CHESTER — One of the town's most historic buildings is a bit cleaner these days.

Stevens Memorial Hall, standing for almost a century at the center of town, had mold removal work completed recently and is now heading on toward being reopened for use by the public.

The building was closed to the public last summer following a damaging lightning strike, but it also needed work to bring its classic style back up to par, including exterior paint work, gutter replacement, and the mold abatement work.

Town officials hired a mold abatement company to remove the mold, existing throughout the building, but mostly in the basement where water leakages caused some of the problem.

The next step in getting Stevens back on line is to get the heat back on, recreation coordinator Steve Moltenbrey told selectmen recently.

Stevens once served as the town's town hall and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, standing at the corner in Chester Center, near other historic locations including the Chester Congregational Baptist Church and the Chester Village Cemetery, which has many graves dating back to the American Revolution.

Stevens is used by many community groups including the Scouts, Chester Dancers, and the Chester Historical Society, a group helping to oversee the building's upkeep and repairs. The building also houses the Society's historical archive collection.

Stevens Hall received its exterior paint work earlier this year and mold removal work began afterward.

Stevens turns 100 next year and the Historical Society plans special events to celebrate the building's milestone in town.