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To buy a brick or get involved with The Anchorage restoration project:

Washington County Historical Society: 373-1788.

The goal is a simple one: Save a historic structure and use it as a center for the area's genealogy research, history exhibits and archives.

But since acquiring The Anchorage building in 1996, members of Washington County Historical Society continue to struggle to raise the necessary funds to restore the area's best and oldest example of Italianate Villa architecture.

About $90,000 is needed to put a new roof on the home, which was constructed in 1859. Thousands more will be needed to renovate the interior of The Anchorage for use by the historical society and the public.

The building was home to some of the area's more prominent families and most recently was a rest home. The building has sat vacant for about two decades.

"It's clearly a structure worth saving, but we need some help," said Al Cummings, a trustee with the historical society. "What we really need is someone who can help us with some grant research. I know there are grants available for projects like this, but grant research and writing is definitely an area where we are weak."

Members of the organization aren't giving up, though, and recently launched a campaign of their own to generate revenue for the project.

Cummings said the historical society is attempting to raise money by selling etched bricks for a patio that was recently installed at The Anchorage.

For $50, donors get their name put on a brick that will greet visitors at the center. There are about 700 bricks available. Cummings said 140 bricks have already been sold.

"We hope to get more and more people to buy into this project, which will help us reach our goals," he said.