HISTORIC VERMONT
An On-line News Journal about the Preservation of Vermont’s
Historic Architecture and Landscape
Number 34 April 2004
Published by the Preservation Trust of
Vermont, 104 Church Street, Burlington, VT 05401
http://www.ptvermont.org
For more information about Historic Vermont,
to subscribe or to unsubscribe to the email version, or to
submit something for publication please contact Meg Campbell,
Editor. ptv@sover.net.
Please submit events AT LEAST SIX WEEKS before the event
to ensure listing in the newsletter.
In This Issue....
Vermont
News
- Annual Historic
Preservation Conference: May 21, 2004
- 2004 Grand Isle Lake House Retreats
- Preservation Grants Awarded
- Preservation Trust of Vermont's Robert
Sincerbeaux Fund Grants and Barn Assessment Grants
- City of St. Albans Awarded Downtown
Designation
- Big Box Up-Date
- New VHS Museum Exhibit Now Open
- St. Monica's Parish, Barre
- National Register News
- Ascutney Union Church to Uncover Old
Artwork in a Preservation Education Institute Workshop
- Success at Southern Vermont Recreation
Center, Springfield
Commentary
- A Tribute to William B. Pinney by Chester
H. Liebs
- Home Shopping Networks by Stacy Mitchell,
AlterNet
National News
- 2004 National Preservation Awards
- Save America's Treasures
- Preserve America Communities
- Congress for the New Urbanism: Local
Chapter Forms
Publications
- Fire Safe Rehabilitation
- 10 Reasons Why Vermont's Homegrown
Economy Matters, And 50 Proven Ways to Revive It
- Road Trips through History: A Collection
of Essays from Preservation Magazine
- New! Special Places in Vermont
Publication
- A Field Guide to the Architecture of the
Home
- Architectural Photographer Seeks Small
Cottages for New Publication
Educational Opportunities
- Annual Historic Preservation Conference:
May 21, 2004
- 2004 Preservation Retreats at the Grand
Isle Lake House
- Diversity Scholarship Program for
National Preservation Conference
- Lamoille County Conservation Commissions
- Preservation Workshops in Williston
- Vermont History Expo 2004, Sat-Sun, June
26-27 in Tunbridge
- Ethan Allen Homestead Opening Day
- Revealing Decorative Paint, Friday and
Saturday, May 14-15, 2004, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.
- Structural Evaluation & Repair:
Timber Frame Structures: June 4 – 5, 2004
Opportunities for Employment &
Volunteer Work
- Project Director, Vermont Collections
Care Program
- CPA at Vermont Community Foundation
- Gallery Assistant, Bryan Memorial
Gallery, Jefferson, Vermont
This newsletter is made possible
in part by a donation from Sovernet, www.sover.net.
VERMONT NEWS
Announcing
Vermont's Tenth Annual Historic Preservation Conference:
“The
Creative Community: Adventures in Preservation and Imagination.”
Friday,
May 21, 2004, Bellows Falls
We are please to announce that
Dayton Duncan will be this year's keynote speaker. Mr.
Duncan is an award-winning writer and documentary filmmaker and
author of nine books including Out West: A Journey Through
Lewis & Clark’s America. For many years he has
been involved with documentary filmmaker Ken Burns on his
award-winning series for public television including: The
Civil War, Baseball, and Jazz. He is the writer and producer of Lewis
& Clark: The Journey of the Corps of Discovery.
Bellows Falls will serve as an
example of how a community's downtown can be revitalized through
creative exploration: The Exner and Howard Blocks, the Bellows
Falls Waypoint Interpretive Center as part of the Connecticut
River Byway, and the Bellows Falls Downtown Development
Alliance. Come experience the energy and successes that
come through involvement with the arts!
For more information, contact
Robert McBride, conference coordinator at (802) 463-3252 or
ptvramp@sover.net. Registration are available now on the
Preservation Trust of Vermont's website: www.ptvermont.org
Please note that the
Vermont Advisory Council on Historic Preservation Meeting,
originally scheduled for late afternoon, has been rescheduled to
the early afternoon.
The conference is
co-hosted by the Preservation Trust of Vermont and the Vermont
Division for Historic Preservation.
2004 Grand Isle Lake House Retreats
The Preservation Trust of Vermont's Lake House retreats are for
groups working on an historic preservation or community
revitalization project. These retreats are a group mentoring
experience where each group is asked to present a 10 to 15
minute case study about a challenge they're facing related to
their project, followed by group discussion and
brainstorming/cross mentoring. The whole idea is to bring people
together from around the state who are working on similar kinds
of projects in order to take advantage of the collective
experience and thinking. In addition, we have resource
people at each retreat to join in the discussion. We try
to have about 6-8 groups of 2-4 people representing each
project. The goal is to boost projects along their timeline by
strategically identifying resources, solving problems, garnering
peer support, and generating self-confidence and momentum.
2004 Retreat Dates:
May 17,18
June 21,22
Aug. 10,11
Sept. 13,14 (emphasis on churches)
Oct. 12,13
Check-in at the Lake House is 3:00 and we finish
by 2:00 the following afternoon. The Gannett Foundation and
Burlington Free Press are generously underwriting the retreats
so that the cost to participants for room and three meals is
$75/person for a shared room, $100 for a single. There are a
limited number of single rooms available on a first-come
basis. For a preview of the Lake House, please see our web
site: http://www.ptvermont.org/lh_booklet.htm.
The retreats are part of the Preservation
Trust's Field Service Program, a partnership of the Preservation
Trust of Vermont and National Trust for Historic
Preservation. For more information, please contact our
Field Representatives:
Ann Cousins @ 802-434-5014; ann@ptvermont.org
or Doug Porter @ 802-644-2815; doug@ptvermont.org
Preservation Grants Awarded
Since 1994 the Freeman Foundation and the Preservation Trust of
Vermont have had a partnership to support preservation
projects. Over $6.9 million in grants have been awarded to
help more than 307 projects in communities throughout the state.
These grants have played a key role in over $85 million in total
rehabilitation work. The latest round of grants includes
Strafford Town House and South Strafford
Universalist Church: $60,000
Since 1799 the Town House has stood on a small hill
overlooking the Common in the village of Strafford, the
centerpiece of a quintessential New England scene. With its
simple beauty, strength and integrity of structure, it has
become a symbol of Vermont, both nationally and
internationally. It has been used for over 200 years for Town
Meetings and elections and is the community's location for
cultural and educational events. An engineering assessment
revealed that the building needs structural repairs to the
tower, as well as exterior painting. The Town and a building
committee are actively fundraising to complete these repairs
this summer at a total cost of $145,000. This grant will help
them reach their goal.
The Federal style South Strafford
Universalist Church was built in 1833 when the Universalists
moved out of the Strafford Town House, following the
separation of church and state. There are surviving horsesheds
attached to the northwest corner of the building and these,
combined with the church, graveyard, and large maples
surrounding them, produce a remarkable ensemble. The church
had not been used regularly for the past 20 years when a local
group revived the congregation in 2002 and began to care for
the property. This grant, coupled with $50,000 in funds
already raised, will replace the metal roof on the church,
cupola, bell deck and dome; repair the pediment cornice;
repair shutters; paint the exterior; repair and restart the
tower clock; repair ceiling plaster and paint the hallway.
