NORWAY — A anonymous donor has given $75,000 toward the effort to save the historic Gingerbread House on Main Street.

“We’re surprised and thrilled to receive this confirmation from folks in the area that the reuse of this building will contribute to our sense of place and purpose for generations to come,” said Pat Shearman, chairman of the Gingerbread House Task Force.

The donation from a person “with ties to Norway” comes at a critical time for the task force and other parties as time runs short for the group to raise enough money to move the building before it is razed by its owner.

In September, Ed Snook, chief financial officer for C’s Inc., a holding company for the Sun Media newspaper group that owns the building, said he is looking for about $100,000 to be raised by the time he reviews the situation in mid-November.

In addition to the $75,000, the group has raised another $10,000 and has a $20,000 commitment from the Davis Foundation if another $150,000 can be raised in cash and pledges in the next two years.

“I think we’ve got some leverage,” said Downtown Norway President Andrea Burns of the amount of money the groups have raised so far. “We hope it will show good faith.”

Last year, Snook agreed to hold off on plans to demolish the structure if the Historical Society or town wanted to move it. Since that time a partnership with Downtown Norway, which chairs the Gingerbread Steering Committee, the Gingerbread Task Force, the Norway Historical Society and others has formed to raise the money.

The steering committee has also been collaborating with the Norway Water District and Maine Department of Transportation over land issues. If plans are successful, the house will be moved to land owned by Sun Media Group, Department of Transportation and the town of Norway near Butters Park at the head of Main Street.

The major fundraising effort is the first phase of a three-phase plan to save the 1851 building, which is known historically as the Evans-Cummings House.

“This enables us to dig in and continue our efforts and explorations of what can be accomplished through imagination, vision and planning and a will to succeed,” Shearman said.

As part of that effort, the task force has invited the public to attend what it is calling a Gingerbread House Party beginning at 7 p.m. Nov. 10 in the Norway Memorial Library.

“Hear about the work that’s been accomplished and watch a slide show of the house’s stunning interior details,” said Task Force member Ellen Gibson. “Bring the gift of your ideas, as community involvement is crucial to the next phases. Enjoy local cider and ginger cookies and join the brainstorm as we move forward.”

Gibson said the event will be moderated by Dennise Whitley, a Norway resident and facilitator.

Gibson said the builder of the Gingerbread House was Richard Evans, a contractor who also built the Nash house on Pleasant Street and the passenger station at South Paris.

“Though it looks dilapidated, the house is structurally sound,” Gibson said. “Built in the days of superlative craftsmanship, the house retains such interior details as curved trim around the windows and doors on all three levels, curved walls in the entrance hall with hand-painted faux grain trim, and an elaborately carved mantelpiece.”

“The workmanship is unparalleled,” said Burns, who was expected to meet Thursday with the Maine Development Foundation, which advances long-term economic growth for Maine communities. They were to discuss the Gingerbread House, take a tour of the Odd Fellows Building, which is under renovation by New Horizon Capital Investment and address other downtown issues.

Contributions to the building effort are still critical, officials said. Checks should be made out to the Friends of the Gingerbread House and mailed to the Friends at P.O. Box 525, Norway, ME 04256.

Pat Shearman is chairman of the Gingerbread House Task Force. Other members are Joan Beal, Jim Boyce, Andrea Burns, Ellen Gibson, Ann Siekman, and Norma Webber. For more information, Gibson said people may contact Pat Shearman at 743-0505 or talk with any of the members of the task force.

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This photo of the Gingerbread House was provided by the Bethel Historical Society and is dated about 1965.