Community Painting the Town…or the House!

A group of five New College students have lead an initiative to beautify a historic home in Newtown. The Wright Bush house, which was built in 1920, is in desperate need of preservation, including a fresh coat of paint. The students have received $1,200 of funding from the Community Foundation of Sarasota to purchase paint for the exterior of the house. A contractor and Newtown resident, Mr. Calvin Bryant, has also given a huge amount of support to this project and is donating his time and supplies to power wash and make much-needed exterior repairs to the house. With the combined efforts of Mr. Bryant and students Angela McTigue, Alex Grattery, Asia Lord, Ben Weisman, and Helen DeBerri, this project is moving forward. On April 14th the group will be joined by other student volunteers to paint the house from 10am to 3:30pm. Everyone is welcome to come by and join them to volunteer to paint or watch the house be painted.

Back in the early 1900’s the Wright Bush house was a community gathering place. It was a beacon of light for the Newtown community—and not just because it was the first house in Newtown to get electricity. Within its walls it holds the history of a strong willed group of people who fought for their rights in a society which tried to marginalize them. According to local oral history, the house was used by black soldiers, who would visit when they were free to be entertained and to socialize. Many of these soldiers ended up meeting their wives there too. The electricity wasn’t the only thing that made this house a gathering place: Mr. Bush was a man of great character and significance to the Newtown community. He was an entrepreneur, land owner, and realtor. He advocated for education, entrepreneurship, and civic responsibility throughout Newtown. He was also the owner of a general store on Main Street, and a trustee for the first school in Newtown, whose principal was Emma E. Booker, the namesake for Brooker elementary, middle, and high school.

The interest of New College students in this house started in fall of last year, as part of a local-history focused course offered at New College of Florida taught by Dr. Uzi Baram, professor of anthropology. The class took a field trip to Newtown and went on a tour led by community leader Vicky Oldham. On the tour, the students stopped at the Wright Bush House. Vicky Oldham introduced the tour to the current homeowner. Margret “Pam” Moreland happened to be home and gladly came out to talk to the students. She explained how her grandfather, Wright Bush, was involved in Newtown heritage and development. She shared why the house is important in Newtown’s history, and why it is still significant today. She also pointed out that the house is currently in bad shape and that she doesn’t have the means to do the necessary maintenance herself. Her stories and concerns inspired third year student, Angela McTigue, to look into some ways that she could help.

One thing that still remains today at the Wright Bush house, despite the wear and tear it has been through, is the sense of family and community. I experienced it first-hand. On my second visit to the house, I knocked on the door in the hopes I could talk to Ms. Moreland about the house a little more, and before I was able to even announce my name or reason for coming I heard a welcoming “Come on in!” from the other side of the door. It turned out not to be Ms. Moreland, but rather her sister who also lives in the house. She invited Angela and myself to sit on the porch with her while we waited for Mr. Bryant to meet us and show us what repairs would need to be done on the house. The strong sense of community was clear from the 15 minutes I spent sitting on the porch with her. There were neighbors walking by that stopped to chat and others driving by that honked their horns out of greeting rather than frustration. Ms. Moreland’s sister seemed to know everyone who passed by. In many ways, the bond built by the first people of Newtown remains and much of it lives in and around the Wright Bush house.

After 98 years, The Wright Bush house, has fallen into disrepair not just on the outside, but on the inside as well. The exterior beautification of the house is only the tip of the iceberg of the repairs that this house needs. The descendants of Mr. Bush are in need of people who care about the preservation of their historic home. Mr. Bryant has a nice view of the Newtown community at large which is that “Newtown has great potential. It is my community and I love it. We just have to get the right minds together.” I think this is a value we can all apply to our lives as well. Change starts with the sharing of community needs and history, which leads to initiative and action.