Putney Town Hall and Noyes House:
$46,000
The Putney Town Hall is a local landmark on the Green in the
center of Putney village. The hip-roofed Italianate style Town
Hall was built in 1871 and features paired cornice brackets, a
gabled entry pavilion, wooden quoins and oversize windows in
the second floor auditorium. Over the past century, the Town
Hall has shared space with the high school (1895-1906), the
Town library (1896-1967), and the Post Office (1942-1963).
Currently the Historical Society and Town offices are located
in the building. This grant, coupled with community support
and local fundraising, will allow them to fix moisture and
foundation problems, and reinforce the roof structure which
was rebuilt following a 1917 fire.
The Noyes House was built around 1810 and
was purchased by the Noyes family in 1822. A religious society
led by John Noyes, "Modern Perfectionsim," used the
house as its center. Their unique philosophy that included
"complex marriage" set them apart from the Putney
community, and in 1846 Noyes was arrested and run out of town.
He fled to Oneida, New York, where he went on to found an
internationally known utopian community, as well as the
silverware industry. In 1990 Putney Cares, Inc. purchased the
property with the goal of providing a group care home for
those in need of a supportive living situation. It currently
houses eight residents. Funds already committed and this grant
will enable the group to move ahead with a $400,000
rehabilitation of the house to correct moisture and termite
damage to sills, porches, and the first floor structure;
upgrade bathrooms and kitchen; repair plaster, and paint.
Third Congregational Church, East St.
Johnsbury: $10,000
Built in 1840, the Greek Revival style Congregational Church
is located in the center of the village. Since 1998 the
congregation has systematically addressed repairs, installing
a new furnace in 1998, making plumbing and electrical repairs
in 2000, and replacing the roof and making repairs to the
steeple in 2003. Since 1998 they have raised and spent
approximately $50,600 on the building. This grant will allow
them to complete woodwork repairs and paint the exterior.
The Gray Building, Northfield: $35,000
Built as a high school in 1877, The Gray Building has been
vacant for over 10 years. Over the past several months, a
local coalition was formed to rescue the building and develop
a use for it. The group has made remarkable progress, raising
over $700,000 toward the $900,000 rehabilitation cost for the
exterior and first floor. When complete, the building will
serve as a community center. Tenants will include the
Northfield Boys and Girls Club, the School District's
alternative middle school, a dance studio, and Headstart. This
grant will help them complete this phase of the project.
Masonic Lodge, Bristol: $15,000
Since 1948, the Lodge has been housed in the c.1900
shingle-style building that was formerly the First
Congregational Church of Bristol. The building is well cared
for and retains most original and early finishes, including
the extraordinary sanctuary space with its exposed hammer beam
framing, varnished paneling, and art-glass windows.
Approximately 200 Lodge members and the Eastern Star use the
building for their meetings. In addition, community members
use the building (free of charge) nearly every day for
scouting, Meals-on-Wheels, church services, community
awareness events, weddings and funerals, and a senior meals
program. Since 1998, Lodge members have raised funds to
remodel the kitchen and dining room, install a new heating
system, paint the building exterior, and repair the tower.
Currently, the building requires roof replacement. Repairs
will cost approximately $25,000; the Masons have already
raised $8,000. This grant will complete their funding.
Preservation Trust of Vermont's Robert
Sincerbeaux Fund Grants and Barn Assessment Grants
The Preservation Trust offers two grants programs to help with
project planning: The Robert Sincerbeaux Fund grants, up to
$500, help non-profit organizations and municipalities get
technical expertise to move preservation projects forward.
Barn assessment grants are available for individuals to help
hire a contractor to do a condition assessment of an historic
barn. The Barn Assessment grants are made possible by a
generous grant from the Gannett Foundation and the Burlington
Free Press.
March/April 2004 Awards:
- Reading Christian Union Church,
built in 1861 and listed on the State Register, a $250 grant
to hire Tom Keefe to do a condition assessment. This
condition assessment is meant to provide a road map for
future building owners or stewards as the building is put
into community use.
- Lamoille Grange #233 in
Morrisville received a $250 grant to hire Tom Keefe do a
condition assessment of their 1857 building, originally the
first [Poor] People's Academy. There is much community
interest in expanding the use of this building in order to
assure its viability.
- The Lunenberg Methodist Church and
the Congregational Church each received a $250 grant
to hire Jan Lewandowski to do a condition assessment.
These churches are part of a collection of historic
buildings on the Green that help to give the village center
its special quality.
- The Vermont Studio Center in Johnson
received a $500 grant to hire Tom Keefe to do a condition
assessment of the Kowalsky Annex and the Cottage.
The assessment will help them determine best uses for the
historic buildings.
- The Huntington Baptist Church
received a $250 grant to hire Jeremiah Parker to do a
condition assessment and make recommendations for repairing
a leaky bell tower.
- Building a Better Brattleboro and the
Barre Partnership each received a scholarship to
enable their downtown directors to attend the National Main
Street Conference in Albuquerque, NM.
- Nella Wennberg received a
grant through a partnership of the Preservation Trust and
the Burlington Free Press/Gannet Foundation to assess and
make recommendations for the repair of an 1830 barn in
Waterbury. The farm has been in Wennberg's family since
1966.
-
City of St. Albans Awarded Downtown
Designation
The Vermont Downtown Development Board voted on April 26th to
award downtown designation to the City of St. Albans under the
1998 Downtown Development Act. St. Albans joins Barre, Bellows
Falls, Bennington, Brandon, Brattleboro, Burlington, Middlebury,
Montpelier, Morristown, Poultney, Randolph, Rutland, St.
Johnsbury, Springfield, Vergennes, Windsor and Winooski in the
growing network of designated downtowns.
Governor Jim Douglas said Vermont's vibrant
downtowns and villages are the very places that many people
visualize when they envision the ideal, healthy, livable
community. "It's this vision that brings many folks
here to live and work, and it is this vision that attracts
visitors and their commerce to our state," he said.
"These designations are particularly impressive when you
consider that just a few years ago there was almost no new
revitalization in Vermont's downtowns. Today, our
downtowns are centers for new investment, both public and
private, and a focus for my administrations smart growth
agenda."
John Hall, Vice Chair of the Downtown
Development Board and Commissioner of Housing and Community
Affairs recognized the City's efforts, saying, "We are
really pleased to be able to recognize the tremendous energy and
commitment shown by this community. Their hard work is
beginning to pay off, and they have great plans for enhancing
the economy of this beautiful and historic downtown. I
think we can look forward to some wonderful changes in downtown
St. Albans."
Burlington's application to renew and expand
their Designated Downtown District was also approved at the
Board meeting. Downtown Designation remains in effect for
3 years, at which point it must be renewed.
In order to obtain downtown designation, a
community must demonstrate a lasting commitment to
revitalization through planning, capital improvements, economic
development, and preservation of historic resources. The
community must also have an established downtown organization
devoted to managing the revitalization effort - from setting
work priorities to organizing volunteers and raising the funds
necessary to support its work. As a
designated downtown, St. Albans is now eligible to apply for a
variety of programs to assist revitalization projects, including
state funds for transportation improvements, and tax credits for
the rehabilitation of older and historic buildings and for life
safety and accessibility code compliance.
