The Colonial Beach Historical Society was determined to restore the Hoffman Building to the way it appeared in 1908. This was based on one of the only known pictures taken of the building before its majestic porch was removed in the 1920s. Mr. Frank Vargo, a Director, was tasked to raise funds for the building’s renovation and he conducted two funding raising campaigns and raised the necessary money to pay for the restoration and preparation of the inside of the building to accept exhibits.

Society President William Hendrix appointed an aggressive local Civil War Historian and then Vice Mayor, John Biemeck, to head the renovation effort. Biemeck quickly took the old picture of the building and located the spot in the street where the picture was taken and by triangulation, was able to ascertain the porch’s measurements.