Donations to the Deere-Wiman House in Moline now total 2 million dollars, and the goal is to reach 3.2 million by the end of the year.
Heather Calvert, Executive Director of the Deere-Wiman House and Butterworth Center, says the house was built in 1872, and is 151 years old.
"We've got some leaded glass that needs to be repaired, we have carpeting that is well used. Unlike many historic homes we invite the community to be a part of the space here, and so just over years not only of family use but also community use, it's time to do some repair work there."
She says 25,000 people visit the two homes each year, and they're used by more than 1,500 community groups.
Sandy Hewitt is a 6th generation descendant of John Deere, and as a child, frequently visited the Deere-Wiman house, where his grand-parents lived.
"All of the homes are beautiful treasures, and virtually irreplaceable, and they are a wonderful asset to the community And they bring tremendous value to the community - around 400,000 dollars in contributions per year, not direct contributions, but space people can use."
Charles Deere built the house in 1872, and Patti Wiman gave it to the William Butterworth Foundation in 1976.