The Downtown Development Board also awarded
Village Center Designation to Benson. With 27 Designated
Village Centers now in Vermont, Commissioner Hall noted,
"the popularity of this new program continues to
grow. Many of our communities are already working to
revitalize their village centers, we are happy that through this
program we can bring more state assistance to those
efforts."
Several other awards were made at the Board's
meeting as well. Tax credits were awarded for the
rehabilitation of historic buildings in 2 communities - $15,000
for 69 Barre Street in Montpelier, and $6,000 for 22 Pleasant
St. in Randolph. Finally a $15,050 tax credit was awarded
for façade improvements to 85 Portland Street in downtown
Morrisville.
Big Box Up-Date
Wal-Mart and its developers are continuing to look for locations
for large-scale stores in Morrisville, St. Johnsbury, Derby,
Middlebury, and Rutland. In St. Albans the developers
expect to submit a specific proposal for a 150,000 sq. ft. store
in May. It will need both local and Act 250 permits before
it can be built. A local citizens group is forming to oppose the
project. For more information check out this recent story
in the St. Albans Messenger:
http://www.samessenger.com/APR04/boxes0417.html
In response to public input and concern over
the future of big box development in Bennington, the Bennington
Select Board recently adopted an interim zoning bylaw that caps
retail development at 75,000 sq. ft. on Northside Drive and
50,000 sq. ft. everywhere else in town. This measure can
be in effect for up to 2 years while the select board and
Planning Commission discuss what kind of permanent restrictions
to put in place. Using size caps as a method to curb big
box development has been used effectively in other states, but
this is the first and only town-wide size cap in Vermont.
Dozens, maybe even hundreds, of other cities
and towns have enacted zoning rules that prohibit stores over a
certain size. They have done so in part because they recognize
that their economies can absorb only so much new retail without
causing significant dislocations of existing businesses.
Large-scale stores may also be out-of-scale with existing
buildings and thus detract from the town's character. They can
cause traffic congestion and unduly burden public roads and
services.
Limiting the allowable size of retail stores
will keep out some national retailers that refuse to build
stores smaller than their standard formats; others will opt to
construct stores more appropriately scaled for the community.
What constitutes an appropriate upper limit for the size of
retail stores depends on many factors, including the size of the
community, the scale of its existing buildings, and its
long-term goals with regard to retail development.
Some communities have banned only the biggest
of the big boxes, while others have chosen a much lower
threshold:
- Northampton, Massachusetts — Allows
stores of no more than 90,000 square feet, about the size of
two football fields, but smaller than a typical Wal-Mart or
Home Depot store.
- Belfast, Maine — In 2001, voters endorsed
a referendum capping retail stores at 75,000 square feet.
- Easton, Maryland — After studying the
issue for several months, city officials concluded,
"Once a big box retail store exceeds 65,000 square
feet, it is of such a scale that its negative impacts
outweigh its positive ones." Easton now limits stores
to no more than 65,000 square feet.
- Ashland, Oregon — Bars stores over 45,000
square feet (about the size of a Borders superstore).
- Boxborough, Massachusetts — Set its
limit at 25,000 square feet.
To prevent large-scale developments barred from a
city from simply locating just beyond its
borders on county land, in some places, cities and their
surrounding counties have enacted identical
size policies:
- Hood River, Oregon — In 2002, the city
and county concurrently adopted rules limiting retail uses
to 50,000 square feet.
[Quoted from 10 Reasons Why Vermont's
Homegrown Economy Matters, And 50 Proven Ways to Revive It, by
Stacy Mitchell, Institute for Local Self-Reliance, Published by
the Preservation Trust of Vermont, http://www.ptvermont.org/publications/HomegrownEconomy/sprawl_book.htm]
New VHS Museum Exhibit Now Open
The Vermont Historical Society opened its new exhibit, Freedom
and Unity: One Ideal, Many Stories, on Saturday, March 20, 2004.
Located in the Pavilion Building, adjacent to
the Vermont State House, the museum had been closed since
November 2001 when a large-scale construction was started to
convert the Society's old museum, library, and office spaces to
a permanent exhibition of Vermont's history.
The 5,000 square foot exhibit, Freedom and
Unity: One Ideal, Many Stories, tells the story of
Vermont's people from 1600 to the present. Using Vermont's
motto, "Freedom and Unity," as its thematic
cornerstone, the exhibition shows visitors how Vermonters have
always balanced individual freedoms and community.
Visitors are able to sit in a recreated
17th-century Abenaki dwelling, walk into a Revolutionary-era
tavern, sample the smells of an early 19th-century store, and
tap out a message on a late 19th-century railroad office
telegraph.
A theatre in the center shows a 15-minute film
on the abolition of slavery, women's suffrage, and Civil Union.
Major sections of the exhibition feature Vermonters' sacrifices
for the Civil War and World War II.
Before exiting the show everyone has the
opportunity to give an opinion on what they saw, what Vermont's
motto of "Freedom and Unity" means to them, or how
their family history is part of Vermont's story.
"This is the place to go if you want to
see and experience the breadth of Vermont at one site,"
says Kevin Graffagnino, Director of the Vermont Historical
Society. "Visitors will get a sense of Vermont's image and
identity over time and the special relationship Vermonters
continue to have with the land and their communities."
The opening of the exhibition coincides with
the Society's launch of its newest publication, Freedom and
Unity: A History of Vermont, by Michael Sherman, Gene Sessions,
and P. Jeffrey Potash. "This book is the perfect companion
to the exhibit," adds Graffagnino. "It is the
complete, up-to-date, one-volume history of Vermont."
The museum is open to the public
Tuesday-Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. year round and on
Sunday from noon to 4:00 p.m., May - October. Admission is $5.00
for adults, $3.00 for seniors, students, and children. Children
under six years are admitted free and a one-day family pass is
available for $12.00. For information call 802-828-2291.
St. Monica's Parish, Barre
The Barre Preservation Society (BPS) has been struggling for
over two years through the city’s zoning process and the
courts in order to prevent the demolition of the convent located
on the campus of St. Monica’s Parish on Summer Street. The
convent was constructed in 1939 during the Great Depression, and
is very much woven into the fabric of the community’s history.
Local residents tell tales of how their parents sacrificed in
order to fund the construction of the building. The case is now
headed back to the Design Review Board for its third remand. BPS
is committed to seeing the effort through to a successful
outcome, but the financial costs have been significant; the
landowner has substantial financial resources. Please direct
questions to 802-476-7300.
Send contributions to: Barre Preservation
Society, c/o Mary Welch, Treasurer, 77 Ayers Street, Barre, VT
05641. Checks should be made out to the Preservation Trust
of Vermont, which is accepting contributions on behalf of BPS.
National Register News
National Register News: The National Park Service has recently
listed the following Vermont property on the National Register
of Historic Places.
The Daniels Building, Hardwick
The Hardwick Village Historic District National Register
listing was amended in order to add the c. 1870 Daniels
Building to the district. This former tannery, and later
foundry for the Sam Daniels Manufacturing Company, sits next
to the Lamoille River and adjacent to Main Street in the
center of Hardwick Village. The 2 1/2 story, wood frame,
vernacular building is typical of mid-nineteenth century
industrial buildings built in Vermont. The building has
been rehabbed for commercial use and was a Rehabilitation
Investment Tax Credit project.
