Historical Society fundraises online to help with purchase of Stephen Crane House
Group has six weeks to raise $30,000
The Asbury Park Historical Society is trying its hand at online fundraising with its launch of an Indiegogo account to raise $30,000.
The $30,000 is intended to offset costs associated with the society’s proposed purchase of the Stephen Crane House, which was built around 1877 and is likely the oldest building standing in the city, according to a prepared release from the Historical Society.
The Crane House’s owner, Frank D’Alessandro, has announced he will sell it to the society for one dollar — but the costs don’t end with the purchase price, according to the release.
The Asbury Park Historical Society hopes to cover costs of closing, escrow, insurance and more with the online fundraising campaign. They hope to raise the money within the next six weeks.
“We thought one of the quickest ways to raise some money is through this online campaign,” society president Don Stine is quoted as saying in the release.
The Crane House will be the first official headquarters for the Historical Society if the purchase goes through, according to the release. Click here to visit the Indiegogo fundraising site and watch a video about the Crane House.
“We certainly urge people to visit the site and see the video, at the very least, and possibly donate some money,” Stine is quoted as saying in the release. “We also hope people will pass this information on to others through social media or come up with their own fundraising ideas.”
The city still has a lot of historic preservation work to be done, Stine said, so residents are encouraged to visit the Asbury Park Historical Society’s website and join the group or a committee.
The APHS will hold an official fundraising launch garden party at the Crane House in May, with more events planned during the year.
Stephen Crane write realist novels like “Maggie” and “The Red Badge of Courage,” garnering him success early in life, according to the release. He moved to Asbury Park when he was 11 and stayed until he was 20.
He began writing while he lived in Asbury Park and one of his earliest books, “The Black Riders,” was inspired by waves in Ocean Grove, according to the release. He also worked as a war correspondent and died from tuberculosis in Germany on June 5, 1900, at 28.
