Visible Progress

After weeks of consolidating old doors and old trim, squaring existing door openings and making and installing period trim, the Restoration Dept finally has something to show at the Hollow. The East gable end is almost completely sided, save for a few short rows above a 20th century window opening. What took so long? Each of the 9.5 inch wide by 16 feet long pieces of heart poplar siding had to be belt sanded to remove the planer marks and then beaded, with a router for expediency. The work is being done on site with a generator as the power source.
The second picture shows the Northern, back view of the house. The window openings are exact duplicates of the existing original window in the front. They are unusual for an 18th century house because they are nail framed instead of mortice-and-tenon framed. The exterior and interior trims for the windows are jointed at their corners by mortice and tenon, then nailed into place. Why are the frames done so simply and the trim so complex? Next time you bump into Louis ask him, thats why he makes the big bucks. The back door was preserved in its 20 century, tenant house style.
Back on the peninsula but not forgotten, Jon has at last finished all the exterior painting at Smith's Fort. He has also been repairing and replacing storm shutters for the Godspeed cottage, at the request of resident Archeology Directer Bill Kelso. He will soon turn his attention to exterior repairs at Bacon's Castle, among other tasks.