New Bedford could spend $12,000 to refurbish a historic giant copper tea kettle. Here's why.
The old-fashioned nursery rhyme "I'm a Little Teapot" may be well known, but that's not necessarily the case for the historic tea kettle hanging for many years from buildings in downtown New Bedford.
The song describing the heating and pouring of a teapot or whistling tea kettle was written by George Harold Sanders and Clarence Kelley to help students master the "waltz clog" tap dance routine.
While 1939, when "I'm a Little Teapot" was first published, sounds like a long time ago, the copper kettle predates 1850.
The tea kettle has been removed from its spot at 1 Johnny Cake Hill, with plans underway to assess and refurbish it using $12,000 in Community Preservation Act funding. The New Bedford City Council votes to either approve, reject or lower any funding recommendations.
The intent of the project is also to document the history of the kettle before ultimately relocating it to the south elevation of the property visible from Union Street so it stands out.
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While applying for Historic District Commission approval for improvements to the building, the property owner, Selmar Eggers Property LLC, learned of the kettle's historic significance in the downtown historic district.
When explaining the project to the Community Preservation Committee during a public hearing, Anthi Frangiadis, the project manager and a licensed architect, said it’s also hoped that the refurbished kettle will complement proposed interior and exterior improvements over the next year.
The kettle has not been maintained and is deteriorating due to age and the elements.
It has been moved to different locations in the same general area, and determining why is part of the project. Its most recent home was reconstructed in 1978.
Metal Works Corp. of Tiverton, Rhode Island, and Powder Pro Powder Coating, a New Bedford company, would do the work. The goal is to preserve the construction technique and craftsmanship of the original metalsmith.
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Afterward, the kettle will undergo annual maintenance and inspection to address any further deterioration.
Standard-Times staff writer Kathryn Gallerani can be reached at kgallerani@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter: @kgallreporter. Support local journalism by purchasing a digital or print subscription to The Standard-Times today.
This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: New Bedford's historic tea kettle could be restored with CPA funding
