Construction is expected to start soon on the Warren County Historical Society’s expansion project. On Friday, historical society members, elected city and county officials and others attended a groundbreaking ceremony to celebrate the start of the project, which will nearly double the size of the existing museum. The expansion is being made possible through a $850,000 gift from the estate of R. Stuart Hummel, Sonoma, Calif., who passed away Dec. 16, 2007. He was 92. The donation was announced in May 2009. Construction is expected to start soon and be wrapped up in five months. Freise Construction is the general contractor. The Old Monroe company, which built the existing structure in 1982, was awarded the project bid for $614,500. The museum is located at 102 W. Walton, a block south of the courthouse in Warrenton. The Hummel addition will add 3,872 square feet. “We are very grateful for this gift and we hope we can serve his memory well by making this building in the honor in what he wished,” said Jan Sutherland, historical society president. A large addition will be constructed to the west of the current structure and will feature a multipurpose exhibit hall that could seat up to 50 to 60 people, storage room and restrooms. An unfinished basement, measuring 2,770 square feet, will provide more space for storage. A smaller addition will be located on the south side of the present museum. The 40-foot by 20-foot area will be used for the preparation of displays and exhibits. The cupola, preserved from the old courthouse, will be relocated to the southwest corner of the new addition. The historical society plans on expanding its displays and programs and hopes to keep the museum open more once the expansion project is complete. The nonprofit organization was aware of the $850,000 bequest since the 1990s, at the time Charlotte Bradshaw was the president. She said Hummel expressed a desire to donate some money to the group in numerous discussions. “It’s been a long time coming and finally here we are,” Bradshaw said. Walter Schroeder, a historical society member who has served as the building committee chairman, thanked members for their hard work. “This is a joy to see that this will be a reality,” Schroeder said. The main stipulation of Hummel's bequest 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 March 6, 1884. Stuart Hummel’s parents and uncle were Methodist missionaries in China for many years. Stuart Hummel and his wife, Kathleen, who died in 2003, were married for 62 years. The couple had two children, William and Anne. Hummel’s bequest is being managed by the Greater Saint Louis Community Foundation.