The local group recently announced the donation came from a California man whose family grew up in Warren County. The money will be used to construct a new addition to the history museum located in Warrenton. "We are excited; very, very grateful," said Jerry "Junior" Myers, historical society president. The gift was donated from the estate of R. Stuart Hummel of Sonoma, Calif. Myers said the local organization knew of the possible bequest since the early 1990s, but said discussions accelerated once Hummel passed away Dec. 16, 2007, at the age of 92. The money is being managed by the Greater Saint Louis Community Foundation. Officials from the foundation told historical society members the money can be used for planning and constructing the annex. The historical society will make a formal announcement of the gift during its Spring Fling meeting to be held this Thursday, May 28, at the museum at 7 p.m. The building committee also will accept suggestions from attendees on the design and other ideas associated with the expansion project. Myers said the new addition will be connected and built to the west side of the existing structure on land already owned by the historical society. The new 4,000-square-foot annex will more than double the current 3,800-square-foot facility. "We are really, really tickled," said Gene Cornell, a member of the historical society board of directors. "It's a good thing for the community. It's going to be something exciting for the community as a whole." Since receiving confirmation of the $850,000 gift, the historical society has since formed a building committee to begin discussions on what is needed in the new addition. Early conversations have touched on the need for an auditorium area to be used for meetings and the need to upgrade security and technology. The building committee plans on meeting the second Tuesday of each month. The main stipulation of the bequest made by Hummel is for the addition to be named for his father, William F. Hummel, and his uncle, Arthur W. Hummel. The twin brothers were born near Warrenton on March 6, 1884. Stuart Hummel's parents and uncle were Methodist missionaries in China for many years. Hummel and his wife, Kathleen, who died in 2003, were married for 62 years. The couple had two children, William and Anne. Myers hopes the expansion can be a place to exhibit and rotate state and national moveable displays. "It's our intent to have displays that we can change," he said. Cornell acknowledged the expansion project will go a long way in keeping local history preserved and allowing it to be displayed to the public. "You can't turn the clock backward," he said. "You can only learn from it."