about the wcMA
The Wentworth-Coolidge Commission (WCC) was formed in 1982 when Governor Hugh Gallen appointed a group of volunteers to help care for the Wentworth-Coolidge Mansion. He tasked the Commission with making recommendations for furnishings, improvements, and future use of the Mansion. The WCC incorporated as the Wentworth-Coolidge Mansion Association (WCMA), a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. The WCMA was established in order to fundraise and solicit grants in support of the Commission’s mission and goals.
Acknowledging that the original responsibilities of the Commission had been substantially completed in 1989, Governor Judd Gregg issued a further Executive Order to continue the Commission’s involvement with the Mansion. He authorized the Commission to accept gifts of appropriate furnishings and to engage in fundraising activities, and he instructed the Commission to determine the maintenance needs of the Mansion.
The WCMA has tackled a wide range of projects to help preserve this National Historic Landmark and attract increasing visitors to the site. Current projects include efforts to restore the historic heirloom lilacs to the site, landscape projects to augment the site’s natural beauty, and cleaning the furnishings inside the Mansion. The Commission also hosts a number of cultural and educational events each year. Art exhibitions, lilac festivals, dinner lectures, and other WCC sponsored events draw people to this Portsmouth treasure while promoting the rich history of the Wentworth-Coolidge Mansion.
Commissioners
Elizabeth Aykroyd, Chair
Tama Andrews, Vice Chair
David A. Taylor, Secretary
Donald Bliss, Treasurer
Daphne McDonald
Dana Bisbee
Judy Groppa
Mission and Vision
The mission of the Wentworth-Coolidge Mansion Association, Inc. is to support the work of the Wentworth-Coolidge Commission and the State of New Hampshire in the preservation and presentation of the Wentworth-Coolidge Mansion and its surrounding park. The Association will accomplish this objective in conjunction with the State of New Hampshire by raising funds to support preservation projects, by outreach to the public through programming and by conducting educational events.
The vision of the Wentworth-Coolidge Commission is to make the Mansion and its history come alive by supporting community events that maximize the use of the site with an emphasis on the site’s natural beauty and its historical significance to the region and the State.
Talk to us
Have any questions? For tours and other Mansion details, visit the NH State Parks page. To reach the Association, please use the button below.