There will be a taproom, restaurant at this 4-story heritage center near Meeker Mansion

Installing a 6-foot-tall fence recently wasn’t the only thing the Meeker Mansion caretakers had on their to-do list.

Plans to build a Puyallup Valley Cultural Heritage Center near the mansion at 312 Spring St. are in the works. The heritage center will highlight many groups that helped build the community, including the Puyallup Tribe of Indians.

Shelly Schlumpf, president of the Puyallup Historical Society, said they are working with the tribe on the possibility of having tribal art installations at the heritage center, among other things.

“It will celebrate the various cultures that have been a part of the Puyallup Valley,” Schlumpf said. “It will go beyond the borders of the city of Puyallup.”

The heritage center is expected to have four floors. The basement floor will cater to those who want to engage in historic preservation activities as it can be hard to find people that are qualified to do so, Schlumpf said.

Educational programming and workshops will occur on that floor, teaching people how to craft things such as a specific wood trim or vintage glass, Schlumpf said. It will also serve as an event storage area.

The second floor will be the main hall, which will hold over 100 visitors, for events such as wedding receptions, Schlumpf said. A kitchen, restaurant, gift shop and taproom will also be on that floor.

The third floor will be reserved for archives and educational purposes, Schlumpf said. Local school districts will be able to host classes there. There will also be a media room for visitors, such as students, who want to create podcasts or videos.

The top floor will mostly give visitors a space to look out at the city and the mansion. It may also serve as an exhibit space, but plans for an exhibit have yet to be determined, Schlumpf said.

Meeker Mansion Walkthrough 2021.07.20.mp4 from BCRA on Vimeo.

The project has a $35 million price tag. Funding will come from a mix of private and public sources, including grants and donations. Schlumpf said they have raised about $15,000 for the project so far.

The heritage center will be at the intersection near Spring Street and 3rd Street Southeast, where there’s currently a paved lot. Schlumpf said they are also “in talks” with two businesses near the mansion – State Farm and 3rd Street Antiques – with hopes to acquire those spaces in the future. They’ll have more space for the grounds around the building if they’re able to purchase the land, but the project will go forward either way, Schlumpf said.

The groundbreaking date has not been established yet but the plan is to open the heritage center by fall 2026, Schlumpf said.

Meeker Mansion was built in 1890 and used to house Ezra Meeker, the first mayor of Puyallup, and his wife Eliza Jane. The Puyallup Historical Society acquired the mansion around 1970.

The fence that crews installed this month on the perimeter of the mansion was just the first step, Schlumpf said. The plan for the fence was to deter people from trespassing or vandalizing the mansion.

The cost of that project ended up being about $328,000 — all of which came from a state grant.

“Our historical society is truly, truly grateful to our legislators in the 25th district,” Schlumpf said. “Their support provided the funds that we needed for this new fence project … . This is an iconic site here in the Puyallup Valley.”