Somewhere, George and “Belle” Hormel are smiling.

The capital campaign for the Hormel Historic Home expansion was completed Tuesday with a gift of $100,000 from James C. and Thomas D. Hormel.

The brothers are sons of Jay Catherwood Hormel, son of the founder of Hormel Foods Corp., George A. Hormel, and his wife, Lillian, better known as “Belle” to family members.

The brothers’ father was the only son of George and Belle Hormel and grew up in the Hormel Historic Home, 208 Fourth Ave. N.W.

The brothers grew up in the home that is now known as “Gerard Academy” at the east edge of the city.

When George A. and “Belle” moved from the mansion to California, their home first became the Austin YWCA.

Then it became everybody’s home, when they successfully sought to make it available for public use.

With the expansion to come this year, the Hormel Historic Home will become user-friendly to more people.

“We’ve been blessed with support from the Hormel Foundation and the Austin community,” Laura Helle said. “Now to have the Hormel family add their support is so exciting.”

Helle is executive director at Hormel Historic Home, where a press conference was held Tuesday afternoon to announce the completion of the capital campaign fund-drive.

Bonnie Rietz and Mahlon Schneider, co-chairs of the capital campaign, told reporters and guests the $340,000 goal has been met and the $1.8-million raised for the expansion project.

Rietz called it “another one of those marvelous project for the community.”

Schneider said, “What has impressed me the most is that we were able to do this in some touch economic times.”

The Hormel Foundation gave $1-million to the expansion project. The other $800,000 came from the community, according to Schneider.

The generous gift of the Hormel Foundation topped the list of donors followed by six-figure gifts from “Pillars of Support” level donors, Richard L. and Nancy Knowlton and Pat and Gary Ray.

A “Partner” level gift came from the estate of Lydia Lien.

Then came substantial gifts from the Cornerstone Club, plus generous gifts from the By George and Belle’s Garden clubs, preservationists, historians and friends gifts.

Rietz and Schneider, as well as Helle, had many to thank for their generosity.

More than 170 gifts were received from individuals, businesses and foundations.

Helle said a construction kickoff party will be held Saturday, Jan. 31 after which asbestos abatement will begin. Construction should begin in March and completion is slated to occur in November.

The 7,000-square foot expansion will be built on the north end of the property, extending both east and west of the current Carriage House area.

The original 1871 home listed on the National Register of Historic Places and the Peace Garden will not be disturbed.

New construction includes a banquet room seating 200 people, which can also be divided with collapsible walls into three meeting rooms and a commercial kitchen for on-site food preparation and cooking classes. The space will meet community need for event rental space and will bring in revenue to support new educational programming.

Pat Ray, Jan Chuick and Jeanne Sheehan all watched the press conference with keen interest Tuesday.

Ray recalled how upgrading the home’s kitchen was the early focal point of interest among trustees.

“We quickly realized it had to be more than just the kitchen,” Ray said.

Now, the upgrading and enhancement will help restore the Hormel Historic Home to an essential part of the “heart of the city,” Ray said.

Special guests

It was perfect irony, the Hormel Historic Home’s capital campaign was announced completed on the day Hormel Foods Corporation stockholders were in Austin to attend Tuesday night’s annual meeting at Austin High School.

Special guests included Richard L. Knowlton, former chairman of the board, president and CEO of the company, and now Hormel Foundation chairman. Jerry Anfinson and Robert Thatcher, Fooundation board members, accompanied Knowlton to the press conference.

Among the special guests were Mary Sue Harris and AnaBeth Cox, sisters and daughter of Benjamin F. Hormel and his wife, Thalma (Lowe).

Benjamin F. Hormel, Jr., was the son of Benjamin Hormel, a brother of George A. Hormel.

Both sisters, also donors to the expansion project, expressed their appreciation for the generous support it received.

The sisters and their husbands make their homes in Nebraska and have returned many times for annual meetings.

Mary Sue Harris, an accomplished pianist, has played three fundraising concerts of her own at the Hormel Historic Home to benefit the home and the Paramount Theatre.

According to Randy Kramer, a member of the Hormel Historic Home’s board of trustees, donations will continue to be accepted to help cover unanticipated costs.

For more information about donating, go online to www.hormelhistorichome.org or call Helle at 433-4243.