Ascutney Union Church to Uncover Old Artwork in a
Preservation Education Institute Workshop
by Elsie Dodge
Mike Smith, a preservation plasterer, heaves a
sigh and moves his ladders to the wall behind the pulpit in the
Ascutney Union Church. He starts to scrape away paint,
preparing to repair another crack in the plaster.
Suddenly, he notices various colors of paint underneath the
layer he is removing. Proceeding carefully, he peels more
paint. A design is revealed – a letter – a quotation
– a mural!
Mike Smith realized that the decorations he
had begun to uncover were probably valuable to the history of
the 1846 building, so he stopped scraping and informed the
church officials of his find. Over the next several months, the
trustees of the church explored the value and significance of
the wall painting.
An August 2002 analysis by UVM preservation
student Lois Coulter and another by well-known art preservation
specialist Sara Chase confirmed Smith’s original hunch.
The mural appears to be of a type known as deceptive or trompe l’oeil
painting, which was usually a mural behind the pulpit, intended
to suggest a recessed area. Painted decorations inside
churches, while common in the 1800’s, have long since been
lost through renovation and redecoration, so the artwork in the
Ascutney Union Church may be of significant historic
value. In Vermont, only a few other churches are known to
still contain wall paintings of this type. The known
paintings in Gaysville and Bethel have been covered over, but
paintings may still be viewed in Chester and Jericho.
Wall stenciling and artwork from an earlier
era also exist in various Weathersfield homes. Weathersfield
resident Eve Noake has documented much of this wall art.
Ascutney Union Church’s mural may add yet another era to the
art history of Weathersfield.
Now, a workshop to be held on May 14-15, 2004
conducted by the Preservation Education Institute of Windsor,
Vermont, will finish uncovering the mural that Mike Smith
discovered. Sara Chase, a noted architectural conservator,
will explain ways of uncovering wall paintings without damaging
them as well as issues of style and preservation, will lead this
workshop.
The Preservation Education Institute is a
division of Historic Windsor, Inc., which preserves Windsor
House by providing for its maintenance and capital
improvements. When needed, the organization plays an
active role in preservation policy and advocacy, consults on a
fee-for-service basis, and shares expertise with historic
property owners and professionals. The organization
participates directly in preservation activities and fosters
appreciation and action by others to preserve historic
properties. The Preservation Education Institute provides
training for professionals and homeowners in historic
preservation throughout the United States.
For more information concerning this workshop,
contact the Preservation Education Institute in
Windsor at 802-674-6752.
Success at Southern Vermont Recreation
Center, Springfield
The Southern Vermont Recreation Center benefit auction last
weekend broke all fund raising records for similar events in the
area.
The Foundation completed final tallies today
and announced that the Saturday Auction at Springfield’s
Hartness House raised $27,512 toward the construction of the
regional Recreation Center that will serve eight towns in
Vermont and neighboring New Hampshire.
“Frankly, we were blown away,” said
Bob Flint, spokesperson for the Recreation Center. “We raised
three times the amount of our most optimistic expectations.”
Veteran Auctioneer Clint Martin said the
Recreation Center auction results were “by far the largest of
any charity event I’ve conducted in the area.“ He
attributed the surprising results to the fact that “the
regional Recreation Center has developed a large, enthusiastic
group of supporters and the very high quality of donated auction
items.” He particularly singled out the hard work of
Barbara Thompson and Elizabeth Chase, the organizers of the
event.
In its major fund drive, the Recreation Center
has received pledges and gifts of more than $3.1 million to
build the facility that will include a competition size swimming
pool, a therapy pool, indoor walking track, child care, a
basketball court, cardio vascular exercise area, public meeting
rooms and a special children’s gymnasium and indoor
playground.
Fundraising activities are continuing. As
Flint put it, “there’s still some heavy lifting to do”.
Contributions to the Southern Vermont Recreation Center may be
sent to Martha Wadsworth, Springfield Savings and Loan, or Diane
Parker, Chittenden Bank, both in Springfield. All contributions
are tax deductible.
A Tribute to William B. Pinney by Chester
H. Liebs
This year marked the passing of William B. Pinney, one of the
most influential twentieth-century Vermont preservationists.
A World-War-Two veteran, Bill Pinney went on
to assist with the post-war reconstruction of Germany, then
returned to the states where he worked at the Case Western
Reserve Historical Society's Hill Farm in Ohio. Bill and
his family moved to Vermont in the 1960s where he served as
Assistant Director of the Shelburne Museum. In 1967 he
became the first director of a small government agency, the
Vermont Board of Historic Sites, which oversaw state-owned
historic properties ranging from the Bennington Monument to the
Constitution House. Like many state-owned historic sites’
systems at the time, Vermont’s was in a somewhat sleepy state.
Bill quickly set out to make up for deferred maintenance and
beef up site interpretation, including building a visitor's
center in Plymouth in time for the Calvin Coolidge Centennial
Celebration in 1972.
At the same time preservation was at a
crossroads in Vermont. As a result of the National Historic
Preservation Act of 1966, Vermont, as well as other states,
began to receive increasing amounts of Federal-matching
funds for surveying historic properties, nominating sites to the
National Register of Historic Places, and awarding grants to
boost preservation projects including adaptive uses and not just
museums. As a result the Board's portfolio (it became a
division of the Agency of Development and Community Affairs in
1971) expanded to include protection of Vermont’s built
environment in addition to managing state-owned historic sites.
A lover of colonial buildings and collector of
fine, early-American antiques, Bill also went through a profound
transformation. With Urban Renewal decimating historic areas in
Burlington and Winooski, and historic structures from railroad
covered bridges to hotels like the Windsor House being
threatened every day, he expanded his vision beyond that of a
connoisseur of early Americana to champion preserving the
entirety of Vermont’s cultural heritage. Once Bill Pinney
decided to do something there was little that could stop him.
Bill supported expansion of the state survey
and National Register programs, successfully battled
larger states to gain Vermont a bigger piece of the
Federal-funding pie, and embraced the concept that historic as
well as natural resources should be protected under the state’s
pioneering environmental-protection laws such as Act 250. He
even courageously and successfully challenged the powerful
Vermont Highway Department by asking the State Environmental
Board to put the brakes on a massive road project, dubbed the
“Brookfield Massacre” by then Governor Thomas P. Salmon,
that threatened this tiny historic Orange county hamlet.
Bill then set his sites on revising the
legislation authorizing his fledgling agency to better reflect
its much expanded mission. This resulted in passage of the
landmark Vermont Historic Preservation Act of 1975 which has
guided the state’s successful historic preservation programs
up until the present day. Bill went on to direct the Vermont
Division for Historic Preservation until retiring from state
government in 1983. Bill Pinney was one of Vermont’s true
preservation pioneers and we all owe him a great deal of thanks.
(Professor Emeritus of History and founding
director of the Historic Preservation Program at the University
of Vermont, Chester Liebs worked with Bill Pinney, as Vermont
Supervisor of Historic Sites, from 1971-1975)
Home Shopping Networks by Stacy
Mitchell, AlterNet
March 17, 2004
When Ames, a chain of discount department
stores in the northeast, went belly-up last year, closing all of
its 327 stores, towns like Middlebury, Vermont were left with no
place to buy many basic housewares like sheets and shower
curtains. Residents began driving north to Burlington or south
to Rutland to shop. Concerned about hemorrhaging retail sales,
city officials called in RKG Associates, an economic consulting
firm.
