Tag Archives: conservation

Historic Trades Carpentry Workshop

Conservation at Menokin

October 9-10, 2015

Printable Registration Brochure
Printable Registration Brochure

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Students will learn about material preparation and historic precedent: hewing, sawing, riving building materials.

Students will have an opportunity to rive and dress shingles, lath. Students will learn about layout of timber framing, will use traditional chalk line, squares, chisels, saws, mallets and augers to cut mortise and tenon joints, and will assemble some framing.

Students will learn about joinery, and see a demonstration of the bench work of the joiner’s trade. Students will have an opportunity to work with planes, layout tools, chisels and mallets, rulers and gauges, and try their hand at making simple moldings.

We will provide all materials and tools. If students wish, they are welcome to bring any personal antique tools with them they would like to talk or learn about.


ABOUT THE INSTRUCTORS

MATT WEBSTER
Matt Webster is Director of the Grainger Department of Architectural Preservation for the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation.  He oversees the preservation of over 590 original and reconstructed structures in Williamsburg’s Historic Area.  Matt previously served as director of Preservation at Drayton Hall in South Carolina, as well as Director of Restoration at Kenmore in Fredericksburg, Virginia.

GARLAND WOOD
Garland Wood as master carpenter leads Colonial Williamsburg’s Historic Trades carpenters. Over the last thirty years this team of tradesmen and women have made the materials and framed and finished over 40 buildings in Williamsburg’s Historic Area, while presenting the trade to the curious public.

TED BOSCANO
Ted Boscano is a journeyman joiner at Colonial Williamsburg, having first trained under Garland Wood as an apprentice carpenter. Ted’s interest in finish work led him to pursue bench work, and he now leads the Williamsburg’s Historic Trades joiner shop in the traditional production of  windows and doors, molding and furniture.


SCHEDULE

FRIDAY – October 9

  • Arrival and check in: 8:30 – 8:55 AM
  • Workshop starts: 9:00 AM
  • Lunch break: 12:30 – 1:00 PM  (A light lunch is provided
  • Workshop ends: 5:00 PM

SATURDAY – October 10

  • Menokin VC opens: 7:45 AM
  • Workshop starts: 8:00 AM
  •  Workshop ends: 12:30 PM

 

Pre-register for Historic Trades/Carpentry Workshop

 WHEN:
October 9 – 10,  2015

WHERE:
Menokin Foundation, Warsaw, VA

WHAT:
Very hands-on and interactive course work; instruction and techniques will be covered for the following:

• Shingle making
• Chopping mortises
• Making tenons
• Peg making/drawboring
• Planing
• Using molding planes
• Discussion of paneling work, sashes and doors
• And more!

About The Instructors

Matt Webster
Historic Preservation Architect

Garland Wood
Master Carpenter

Ted Boscano
Joiner and Carpenter

Pre-register

 

 

By pre-registering, you are expressing an interest in attending the workshop and would like to receive detailed information when it is available. Pre-registration is not binding in any way.

 

Moving the Stones – Preconstruction Work Summer 2015

By Guest Blogger  Catherine Emery

(For Part I of this Series, follow this link.)

PART II  After two weeks sorting through stones, tagging them and recording their findings, Menokin’s summer interns were ready to get outside and in the field.

With life-sized print outs of Menokin’s HABS drawings delivered and spread out in the yard, Bethany, Sarah and Chris spent two days with architect Nakita Reed and a contractor moving stones onto the drawings.

It was an evolving process, which is to say it wasn’t quite as straightforward as it seemed on paper. Of course, nothing worth doing ever is. The team had the help of a small front loader and were tasked with placing stones that weigh hundreds of pounds the right direction and within the lines of the drawings. Halfway through the day with many of the pieces in place, it was still hard to visualize how it would all come together.

“I don’t know what I thought it would look like,” said puzzled intern Sarah Rogers, “but I’m not sure this is it.”

By the end of day one, though, there was a clear sense of accomplishment and the hard work had paid off. Entire pieces of each elevation had been laid out in stone, giving everyone a clear view of how useful the endeavor would be.

The life size HABS drawings will benefit future contractors, who will be tasked with putting some of the pieces of the Menokin ruin back together. Additionally, the drawings give meaning and purpose to Menokin’s rock yard. Now, visitors to the site can see where all those stones go and how they fit into the larger scope of work at Menokin.

For Sarah, Bethany and Chris, the four-week internship went by fast. They provided an invaluable service to Menokin and in return all expressed deep gratitude for their time there.

Of her time on site Bethany Emenhiser said, “I learned that things don’t always work out in the field the way they look on paper. I learned how fun and important it is to do field work because you learn to be flexible. Menokin was a great place to learn that.”

“Intern”pretations – Episode 1: Emily

emily lyth has been an intern at menokin since april 2014. she lives in richmond county with her family and is currently pursuing her bachelor’s degree from drexel university’s online degree program.

“I started visiting the trails at Menokin back in April. As a new intern, I felt it was important to educate myself about The Menokin Foundation. To me, that meant going beyond simply learning about Francis Lightfoot Lee and the history of the Menokin house; I wanted to explore the land and the property that are such an intrinsic part of Menokin’s story.

