Most former United States presidents have a library or museum in their hometown dedicated specifically for the display of their items and artifacts.

Millard Fillmore, 13th president of the United States, who grew up near Moravia in Summerhill, does not.

However, with the recent announcement that NUCOR Steel in Auburn plans to construct such a building for the community, Fillmore will finally have his own structure, as well.

The Cayuga-Owasco Lakes Historical Society has long talked about creating a permanent structure in Moravia to house Fillmore artifacts. His items are currently on display in the Millard Fillmore room at the History House in Moravia. The History House specializes in southern Cayuga County history.

On Friday, Joyce Hackett Smith, president of COLHS, received a call from Dave Smith, general manager of Auburn's NUCOR Steel plant, who said NUCOR was interested in funding and building the steel-framed structure to help COLHS achieve its goal for the Millard Fillmore Building.

“It's been something we've talked about for some time. If you talk about something enough, people are bound to hear about it,” Hackett Smith said. “It was a nice surprise.”

Dave Smith told Hackett Smith that NUCOR would build the steel frame and put up siding and a roof with volunteers from the company this spring. she said. The community and the historical society will be responsible for taking care of the other elements to make the Millard Fillmore Building a reality.

The planned 25-by-40 foot building will house artifacts belonging to Millard Fillmore. The Millard Fillmore room in the History House is much smaller than the proposed building and it also doubles as a meeting room for the historical society.

Hackett Smith anticipates that, with the larger building, the Millard Fillmore collection could become more of a destination for students and other educational groups.

The new steel-framed building will also protect items in the event of a fire, she said.

Work on the building is scheduled to start in the spring. The building will be constructed next door to the History House, 14 West Cayuga St., Moravia.

“Every former president has a permanent something, whether a library or something else, but we don't,” she said. “We have the Millard Fillmore room, but we need to have a building. ... This is a major donation.”

Staff writer Anne Gleason can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 248 or at anne.gleason@lee.net.