RKG concluded that Middlebury consumers are
spending nearly $7 million elsewhere each year. The firm
recommended that the city stem the leakage by enticing Wal-Mart
to build a supercenter in this town of 8,500 people. Wal-Mart
had in fact already been snooping around Middlebury. After a
bruising battle with Vermonters ten years ago, which forced the
company to scuttle plans for some stores and dramatically reduce
the size of others, the relentless expander has returned to the
state and intends to build as many as half a dozen supercenters.
But many Middlebury residents refuse to accept
the inevitability of the low-wage retailing giant. Allowing
Wal-Mart to build would ignore a vital lesson about local
self-reliance well illustrated by the closure of Ames. It would
render the community even more dependent – for goods, jobs and
tax revenue – on a single absentee-owned corporation that
might use its power to raise prices, suppress wages, extort a
tax break, or simply pick up and leave one day.
These residents have their own ideas about
solving Middlebury's dilemma. They want to open a
community-owned department store in the center of town.
There are a growing number of successful
community-owned retail enterprises operating around the country.
Last week, at an event organized by the Middlebury Business
Association, more than seventy residents gathered to hear from a
panel of speakers and discuss the idea. The panel included
environmental author Bill McKibben; Bob Fuller, owner of the
Bobcat Café in nearby Bristol; Bob Rottenberg of the
Greenfield, Mass.-based Cooperative Development Institute; and
me.
There are three ways to structure a community
enterprise. Consumer cooperatives, which have a long and
successful history in food retailing, are one possibility.
Another involves the community putting up the start-up capital
for a business that is owned and operated by a local
entrepreneur. The Bobcat Café is a good example of this. It was
financed entirely by three dozen Bristol residents, who saw a
need for a local watering hole and put up $5,000 each, which was
paid back over two years with a modest return and a dining
discount.
Finally, there are community corporations.
These are capitalized through stock shares sold to local
residents (bylaws typically stipulate that stockholders must
live in the state) and are run by an elected board of directors.
Investors generally expect that much of their return will be
in the form of community benefits, rather than financial
gains.
A small but growing number of community
corporations are operating stores and restaurants around the
country. In Swanville, Minnesota, for example, some sixty
families share ownership of the town's only restaurant, Granny's
Café, which opened three years ago financed by more than
$300,000 in community capital. When the general store and
lunchtime gathering spot in Hebron, New Hampshire, closed a few
years back, more than half of the village's four hundred
residents chipped in to buy and re-open the store as a
collective enterprise.
Perhaps the most relevant examples for
Middlebury are community-owned department stores that have
opened over the last few years in about half a dozen towns in
Montana and Wyoming. Much like Middlebury, these communities
faced a gaping hole in their local economies when a regional
department store chain called Stage folded in the late 1990s.
Rather than allow their towns to decline, residents got together
and launched their own homegrown stores.
One that's representative of the others is the
Mercantile in Powell, a town of 5,500 in northwestern Wyoming.
After Stage closed, a group of residents hit on the idea of a
community-owned store. They drew up a business plan, filed
incorporation papers with the state and began selling shares
priced at $500 each. Much to their surprise and delight, within
a few months, they'd sold over 800 shares, raising more than
$400,000 in capital.
The Merc opened in July 2002. The store sells
affordably priced clothing and shoes for the whole family, and
may expand into housewares one day. With a Wal-Mart supercenter
just 20 miles away in Cody, some Powell residents predicted that
the Merc, like most small town stores focused on basic needs,
would struggle and fail.
But so far, the store has been remarkably
successful. It has met vital local needs, boosted sales at other
downtown businesses and even turned a profit. During its first
year, the Merc took in $500,000 in revenue, outpacing
projections, and generated a profit of $36,000. The earnings
were reinvested and used to expand the store from 7,500 to
10,000 square feet.
Founders cite several factors in The Merc's
success, including top-notch customer service and a board made
up of experienced local businesspeople. With no debt to service
or stockholders demanding high rates of return, prices can be
kept relatively low. "We're probably not quite as low as
Wal-Mart," said store manager Paul Ramos, "but we're
close and we usually do better than the mall up in
Billings."
Another significant factor in The Merc's
success, according to board member Ken Witzeling, is the
community's sense of ownership. "When you walk down the
street and talk to people about the store," he told me,
"they all refer to it as 'our store.' Not 'the store,' or
'that store.' It's 'our store.'"
Back in New England, Middlebury is not the
only community struggling with the loss of Ames and weighing the
merits of a homegrown solution. In Greenfield, Massachusetts –
which rejected Wal-Mart ten years ago in a voter referendum that
drew national notice – a committee has formed to explore the
idea of a community-owned department store.
Although modest in scale and few in number,
these models deserve wide circulation. As the consequences of
Wal-Mart and other big chains become ever more apparent,
communities must not only counter their growth, but offer viable
alternatives by expanding established local businesses,
supporting new entrepreneurs, and, where necessary, stepping in
to fill the gaps.
Stacy Mitchell is a senior researcher with
the Institute for Local Self-Reliance and produces The Hometown
Advantage Bulletin, an email newsletter on effective strategies
to curb the growth of chains and strengthen locally owned
businesses. The article above was reprinted with
permission.
NATIONAL NEWS
2004 National Preservation Awards
Nominations are now open for the 2004 National Preservation
Awards, sponsored by the National Trust for Historic
Preservation and Home & Garden Television. Individuals
who have been involved in an outstanding preservation project
completed in the past three years - or those who know of a
company, organization or individual who has helped save a part
of America’s local or national heritage - are encouraged to
submit a nomination. The coveted annual awards recognize
singular success in preserving, rehabilitating, restoring or
interpreting America’s architectural and cultural heritage.
Winners will be honored at the National Preservation Conference
in Louisville, Kentucky, Sept. 28-Oct. 3, 2004.
The nomination deadline for National
Preservation Honor Awards is May 1, 2004. To receive nomination
materials: Phone: 202-588-6236, Email: awards@nthp.org, or
download the form at www.nationaltrust.org.
Save America's Treasures
The Save America's Treasures public partners are now accepting
applications for the FY 2004 Save America's Treasures grant
round to preserve nationally significant intellectual and
cultural artifacts, and historic structures and sites.
Applications must be received at the appropriate address by May
19th-- this is not a postmark date. These grants are
administered by the National Park Service (NPS) in partnership
with the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment
for the Humanities, the Institute of Museum and Library Services
and the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities and
will be awarded through a competitive process. Grants require a
dollar-for-dollar non-Federal match, which can be cash, donated
services, or use of equipment. To access guidelines and to
download an application, please click http://www2.cr.nps.gov/treasures/application.htm.
For additional information, please contact the NPS at (202)
513-7270, ext. 6 or Save America's Treasures at the National
Trust at (202) 588-6202.