So when the weather got a little warmer, I laced up my hiking shoes, charged my iPod, and spent most of my Saturday traveling the beautiful paths through the woods and along Cat Point Creek. Though I hadn’t anticipated it, that was the beginning of a new weekend tradition for me ─ one that has become a great source of relaxation in my life.

The following weekend, I added my camera, some homework, and a book to my backpack and spent the afternoon taking pictures of nature and the wildlife, catching up on homework, and reading.

Whether it’s just to walk and mess around with my camera while I listen to music or to sit at the picnic table by the creek and do homework and read, spending time at Menokin is now something I look forward to after a long or stressful week; the whole property offers a peaceful solitude that can’t be found anywhere else.

Over the last couple of months, I’ve learned that visiting Menokin with friends is a fun way to spend the day enjoying nature, and visiting alone is a great way to relax, de-stress, and clear my mind. Menokin has become like my own little sanctuary ─­­ the place I escape to when I need time alone or need to unwind.

Since I started interning at Menokin, I have felt that I’m part of an organization and experience that is truly special, and I think the property and trails are a great reflection of that feeling.”

Internpretations are blog posts authored by our interns. this glimpse of menokin and its place in the lives of these college students is our attempt to represent an alternative point of view ofa menokin experience. the only instructions are “write about your experience here.” we hope to feature an internpretation each week.

PHOTOS © EMILY LYTH, 2014

Chasing the Illusive Image

Chasing the Illusive Image: The Origins, Identification, and Care of Antique Photographs
Jeffrey W. Allison, VMFA

July 10, 2014 at 6:00 pm at the Menokin Visitor’s Center.
Cost is $10 per person.
Light refreshments will be provided.

This exciting opportunity being offered by Menokin, in conjunction with the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, will interest history buffs and photographers alike, as well as those folks interested in genealogy.

In this lecture, Chasing the Illusive Image: The Origins, Identification, and Care of Antique PhotographsJeffrey W. Allison, photography historian and Manager of Statewide Programs and Exhibitions at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, will discuss the history of photography and how to identify and care for the various types of old photographs in your own collection. He will also share information on how to determine the year a photograph was made and share examples of historic photographic processes.

Participants will view examples of early photograph, including a wonderful Daguerreotype from 1844, and learn the differences between that and later Ambrotypes and Tintypes.

"Rockland" - home of Menokin's Assistant Director, Leslie Rennolds.

“Rockland” –  I will be submitting this picture of my husband’s ancestral home, where we now live. Can’t wait to find out what year it was taken to see if we can figure out who’s in the photograph.

Bring your own photographs to share with Mr. Allison and other attendees. You’ll leave this interactive session with a sound basis on how to identify photographs using information provided in handouts, reference websites and book titles used by Allison in his work with the VMFA.

This includes tips for proper care and storage of various kinds of antique photographs and negatives, as well as the storage and preservation of today’s digital images, which are in greater danger of being lost than any of the 100-year-old images people are likely to own.

The Menokin Foundation is a Statewide Community Partner of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. The collaboration allows Menokin to offer cultural and educational programs provided by the VMFA to our local community.

History on the Go: Making history come alive in our schools

Virginia is steeped in history, much of it originating in the Northern Neck. Yet the reality of our locals schools means bare-bones budgets, and few or no field trips for students to learn about and explore the myriad historic venues right here in their back yards.

web_S4pictures-3413Enter History on the Go. This local program provides regional elementary and middle school students an overview of some of the great educational resources available to them within the Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula.

Collaborating cultural institutions develop presentations and coordinate with the schools for an immersion event.  Five or six stations are set up in the school gymnasium or auditorium. Each class rotates around the room to visit every station, spending 15 minutes learning about, and participating in, a different activity related to that particular site.

On December 4th participating organizations brought their messages to Richmond County Elementary 4th and 5th graders. A whopping 176 students shared in these programs:

Belle Isle State ParkAnimal Adaptations. This station exhibited various animal skins and casts of various footprints. Students learned about living and hunting habits of native species in this region.

Mary Ball Washington Museum and Library – 18th century school, reading and writing. Students discussed a one room classroom environment, using a replica of a classroom.  The students practiced writing on slates and used a quill pen on paper. Discipline and games were also discussed.

Middlesex Museum and Historical SocietyHistorical documents and court web_S4pictures-3411cases. Students reviewed copies of original court records re slaves, property and possessions, and insurance documents and discussed the importantance of record keeping.

Reedville Fisherman Museum – Life cycle and history of oysters and watermen. Showed live oysters and discussed the body makeup (heart, how they breathe, etc.) Students use tongs to transfer oysters and discussed the work of the local watermen.

Richmond County Museum – Indian exhibit and pictograghs. Pointed out the living habits and clothing, medicine, diet, use of tools of Virginia’s indigenous peoples.

