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Morven Park Exterior Restoration
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Recognizing the residences of individuals who have made contributions to history has always been a specialty. We have worked on the homes of a U. S. President, Governor, College president, African-American leader, and industrialists, agrarians, and craftsmen.

Ash Lawn-Highland

Charlottesville, VA

Over the past thirty years, we have been pleased and proud to work with Ash Lawn-Highland on the restoration of President Monroe’s family home. During that time, we conducted Survey Reports and restoration projects, including the Award-winning restoration of the Monroe House North Wing, reconstruction of the Servants’ Dependency, the Overseer’s House, Smoke House, expansion of the Gift Shop, and, most recently, the construction of the Barn/Pavilion which affords much needed exhibition and entertainment space for this popular local attraction.

Ash Lawn-Highland
Ash Lawn-Highland

Massanutten Lodge

Shenandoah National Park, Skyland, VA

This mountaintop cabin, built in 1911, was the home of George Freeman Pollack, avid naturalist and visionary of the Shenandoah National Park. Work included the restoration of the historic wood decks (the large cantilever deck had been removed entirely), other exterior surfaces, and historic interior finishes which included gentle removal of several layers of grey paint to expose the original historic red oak wall finish. This project received a Design Award from AIA Virginia Society.

Restored lodge exterior
Restored fireplace
Restored interior
Massanutten Lodge

Morven Park Exterior Restoration

Leesburg, VA

Morven Park, an historic house museum located in Leesburg, Virginia, was the residence of many notable Virginians including Thomas Swann, Sr., Thomas Swann, Jr., Mary Mercer Carter, and most recently, Virginia Governor Westmoreland Davis. It is the story of a house that grew. Originally constructed in the late-1700s, by 1903 it contained over 11,000 sq. ft. and was assembled in eleven different building campaigns in the Federal, Greek Revival, Italianate, and Classical Revival styles.

Prior to the development of restoration plans, an extensive Condition Assessment was performed on the exterior. With the assistance of structural engineers and restoration contractors, we analyzed the roof, stucco, brick, windows, doors, woodwork, and foundation. The report included a summary of estimated restoration costs.

Our subsequent work included the full exterior restoration drawings, specifications, and administration. A high-maintenance metal roof (which was not original to any of the building campaigns) was replaced by a Revere “Freedom Grey” zinc coated copper roof to simulate the earlier grey painted roof. Additional work included repair and restoration of historic stucco and brickwork, exterior woodwork, and foundation drainage systems.

Morven Park Exterior Restoration
Morven Park Exterior Restoration

Gibson-Sowell House

Michie Tavern / Charlottesville, VA

Built ca. 1822 near Carter's Bridge, Virginia, by Pleasant Sowell, whom descendants claim was one of Albemarle County's foremost furniture makers, this house underwent a series of evolutionary changes as it passed to his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Abandoned in the mid-1920s, it was rescued from impending destruction by vagrants, vandals, and the elements.

The challenge was to relocate the structure to a new protected site to be used as an interpretive house museum depicting rural mid-19th century life and the various stages of building construction and alteration campaigns. Our charge was to document the structure in situ in sketch and photographic form for its subsequent reconstruction. Working closely with stone masons and other craftsmen, the entire structure was removed piece-by-piece, stone-by-stone, and relocated to its new site. The new site's topography was adjusted to record the original grade, and to reorient the structure to the same direction.

The house was reconstructed to show the visitor its evolutionary changes between the years 1822-1870 through the architectural changes of style, technology, and use. Areas of domestic plaster and lath were left open, showing the visitor the construction techniques, as well as some early concealed sections of the original heart poplar siding. Through investigative analyses, we were able to determine and restore the original paint colors and the configuration of the original front porch and exterior stair. The house was opened to the public in the spring of 1995.

The project received the 1995 Historic Preservation Award from the Thomas Jefferson Branch of the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities.

