The Wayside Inn Foundation receives $100,000 Grant from Cummings Foundation for Preservation Project

Sudbury, MA – July 18, 2025

The Wayside Inn Foundation receives $100,000 Grant from Cummings Foundation for Historic Grist Mill and Pavilion Build Project

The Wayside Inn Foundation is proud to announce it has been awarded a $100,000 grant from the Cummings Foundation to support the preservation and revitalization of one of the region’s most treasured historical landmarks: the Grist Mill on the Wayside Inn Historic Site. This funding will support the comprehensive repair project, as well as the construction of a new open-air pavilion designed to expand our educational and community programming at the historic Old Barn.
“We are deeply honored and grateful to the Cummings Foundation for this extraordinary support,” said The Wayside Inn Foundation’s Board President, John Ho. “This investment will allow us not only to preserve a remarkable piece of our nation’s agricultural and industrial heritage, but also to create a welcoming space where people of all ages can gather, learn, and connect.”

The Grist Mill has long served as an historic site and scenic spot for both local and international visitors. With this grant, The Wayside Inn Foundation will undertake essential structural repairs to ensure its long-term integrity and accessibility. In tandem with this work, The Wayside Inn Foundation is hosting the Timber Framers Guild from July 18-25 for a unique public event to expand the historic site’s outdoor programming spaces to the historic Old Barn: the construction of a timber-framed pavilion using traditional barn-raising techniques. Community members are invited to participate throughout the week — including hammering in pegs, which will be available for supporters to personalize.

The final day of the build—Friday, July 25—will culminate in a free public celebration starting at 4 PM, when community members can witness the last pegs being driven in and join the Timber Framers Guild and The Wayside Inn staff for music, refreshments, and festivities to mark the pavilion’s completion.

This special celebration is not only a chance to honor the craftmanship and collaboration behind the project, but also the last opportunity for donors and supporters to leave their mark—literally—on this historic structure.

Once completed, the pavilion will also serve as a flexible venue for seasonal programs, including artisan demonstrations, outdoor concerts, and educational programs. The project aligns closely with the Cummings Foundation’s commitment to fostering access, education, and community engagement. The Wayside Inn is proud to be among the 150 local nonprofits selected this year.

For more information about The Wayside Inn Foundation and the Grist Mill, please visit www.wayside.org.

About The Wayside Inn Foundation
The Wayside Inn is a nonprofit charitable Massachusetts corporation created in 1944 to own, operate, and maintain The Wayside Inn Historic Site, a campus of nine historic buildings on more than 100 acres. Its mission promotes early American humanities through hospitality, education, and programming, and continues an innkeeping tradition dating back to 1716. The site provides an opportunity for visitors from near and far to gather, engage, and find meaning, relevance, and inspiration through a place-based exploration of history.

About The Cummings Foundation
Woburn-based Cummings Foundation, Inc. was established in 1986 by Joyce and Bill Cummings of Winchester, MA and has grown to be one of the largest private foundations in New England. The Foundation directly operates its own charitable subsidiaries, including New Horizons retirement communities, in Marlborough and Woburn, and Cummings Health Sciences, LLC. The Foundation has awarded $600 million in grants to greater Boston nonprofits alone, and it continues to provide ongoing substantial support to hundreds of local causes. Additional information is available at www.CummingsFoundation.org.