Menokin Foundation – Maps and Watershed. Menokin’s Education Coordinator Alice French, and intern Allie Lyth, introduced the word and concept of conservation. Students got a brief history of Francis Lightfoot Lee and how Menokin is using historic conservation in preserving his house.

web_S4pictures-3386They also learned about Menokin’s environmental conservation practices and got to compare a variety of maps,* learning about the types of information these different kinds of maps give us. They then looked at our site and surrounding sites showing the entire Northern Neck in its Rappahannock River Watershed.

*Maps
Captain John Smithʼs early maps of Virginia
Topographic contour maps
Aerial maps
Road maps
Waterway mapsMenokin’s Activity involved studying a map of waterways and locating the headwaters, the tributaries, and the mainstream, and connecting the ends of the river to identify the watershed. The students then became a human

watershed and passed water down through it, learning how water moves within a watershed, that everything surrounding a river affects our water, and that we all use the same water over and over, and that is why conservation is so important.

By participating in programs like History on the Go, Menokin continues to focus and act on its mission to provide educational and cultural opportunities to our regional communities and beyond.

The Menokin Glass House: A Revolutionary Project

Once the home of Declaration of Independence signer Francis Lightfoot Lee, now the evocative crumbling ruins of an 18th century mansion in Virginia’s Northern Neck, Menokin aspires to a future like no other among American Revolutionary sites and conservation efforts.

Menokin is a multi-faceted place, rich in heritage and stories. The site spans 500 acres of land in close proximity to Washington, DC and other major cities and historic sites. At its center is the revolutionary rehabilitation of the Menokin house.

Remaining historical elements and some extracted structural materials from the house will be reinstalled, along with the beautiful woodwork that was removed before the house collapsed in the 1960s. The missing exterior walls, roof, and floors will be recreated in glass and steel to protect the remaining historic fabric, to restore volume and space, and to provide exhibit areas.

Architect Jorge Silvetti and his internationally known firm of Machado and Silvetti Associates leads an interdisciplinary team that has developed our plan. The Glass Project serves as the ultimate case-study in architectural innovation and moves beyond just breaking the mold of the traditional historic house museum. The real potential of Menokin lies in the opportunity to approach its preservation and interpretation in a truly innovative and revolutionary way, embodying the spirit of the place and Francis Lightfoot Lee himself.

Exploring The Watershed Through Art

web_Complete-MuralThe students of Mrs. Ptucha’s 6th-grade science classes at Richmond County Intermediate School had the opportunity to dive into the Chesapeake Bay Watershed recently – with paint and brushes. The students participated in a Project WET activity, Make-a-Mural.

They created a mural depicting various aspects of the Northern Neck watershed area, including its landscape, people, cultures, and natural residents – both plant and animal.

The objective of the project was for the students to define the term watershed;web_mural-painting identify their local watershed and illustrate it, including water resource issues within it.

Using resource information such as an Enviroscape of Menokin and Watershed Maps, and a diagram of the main components of a watershed (Air, Land, Water, People & Transportation, Architecture, History and Tradition) the students listed examples of each category that are included in their local watershed.

web_watershed-map

Lastly they studied History & Traditions: what are ways resources have been used in the past that are different from how they are used today? Using the example of Menokin’s cultures and traditions, these ideas were discussed:

  • The biggest influence on the watershed can be understood through the categories of People and Traditions.
  • Menokin’s people begin with the Rappahannock Indian Tribes, Francis Lightfoot Lee and subsequent owners, including the current Menokin Foundation.
  • The Land and its use has changed some over time. Originally used mostly for farming and grazing, most of the land is now under a conservation easement and only a small portion is cultivated.
  • The Menokin Foundation is now developing the site as an educational and cultural center with a focus on historic and environmental education. As a result, more buildings may be added to the landscape to accommodate these goals. There are also plans to further develop the trail system for visitors use. In doing so, what sort of BMPs (best management practices) should need to be considered for each area of the watershed?

With all of this new-found knowledge and food for thought swirling in their heads, web_paint-and-brushesthe students were then asked to begin on the mural. Using foam core panels, and acrylic paint, each student worked on designated portions of the watershed – air, land and water.

As you can see from the finished mural above, the results are outstanding. Using color and expression in a way only children can master, the finished product is a true work of art web_kids-paintingand is hanging in the hallway at the school.

Funding for the A River Runs Through Us Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience was provided by the Chesapeake Bay Trust.

Programming funds were also made possible from a generous environmental grant from the Dominion Foundation.

The program was coordinated by TREE (Three Rivers Environmental Educators) and Alice French, Education and Outreach Coordinator at The Menokin Foundation. This was the first of several programs developed by TREE for Richmond County School and their STEM initiative.

Menokin Carpentry Workshop Nailed It!

What better way to spend a rainy, Northern Neck weekend than in a wood shop, surrounded by antique (and yes, some electric) tools, aromatic shavings and fun people?

A group of 15+ gathered at Menokin on an early October weekend to learn some tricks of the trade in restoring and recreating wooden features of old buildings. Instructors from Oak Grove Restoration shared helpful information such as choosing the right wood for the job, the history of wood and why the old stuff is better than the new stuff, and which tools do what.

Plenty of hands-on activities had students carving, scraping, smoothing, sharpening and drilling. Enjoy the pictures!

Stayed tuned for information about our next workshop, which will probably be in the Spring.