Norwich — William A. Buckingham served as Norwich mayor, governor of the state during the crucial Civil War years and later became a U.S. senator, all while calling a stately brick house at 307 Main St. his home.

Buckingham, a strong supporter of President Abraham Lincoln and the abolitionist movement, deeded his home to the Grand Army of the Republic following his death in 1875, and ordered that his collection of Civil War artifacts, including 52 volumes of first-person reports of Civil War battles, be accessible to the public.

More than a century later, the house — now known as the Buckingham Memorial and owned by the United War Veterans Grand Army of the Republic Buckingham Memorial Association — stands with peeling paint, a leaking roof and ill-suited modern replacement windows. A Civil War cannon, restored several years ago, adorns the front yard.

But things are looking up for the 1847 building that state Sen. Cathy Osten, D-Sprague, called “a vital historic monument in the city of Norwich.”

Osten, officials from the Norwich Historical Society, representatives from Groton Utilities and Bozrah Light & Power and Jensen Communities, owner of the Hillcrest senior housing complex in Montville, and Norwich city leaders gathered in the Buckingham Memorial front lawn Friday to announce grants totaling $118,000 to replace the building's leaking roof.

Norwich Historical Society President William Champagne told the dozen people at the morning news conference that the funds were donated through the state’s $5 million Neighborhood Assistance Act, which gives tax credits to corporations for investing in local nonprofit projects.

Groton Utilities contributed $89,350, and Bozrah Light & Power, owned by Groton Utilities, added $25,018. Jensen Communities contributed $4,467. The Norwich Historical Society will work with the Buckingham Memorial Association to replace the roof, and Champagne said the group will seek additional matching grants to help fund other repairs and restoration work needed.

Jane Cable, president of the association, could not attend Friday’s event, but Mayor Peter Nystrom read a letter Cable submitted for the occasion.

Cable thanked historical society consultant Regan Miner, who wrote applications for the Neighborhood Assistance Act grants, and Nystrom for the city’s support for the building. The city leases the building and does some regular maintenance. City Historian Dale Plummer’s office, the Norwich Historical Society, a local chapter of the Disabled American Veterans, the Connecticut Pardon Team and a state marshal’s office occupy the building.

Many of Buckingham’s Civil War artifacts and documents had been stored in the building’s attic, which suffered water damage from the leaking roof. Many of the valuable items have been loaned to the New England Civil War Museum & Research Center in Vernon for safekeeping, Cable wrote in her letter.

“I recently sat up on the third floor perusing 52 volumes of first-person reports of every Civil War battle, whether engaging or moving forward to engage the enemy,” Cable wrote. “You can feel their excitement, their fear and their jubilation if all went according to plan. We need to reinforce our admiration for William Buckingham, who personally made sure that all Connecticut volunteers were the best outfitted with armament and apparel.”

Cable said the association is working with the Civil War museum to return Buckingham’s artifacts to Norwich in a planned museum that will include the former governor’s desk, his extensive library, a soldier’s wool hat, leather drum and tambourine and an original 40-piece china set.

“It is a challenge well worth the effort for Norwich and the state of Connecticut,” Cable wrote.

c.bessette@theday.com