Renovation project for Chapin Mansion in Niles underway

NILES, Mich. – With the historic Chapin Mansion in Niles undergoing renovations, people on Tuesday got a chance to check out the work being done.

The Mansion was built in 1882 by Ruby and Henry Chapin, and in the 1930s it was donated to the city.

The mansion served as City Hall for decades and now has been designated as a historic landmark.

"This house also has a lot of civic history in it because the city was here for so long,” Christina Arseneau said, who is the History Center Director in Niles. “People register to vote here, they took out their marriage licenses. So we get people who come back and reminisce about those things all the time here."

The balcony and the porch for the mansion have already been repaired. Other renovations include exterior painting, heating and electrical work.