Preserve America Communities
Twenty new Preserve America Communities were designated in
March: White Mountain Apache Tribe, AZ; Fresno, CA; Fort Myers,
FL; Rock Island, IL; Douglas, Grand Rapids, and Saugatuck, MI;
Biloxi, Hattiesburg, Pascagoula, and Port Gibson, MS; Virginia
City, MT; Bristol, Cranston, and Warren, RI; Franklin, TN;
Burlington, VT; Smithfield and Williamsburg, VA; and, Cheyenne,
WY.
The Preserve America program provides the
designation to offer national recognition for what communities
have already achieved and helps to enhance the contribution of
heritage tourism to their economies. http://www.preserveamerica.gov
Congress for the New Urbanism: Local
Chapter Forms
Local planners, developers, architects, environmentalists, and
others involved in urban planning decisions recently organized
the New England chapter of the Congress for the New Urbanism (CNU),
the second chapter formed under the umbrella of the national
organization. The CNU, best known for its visionary
attempts to reform suburban development and promote better
regions, towns and neighborhoods, supports an urban planning
philosophy that calls for the creation of walkable, mixed-use
neighborhoods rather than sprawling, single-use developments.
Over the past eight years, forward-looking
investors in real estate development, banking, brokering,
construction and retail have recognized that current suburban
development patterns are inefficient, cause traffic jams and
erode civic involvement. Some have followed the New
Urbanist planning philosophy by creating new neighborhoods and
revitalizing old ones with new investment.
Ironically, New England has lagged behind
other regions of the country in embracing New Urbanism, a form
of development that reflects the traditional New England village
concept. “Its very exciting to establish a CNU chapter
in New England as there are important ways in which new
Englanders can contribute to the national dialogue,” says
architect and CNU member David Dixon of Goody, Clancy &
Associates. “At the heart of New Urbanism is designing
around community instead of creating unrelated buildings and
developments, weaving our society together instead of housing it
separately. Here in New England, New Urbanism is viewed
more about community building than almost anywhere else in the
country. We can take a lead in this aspect of New Urbanism.”
The New England chapter of the CNU will give
professionals involved in development the chance to teach one
another about what works and what doesn’t, pushing best
practices forward. “This will give us an opportunity to
look at how New Urbanism can help build better neighborhoods and
a greater sense of community in village centers and downtowns,”
says Dixon.
The New England chapter will hold their
kick-off event in Boston Wednesday evening, May 5th to examine
“New Urbanism in New England: Revisiting Traditional
Neighborhood Design.” Confirmed panelists include: Buff
Chace, developer and Town Founder of Mashpee Commons; Evan
Richert, Director of GrowSmart Maine; Alex Krieger, Director of
the Harvard Graduate School of Design; and Jamie Correa,
Principal of Correa Valle Valle. Harriet Tregoning,
Executive Director of the Smart Growth Leadership Institute,
will moderate. To register for the panel discussion or to
join the New England chapter of the CNU, go to their website at www.cnunewengland.org.
Congress for the New Urbanism (CNU) is a
Chicago-based nonprofit organization that was founded in
1993. It works with architects, developers, planners and
others involved in the creation of cities and towns, teaching
them how to implement the principles of the New Urbanism.
These principles include coherent regional planning, walkable
neighborhoods and attractive, accommodating civic spaces.
CNU has 2,500 members through the United States and around the
world. It sponsors annual conferences, known as
Congresses, for the sharing and discussion of best practices in
New Urbanism.
For additional information, contact Lillian
Shuey Picchione, CNU, New England Chapter, Communications
Director, at (617) 258–9433.
Fire Safe Rehabilitation
Fire Safe Building Rehabilitation (ISBN 0-87765-609-6) is a new
book available from the National Fire Protection Association. A
fire protection engineer, Cornwall resident Jack Watts, and a
preservation architect, Marilyn Kaplan, have collaborated to
compile basic information on issues associated with protecting
our built heritage from fire. The book takes the reader from
basic conservation concepts through the technical aspects of
current fire safety practice. It bridges the gap between the
societal goals of historic preservation and safety from fire and
emphasizes their mutual intersection. More information is
available at http://www.nfpa.org/catalog/product.asp?pid=FSBR03.
10 Reasons Why Vermont's Homegrown
Economy Matters, And 50 Proven Ways to Revive It
by Stacy Mitchell, Institute for Local Self-Reliance
Published by the Preservation Trust of Vermont
This new 60-page publication is the result of
several years of collaboration between the Institute of Local
Self-Reliance and The Preservation Trust of Vermont.
Detailed here are specific reasons why locally owned businesses
matter and practical ways to plan for a homegrown economy,
foster revitalization and unite independent businesses. Mitchell
uses practical examples from successful businesses and vibrant
communities all across the states to illustrate the point that
everyone benefits from keeping Vermont's economy local.
The book is available for $10 from the Preservation Trust of
Vermont (802) 658-6647 or as a free download pdf file from the
Preservation Trust website:
http://www.ptvermont.org/publications/HomegrownEconomy/sprawl_book.htm
Road Trips through History: A Collection
of Essays from Preservation Magazine
Since 1992, Dwight Young has used his column "The Back
Page" in Preservation magazine to record his witty,
thought-provoking, and poignant observations about historic
places and how they affect us—from grand monuments to the
humble front porch. Fifty four of his essays have been reprinted
in this 116-page publication which includes lively drawings and
color photos that illustrate the people and places highlighted
in each essay.
Thru May 31st: Order a copy of Road Trips
through History: A Collection of Essays from Preservation
Magazine and receive an offer for a six-month complimentary
membership in the National Trust for Historic Preservation. And
not only that, the shipping and handling will be absolutely
free. This book and membership offer makes a great gift for
participants and dignitaries involved in Preservation Week
activities. Non-member $15.95 / NTHP member $14.35 / NT Forum
$11.96
http://www.preservationbooks.org/index.asp
http://www.preservationbooks.org/showBook.asp?key=297
New! Special Places in Vermont
Publication
With your help, the Preservation Trust of Vermont is going to
build a collection of Special Places in Vermont. Our
goal is to publish a series of short paragraphs written by
residents describing the off-beat, the undiscovered, and the
historic spots that help to make Vermont a special part of our
world.
Initially we will publish the collection on
our website, and may in the future publish a book.
Contributions can be varied -- from a walk through a village
district or former marble quarry, to a meal at a restored hotel
or breakfast at an historic diner, to the experience of a
service in an 1850 church, or a swim in a pond above an historic
crib dam. The possibilities are endless, and the more we all
enjoy and appreciate these special places, the more we will all
work to maintain them.
We welcome contributions of all kinds.
If you have some place you'd like to share, please email meg@ptvermont.org.
Please describe the site and tell us why it's important to
you. Keep in mind that we would like to include your name
and the town where you live in the future publications.
Thanks for being a part of our project!
A Field Guide to the Architecture of the
Home
A new book by Gerald Foster, American Houses: A Field Guide to
the Architecture of the Home (Houghton Mifflin Company, 2004),
extensively features photographic images from the National Park
Service's Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) collection
at the Library of Congress. In his acknowledgements,
Foster cites "the marvelous Historic American Buildings
Survey (HABS) collection of architectural photographs, which
were so necessary to my work." http://www.cr.nps.gov/habshaer/
Architectural Photographer Seeks Small
Cottages for New Publication
Tad Pfeffer, a photographer from Colorado, is working on an
architectural photography book of small cottages in Maine, NH,
and Vermont. He's looking for help locating and getting
permission from owners to photograph locally built
cottages. His publisher is David Godine, from Boston.
