Victorian window lock (right) restored at the Garden City Historical Society Museum, located on Eleventh Street, and replica locks (two on left) purchased to fill out the needs for other windows at the 1872 Stewart-era Apostle House. During the current restoration and conversion of its 1872 Stewart-era Apostle House into the Garden City Historical Society Museum, 16 original Victorian window sash locks were found, and after restoration, reinstalled on the existing windows of the first floor. George Bowen of The Society’s House Committee painstakingly restored the locks – coated with 132 years of paint, dust and grime – to their original shine and operating condition.

The original locks were made of cast bronze, and the brass mechanism, patented March 30, 1869, was manufactured by Hopkins & Dickinson of New York City. The arm of the lock swivels on the base automatically by pulling on the brass button at the end of the arm, thus unlocking the sash lock (see lock on right in photo).

The Society also reports that a cast iron/bronze, two-post, swivel action Victorian sash lock was found on a third floor window. Using 21st century technology to solve a 19th century problem, Mr. Bowen surfed the Internet and found a lock of similar design, but made of solid brass. Thirty-two such locks were purchased by The Society for installation on the windows of the second and third floors. The two-post swivel locks are the two locks on the left in photo.

According to Society President Brian Pinnola, construction and renovation work will be completed prior to year’s end. However, before the Museum can open, several operational items, most notably the display of Society archive materials, still have to be completed.