The city received $2.3 million from a storm insurance claim, with the remaining approximately $200,000 covered by the City of Clarksville, which owns the building.
The museum will be under scaffolding for 420 days while crews complete the full copper and slate replacement. Some of the copper and slate elements being replaced are over 100 years old.
Frank Lott, executive director of the Customs House Museum, said a May 2024 hail storm left the roof beyond repair. "The beautiful, iconic patina copper on this roof, the old solder joints were impacted by that hail," Lott said.
The damage extended inside the building as well. In the attic, buckets were collecting rainwater from active leaks. "We could feel it, we could hear it, we could see the damage being done around us just looking out the windows," Lott said.
Scaffolding will be erected around the entire perimeter of the historic building, according to Brandon Sather, the city's projects manager. There will be temporary sidewalk closures when the scaffolding is constructed. Once in place, sidewalks will be reopened with protected pathways.
A portion of the Cumberland Plaza Parking Garage surface lot across from the museum at Commerce and Second streets will be used for materials staging throughout the duration of the project.
Despite the scale of the project, the museum will remain open throughout construction. Contractors have also found a way to preserve the building's historic character. "They actually have a way to accelerate the patina of new copper with a chemical agent that turns it green a lot faster than it would be by Mother Nature," Lott said.
Lott said the building has survived remarkable challenges before, including damage from the devestating 1999 tornado, and he is confident it will emerge from this project as striking as ever. "It is like a living piece of art," Lott said. "It is just so unique in its design and the beautiful federal eagles that stand on each corner overlooking downtown Clarksville."
Chris Davis is NewsChannel 5's Montgomery County and Tennessee Capitol Hill Reporter. If you have a story idea for him, email him at Chris.Davis@NewsChannel5.com.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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