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American Lighthouse Foundation, Inc.
P.O. Box 565
Rockland,
Maine 04841
Phone: 207-594-4174
Fax: 207-596-1091
info@lighthousefoundation.org
The American Lighthouse Foundation is a
Non-Profit 501(c)(3) Organization dedicated to the
preservation of America's historic
lighthouses & lightships and
their heritage.
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Unexpected Late-season
Restoration Discovery at Little River Light Station Requires Additional
Funds
By Bob Trapani, Jr.
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Part of the
American Lighthouse Foundation’s planned restoration work in autumn 2005
was to concentrate on rehabilitating the clapboard exterior on the
keeper’s dwelling at Little River Light Station before wintry weather
set in. The work, being facilitated by Spear Millwork of Machias, Maine,
has progressed as |
Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.
The keeper's dwelling at Little River
received much-needed rehabilitation
work in autumn 2005
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scheduled but not
without an unexpected discovery that further demonstrates the uncertainties
involved in lighthouse restoration.
While working to
repair and save the original clapboard on the structure, Spear Millwork
discovered a major concern within the wall on the ocean or east side of the
keeper’s house that was previously |
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Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.
A close-up view of a piece of
rotted framework removed from
the keeper's dwelling
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concealed by
the clapboard. “The wood was wet and soaked,” said Walter Spear,
president of Spear Millwork. “We took the clapboards down over the
exterior kitchen area and laid them in the sun to dry so that we could
save them, but the framework underneath was rotted. Most of it came out
like dust. You could scoop the building right out of the wall.”
The discovery
of the concealed rot to the wood framework during the clapboard’s
rehabilitation has thus added to the time and costs of this specific
aspect of the restoration project. Despite the additional time and funds
required to rectify this dire |
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situation, the
American Lighthouse Foundation and Spear Millwork were in agreement that the
structural concern had to be rectified then and there. Historic restoration
is not just about rehabilitating visible deterioration, but also all of the
structure’s unseen components too in a |
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systematic
fashion to ensure responsible and long-term preservation.
Thanks to the
expertise and thoroughness of Spear Millwork, an “invisible” problem
like that found in the dwelling’s rotted framework has been brought to
light and subsequently repaired. Tim Harrison, president for the
American Lighthouse Foundation, commented on the unexpected dilemma,
saying, “We’re doing the right thing for preservation despite not having
the extra money budgeted for the repair of the rotted framework. In
doing so though, we now need to raise even more money than we first
estimated for this aspect of the restoration.”
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Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.
“We’re doing the right thing for
preservation despite not having
the extra money budgeted ...we
now need to raise even more
money than we first estimated for
this aspect of the restoration.”
- Tim Harrison
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Update on the Overall Progress Being Made by Spear Millwork on the Keeper’s
Dwelling in Autumn 2005…
Preservationists
are well aware of the fact that historic restoration is a process that
cannot be rushed. Sensitivity to the original historic fabric |
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Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.
Walter Spear, president of Spear
Millwork, works on priming the dwelling's exterior
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of a
structure, patience, attention to the smallest details and a thorough
understanding of the Standards for Preservation are all a must
for a professional contractor when it comes to restoring a historic site
like Little River Light Station. The combination of complexities
associated with historic restoration and the need to possess refined
skills to enact such intricate work precludes all but a few contractors
truly qualified to facilitate work on restoration projects.
Spear Millwork
of Machias, Maine, is a company that is both knowledgeable and adept at
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historic
restoration and is demonstrating such prowess by expertly working to bring
Little River’s 1888 keeper’s house back to its former glory. On November 13,
2005, Walter Spear, president of Spear Millwork, joined American Lighthouse
Foundation President Tim Harrison and Vice-president Bill Collette on a site
visit to review the exterior restoration progress on the wood clapboard
dwelling.
Mr. Spear walked
the ALF officers around the perimeter of the structure and was proud to
point out that his company has successfully scraped, |
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sanded and
secured the dwelling’s clapboard siding and trim work. He also reported
that 95% of the clapboard has been primed and 95% of the trim received a
top coat. In addition, 50% of the wood components have received a white
top coat. Walter Spear commented on how restoration work enables a
restoration contractor to see back |
Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.
(L to R) ALF officers Tim Harrison and
Bill Collette listen to Walter Spear's describe the restoration progress
his company has made on the keeper's dwelling
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into the past,
saying, “You see so much history of the different ways of painting that were
used on the house throughout the years. It’s fascinating.”
Mr. Spear also
reported that his crews have performed the restoration and re-fabrication of
trim work, including porch posts, corbels, window hoods, gutter molding,
sill skirt and that “Moldings, window boards, clapboards – they all have
fresh nails.” Spear Millwork has also enacted other minor repairs on the
structure this fall and facilitated the repair of the dwelling’s bulkhead
and gutter placement.
The American
Lighthouse Foundation has made tremendous strides with the restoration of
Little River Light Station in 2005. While dedicated |
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Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.
The long shadow of Little River's light
tower
is cast upon the 1888 keeper's
dwelling by
an autumn sun. ALF will begin restoration
again at the historic site in Spring 2006.
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volunteers
worked hard throughout the year on ongoing maintenance and landscape
projects at the site, professionals like Spear Millwork applied their
expertise and talents to critical restoration aspects on the historic
structure itself. Together both efforts made a huge impact and carried
the Little River Light Station forward to being approximately 80%
restored. The |
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professional
restoration work at the site, which ended for the season just before
Thanksgiving, will resume in spring 2006.
Please consider
making a donation today to help the American Lighthouse Foundation offset
the additional costs of repairing the rotted framework on the keeper’s
dwelling at Little River Light Station!
You
can make a donation TODAY using PayPal,
to help finish the restoration work at
Little River Light Station!
Or by mail:
American Lighthouse Foundation
Attn: Little River Light Station Restoration
P.O. Box 889
Wells, ME 04090
Phone: (207) 646-0245
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