The Jacob T. Walden House at 34 North Montgomery Street, the base of operations for the village’s historical society, has undergone many restorations within the last century, from structural repairs to furniture replacements. Monday, May 6 marked the house’s biggest renovation: a brand-new roof, courtesy of Max Home Improvement, a remodeling company based in Port Jervis.

Robert Glas, president of Max Home Improvement, cherishes preservation and wishes that more historical sites were upheld and appreciated. In late 2022, when Glas and his company discovered that the Walden Historical Society needed funds for a new roof, they decided to help out.

“I saw an article a year and a half ago. They were looking for donations and doing yard sales to raise funds for the roof,” Glas said. “We knew we had to step in.”

In 2023, after discussing the matter with the village’s building department, the company offered to replace the Walden House’s roof for free, completely shocking the historical society’s members.

“I told them that we’d donate the roof for free and they all looked at me like I was crazy,” Glas recalled, joking that he hasn’t “gone crazy yet.”

The company began the replacement process last Monday, May 6; trucks lined up outside the house and 20 construction workers scaled the building, tearing apart the ancient cedar wood slats. The new roof comprises EcoStar shakes, a durable and synthetic material that looks like cedar wood but lasts much longer. This entire project would have cost roughly $100,000.

“We are absolutely delighted, thankful, and excited for the project,” said Barbara Imbasciani, chair of the society. “It’s truly a wonderful thing that Max Home Improvement is doing for us.”

The crew that made this replacement a reality included Robert Glas, Julio Leal, Oscar Liendo, Humberto Leal, Javier Leal, Silverio Cuaquentzi, Augustine Ayaquica, Ramon Landa, Jose Hernandez, Apolonio Mendez, Pedro Perez, Wilfred Morales, Felipe Reyes, Henry Lopez, Jim Soutar, Joel Rameriz, Eloy Rameriz, and Felix Gonzales. The company also wanted to acknowledge their late employee Eduardo Meneses Tolentino, who passed away last month.

“Historic preservation needs to be maintained. Hopefully, this one move can show people that these things need to be preserved,” Glas said, adding that he wants more schools to take their students on field trips to historical sites.

Fortunately for Glas, his hope would come true: 4th-grade students from Walden Elementary will visit the Walden House on Thursday, May 8 on a tour and be the first guests to the new and improved building.