Tad is looking for small, locally built
seasonal cottages from the early 20th century (approximately) -
not local traditional houses converted to summer use, nor
primitive 'camps' or cabins, but buildings specifically designed
and built for summer use. Altogether during the last 4
years he's photographed about 30 or so houses in 6 or 7
communities in northern New Hampshire and Maine, and is now
expanding his work into southern New Hampshire and Vermont.
The cottages he's looking for are small,
simple, typically uninsulated, summer-only structures, but not
as primitive as what might be called a 'camp'. They're also not
the large and ornate summer 'cottages' for which parts of New
England are famous (and which Bryant Tolles wrote about in his
'Summer Cottages of the White Mountains'), but rather much more
modest houses (really cottages) which show some influence of
late 19th styles (like Shingle Style), but in a reduced,
vernacularized form.
He has some sample photographs posted on his
web site at http://tintin.colorado.edu
Follow the link on the left of the page labeled 'Photos and
Stories' and then click on the image labled 'Hand of the Small
Town Builder'.
Please forward any leads to Tad Pfeffer pfeffer@tintin.Colorado.EDU
EDUCATION and
TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES
Announcing
Vermont's Tenth Annual Historic Preservation Conference:
“The
Creative Community: Adventures in Preservation and Imagination.”
Friday,
May 21, 2004, Bellows Falls
We are please to announce that
Dayton Duncan will be this year's keynote speaker. Mr.
Duncan is an award-winning writer and documentary filmmaker and
author of nine books including Out West: A Journey Through
Lewis & Clark’s America. For many years he has
been involved with documentary filmmaker Ken Burns on his
award-winning series for public television including: The
Civil War, Baseball, and Jazz. He is the writer and producer of Lewis
& Clark: The Journey of the Corps of Discovery.
Bellows Falls will serve as an
example of how a community's downtown can be revitalized through
creative exploration: The Exner and Howard Blocks, the Bellows
Falls Waypoint Interpretive Center as part of the Connecticut
River Byway, and the Bellows Falls Downtown Development
Alliance. Come experience the energy and successes that
come through involvement with the arts!
For more information, contact
Robert McBride, conference coordinator at (802) 463-3252 or
ptvramp@sover.net. Registration are available now on the
Preservation Trust of Vermont's website: www.ptvermont.org
Please note that the
Vermont Advisory Council on Historic Preservation Meeting,
originally scheduled for late afternoon, has been rescheduled to
the early afternoon.
The conference is
co-hosted by the Preservation Trust of Vermont and the Vermont
Division for Historic Preservation.
2004 Grand Isle Lake House Retreats
The Preservation Trust of Vermont's Lake House retreats are for
groups working on an historic preservation or community
revitalization project. These retreats are a group mentoring
experience where each group is asked to present a 10 to 15
minute case study about a challenge they're facing related to
their project, followed by group discussion and
brainstorming/cross mentoring. The whole idea is to bring people
together from around the state who are working on similar kinds
of projects in order to take advantage of the collective
experience and thinking. In addition, we have resource
people at each retreat to join in the discussion. We try
to have about 6-8 groups of 2-4 people representing each
project. The goal is to boost projects along their timeline by
strategically identifying resources, solving problems, garnering
peer support, and generating self-confidence and momentum.
2004 Retreat Dates:
May 17,18
June 21,22
Aug. 10,11
Sept. 13,14 (emphasis on churches)
Oct. 12,13
Check-in at the Lake House is 3:00 and we finish
by 2:00 the following afternoon. The Gannett Foundation and
Burlington Free Press are generously underwriting the retreats
so that the cost to participants for room and three meals is
$75/person for a shared room, $100 for a single. There are a
limited number of single rooms available on a first-come
basis. For a preview of the Lake House, please see our web
site: http://www.ptvermont.org/lh_booklet.htm.
The retreats are part of the Preservation
Trust's Field Service Program, a partnership of the Preservation
Trust of Vermont and National Trust for Historic
Preservation. For more information, please contact our
Field Representatives:
Ann Cousins @ 802-434-5014; ann@ptvermont.org
or Doug Porter @ 802-644-2815; doug@ptvermont.org
Diversity Scholarship Program for
National Preservation Conference
Louisville, Kentucky, September 28 -- October 3, 2004
Applications are now available for the
National Preservation Conference 2004 Diversity Scholarship
Program formerly known as the Emerging Preservation Leaders (EPL)
Program. The Diversity Scholarship Program seeks to increase the
diversity of participants at the National Preservation
Conference and in the preservation movement. The program
provides financial assistance (scholarships) to help community
and cultural leaders, students and other professionals from
diverse racial, ethnic and cultural backgrounds participate in
the National Preservation Conference.
Participants will gain knowledge and tools to
strengthen their ability to preserve historic places and
revitalize their communities through plenary, educational and
field sessions, and discussion groups. Scholarship awards will
pay for registration and accommodation costs.
You can find and / or direct interested
candidates to locate the application at the link below:
www.nthpconference.org/Generalinfo/#scholarships;
or by email at scholarships@nthp.org;
the faxback
service by dialing (202) 588-6444 document #9006; or by calling
(843) 722-8552.
Lamoille County Conservation Commissions
Only four of ten towns in Lamoille County have voted to create
municipal conservation commissions. A regional workshop to
encourage the formation of more conservation commissions in this
county will take place on June 3 from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Tegu
Building in Morrisville. Co-sponsored by the Lamoille County
Planning Commission and the Association of Vermont Conservation
Commissions (AVCC), the workshop will feature success stories
from the Cambridge, Elmore, Morristown, and Stowe Conservation
Commissions.
At March Town Meeting 2004, three more towns
voted to establish conservation commissions: Elmore, Pownal, and
Salisbury, bringing the total to 92 conservation commissions or
similar committees across Vermont. AVCC is a statewide
grassroots organization dedicated to fostering local
conservation commissions in their stewardship of Vermont's
natural resources.
For more information or to register for the
workshop, contact Virginia Rasch of AVCC (223-5527 or ilovermont@aol.com).
Preservation Workshops in Williston
The Town of Williston’s Historic Preservation Committee is
pleased to host two Saturday workshops.
- May 1, 2004: 8:45am to 4:00pm, Save Your
Wood Windows
- May 8, 2004: 8:45am to 4:00pm, Care for
Your Wood Siding
Location: Williston Town Hall, 7900 Williston Road, Williston VT
Morning Slideshow:
- Survey architectural character and
conditions.
- Determine original construction details and
materials.
- Investigate later changes and past
maintenance.
- Most common problems.
- Select treatments: materials, methods, and
procedures.
- Do-it-yourself, or seek experienced
contractors & tradespeople.
Morning Demonstration:
- Work-space setup and lead-safe operations.
Afternoon Demonstrations:
- Window Sash Removal.
- Broken glass replacement and glazing.
- Window Sill repairs.
- Exterior Woodwork Maintenance
- Shingle and Clapboard Repair and
Replacement.
- Paint Preparation
- Best Exterior Painting Practices.
