This was a doctor's office built in 1810. The building was also a barber shop, an oyster bar (local thing) and an ice cream stand over the years. The batten door and 12 over 12 window, with all the glass, (and original shutters) were all intact. The front gable end had collapsed into the structure but, stayed intact. The original building was what appeared to be a small section of P&B barn with a section added to it and clapboarded. 2 of the sill beams had rotted and the other two were cedar and looked almost new.
Wen the HO bought the house and property her insurance company gave her 60 days to fix this building or tear it down. She really didn't have enough money to have it done and didn't have time to search for grants. She was referred to my mother who is a local "loud mouth" about saving old and historical buildings. I volunteered to do the restoration for free if she bought the materials. I put a few adds in the local free papers asking for any materials people might have. Luckily, at the local airport, there was a pile of random width 5/4" pine sitting since WWII. That and a few donations and a couple of piles of brick later, we got the little building together. The insurance company gave her more time once we started work.
Aside from a few months of free lunches, a few newspaper stories for some free plugs, it was one of my favorite jobs. I had a few people volunteer a few hours but mainly, it was me all alone. It was great. I also taught myself to build a free-standing chimney. That may have been the best part...
(1995)
Inside are cypress floors, (5/4 X 12" donated at 1/2 price by a local lumber yard) The roof members are (unfortunately) modern dimensional lumber. The roof (now finished) is 18" #1 cedar shakes. It's been left to be easily disassembled if the money for a true restoration ever came through. It's only historically important locally as George Washington was dead when it was built and unable to sleep here...lol. About 2 years ago, during a storm, the large poplar tree behind it broke off at the top and came down on top of the building. Aside from 20-30 shakes being broken and a piece of fascia board cracking, the little thing didn't budge. Still, when I got that phone call I almost cried.
(1996)
I'm not sure where the latest pictures of the finished building are but, if I find them, I'll post them.
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