Instructor: John Leeke, Preservation Consultant,
helps owners, planners, tradespeople, contractors and architects
understand and maintain their older and historic buildings. He
is well known for his sensitive and practical approach. He has
been saving historic buildings for 30 years and has personally
repaired, restored, and preserved hundreds of windows and helped
others save thousands more. To get a head start on the workshop
you can do a little homework on windows and siding at: www.HistoricHomeWorks.com
Morning beverages and baked goods will be
provided. Bring your own lunch. For more information
contact: Lara DuMond, Planning Assistant, 802 878-6704, ext.
130. Workshops are FREE and open to ALL interested
participants. These workshops have been made possible with the
assistance of a matching grant from the Vermont Division for
Historic Preservation through the U.S. Department if the
Interior under provisions of the National Historic Preservation
Act of 1966.
Vermont History Expo 2004, Sat-Sun, June
26-27 in Tunbridge
VERMONT HISTORY EXPO 2004 will be held the weekend of June
26-27, from 10am - 5pm, at the Tunbridge World's Fair Grounds.
Daily admission costs are Adults $7.00 and
Children & Students (6-18 yrs.) $4.00. Children 5 yrs. and
under are admitted free. There is a 20% discount for groups of
20 or more. Half-price admission on Saturday, June 26, for
visitors in period dress.
For lots more information, visit: http://www.vermonthistory.org/expo/index.htm
Ethan Allen Homestead Opening Day
Ethan Allen Homestead Museum and Historic Site announces the
opening of its 2004 visitor season on Saturday, May 1, from 1-5
p.m. Along with customary tours of the historic Allen house and
gallery exhibits, the Homestead will feature a new discovery
area for children.
In addition to our indoor Kids' Corner, the
Homestead now offers an outdoor History Playground, entitled
Ethan's Secret Forest. Here, children are invited to
exercise on objects that evoke a Vermont frontier farm. In
Ethan's Secret Forest, families can learn how people from the
past enjoyed recreation as part of their daily work.
Busy adults will also find an enhancement to
their Homestead visit. This year, the museum will feature a new
Express Tour, providing flexibility for those with time
constraints and for those who simply want a less structured
experience.
Those without a full hour to spend looking
through the museum, may join our guide for a trip to the
historic Allen house, feeling free to depart when their schedule
requires. Many find that once they get started, they
decide to remain for the complete tour or return at another time
for a more thorough look.
For more information about hours and
membership, please call (802) 865-4556.
Preservation Education Institute
Calendar Listings
The Preservation Education Institute offers workshops throughout
the year in preservation skills, technology, and practice for
building professionals, property owners and others. For
information visit www.preservationworks.org
or call (802) 674-6752 or write PO Box 1777 Windsor, VT
05089-0021. The Preservation Education Institute is a
program of Historic Windsor, Inc., a 501 c 3 nonprofit.
Revealing Decorative Paint, Friday and
Saturday, May 14-15, 2004, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.
A special behind the scenes program at Ascutney Church,
Ascutney, Vermont. Join Conservator Sara Chase for a
two-day program to reveal and document free-hand painting and
stenciling. Help the Church decide whether to integrate the
historic designs into its interior today or document and cover
it. $50 bring your own lunch. More info: www.preservationworks.org,
802-674-6752 or write The Preservation Education Institute PO
Box 1777 Windsor, VT 05089-0021
Structural Evaluation & Repair:
Timber Frame Structures: June 4 – 5, 2004
Evaluating the physical condition of a historic or existing
building is the crucial first step in developing a sensitive,
cost effective, rehabilitation or maintenance plan. The
instruction team, comprised of an engineer and a timber
framer, will discuss types of structural systems; evaluation
and testing; locating common problem areas; typical examples
of rot and insect damage; introductory analysis of wood and
timber structures; and case studies in timber repair. A
field trip will be included. Participants are encouraged
to bring slides and photos of structural projects on which
they are involved.
David Fischetti, PE, DCF Engineering, has 34
years of engineering experience in the repair and construction
of timber frame structures. Jan Lewandoski has over 22 years
of experience in the restoration of historically significant
structures throughout the U.S. and Canada. Both write
frequently for professional journals about the preservation
and restoration of timber frames.
Location: Chaplin Hall, Norwich University,
Northfield, Vermont OR Windsor House, Windsor, Vermont.
Cost: HWI members/government staff: $175, Others:
$190.
June 2004
Dates Pending
- American Building Design and Technology
- Paint: Historic and Contemporary
Materials and Practice
- Repointing Brick Masonry
- Preservation Philosophy for People Who
Maintain Old Buildings
OPPORTUNITIES
for EMPLOYMENT & VOLUNTEER WORK
Project Director, Vermont Collections
Care Program
VMGA invites applications for our open Project Director
position, which is currently half time with the potential to
grow dependant on funding. Anticipated start date is September
1, 2004.
The VMGA Project Director is responsible for
the administration and oversight of the highly successful
Vermont Collections Care Program, which focuses on preventative
conservation techniques and solutions for small-town historical
societies, museums and galleries within the state. Grant
writing, workshop development and presentation, and on-site
training of staff and volunteers are all key components. As
well, the Project Director manages VMGA’s regrant program,
which helps many of these underserved institutions to fund
general collections surveys and implementation
of survey recommendations.
The successful applicant will be, by training,
a conservator with a keen interest in preventative conservation.
Two to four years of field experience is preferred. She/he must
be comfortable working with museum and historical society
volunteers whose knowledge of best practices may be limited.
Patience, organizational ability, problem solving, and adeptness
at providing practical advice are key skills. This position
requires extensive travel, primarily around the State of
Vermont.
Interested and qualified applicants are
encouraged to email a cover letter and resume, along with names
and contact information of three professional references, to
vmga@valley.net or by mail to: Project Director Search, Vermont
Museum & Gallery Alliance, c/o Billings Farm & Museum,
P.O. Box 489, Woodstock, VT 05091. Please, no phone calls.
CPA at Vermont Community Foundation
The Vermont Community Foundation seeks a CPA to lead the
accounting work of the Foundation. This position oversees all
accounting policies, procedures and reports as well as ensures
the integrity of the Foundation's accounting systems, software
and data. Ten years non-profit accounting experience
desired. Foundation and/or planned giving experience preferred.
Desire to work in support of the Foundation' s Ends Policy to
create Healthy Vital Vermont Communities. Send application (www.vermontcf.org),
letter and resume to the VCF, P.O. Box 30 Middlebury, VT
05753 EOE Or contact Faith Brown at 802-388-3355, fbrown@vermontcf.org.
Gallery Assistant, Bryan Memorial
Gallery, Jefferson, Vermont
Position Opening: May through October, approximately 24 hours
per week
Jeffersonville, Vermont, art gallery seeks
responsible, energetic, and friendly individual for a part-time
temporary position. Opportunity to get involved with the local
and regional art community in spacious, well-established gallery
setting. Duties include greeting the public, selling
paintings,assisting with exhibition installations, and
maintaining inventory. Some weekend and evening hours required.
Sales experience preferred.
To apply, submit resume and cover letter to
Bryan Memorial Gallery, P.O. Box 340, Jeffersonville, VT 05464
or info@bryanmemorialgallery.org
Questions? Please call (802) 644-5100.
For more information about Historic Vermont,
to subscribe or to unsubscribe to the email version, or to
submit something for publication please contact Meg Campbell,
Editor. ptv@sover.net
|
|