Restored exterior
Restored kitchen
Restored parlor
Restored stairwell
parlor before
exterior before
Gibson-Sowell House

Rippon Lodge

Woodbridge, VA

Rippon Lodge exterior
Rippon Lodge office
Rippon Lodge parlor
Rippon Lodge

Ben Lomond

Prince William County, VA

Built in 1837 and representing a very high style rural plantation house, Ben Lomond’s original whitewashed plaster walls were “defaced” with the names and company listings of numerous Union soldiers who occupied the building. The conservation of this graffiti was an important element in our restoration efforts on behalf of Ben Lomond. Our first step was the preparation of an Historic Structure Report for the house and its three outbuildings. The Historic Structure Report included a full set of measured drawings of each building, and an in-depth Condition Analysis.

The subsequent restoration of Ben Lomond included exterior restoration of original woodwork, new window sash and glass, new wood shingle roof, while the interior included refinishing of historic floors, patching of damaged plaster, conservation of woodwork, fabrication of new doors matching the historic doors, re-creation of the interior historic paint colors, and the conversion of the early-20th century kitchen wing into a staff room and handicap accessible bathroom.

Ben Lomond
Ben Lomond

Michie Tavern

Charlottesville, VA

This historic tavern, moved from Earlysville, Virginia, in 1928, now houses a museum and dining facility. Over the years, we have provided ongoing restoration and conservation consultation on the historic tavern itself as well as the numerous outbuildings. Michie Tavern is listed on the Virginia Historic Landmarks Register.

Michie Tavern
Michie Tavern

North House

Lewisburg, WV

North House is a remarkable brick residence overlooking the Town of Lewisburg, West Virginia. Built by its Magistrate, it soon was converted into the Star Hotel and Tavern in the mid-1800s. Following the Civil War, it was converted back into a residence, and in the 1920s was remodeled into the President’s Residence for The Greenbrier Women’s College. Subsequently, the State of West Virginia has donated the property to the Greenbrier County Historical Society.

We prepared a Master Plan for the restoration, rehabilitation, and expansion of the North House for the Greenbrier Historical Society, and provided full design and construction administration services through project completion. The project consisted of three separate functions: (1) a restored core that provided interpretation of the original house as a residence and as the Star Hotel, (2) a visitor support area providing reception, gift shop, and other amenities, and (3) an Administration and artifact/archive storage area for the Greenbrier Historical Society, as well as the North House Museum. Temperature and humidity controlled furniture and textile conservation areas are provided, as well as controlled access to the Museum Library’s archives. We planned for public conference and meeting spaces during or after hours. The exterior grounds are designed to provide an interpretive kitchen and garden area, including vegetable gardens, herb gardens, and a fruit and nut orchard.

North House
North House

Grandma Farr’s Cottage

Fairfax, VA

Grandma Farr’s Cottage
Grandma Farr’s Cottage

Pleasant Grove Manor House

Palmyra vicinity, Fluvanna County, VA

The Pleasant Grove Estate, an historic brick residence built in 1854 by William Haden, is a particularly noteworthy structure. A counterpoint to its Greek Revival characteristics its exterior embodies traditional ‘Federal’-style details.

After Fluvanna County, Virginia, acquired the Pleasant Grove estate, our firm oversaw the Exterior Restoration and Interior Rehabilitation of the Summer Kitchen and prepared a Report for the Historic Rehabilitation and Re-Use of the Manor House. Most recently, we assisted the County in compiling Construction Documents for a forthcoming rehabilitation of the Manor House.

Manor House
Pleasant Grove Manor House

Piney River House

Michie Tavern / Charlottesville, VA

This historic structure had been located in Nelson County, Virginia, but was disassembled and stored for thirty years. The reconstruction at Historic Michie Tavern, adjoining Monticello, the home of Thomas Jefferson, began with a careful partial assembly of the building to verify the proper arrangements of the timbers and to review damage from decay. The house was documented, timbers tagged to a plan, and then disassembled again. A new stone foundation was prepared, and the structure was constructed for the third time in its 200 year life. It now serves as a shop on the grounds of Michie Tavern.

Piney River House
Piney River House

Blenheim

Historical Structure Report / Fairfax, VA

Blenheim is an historic residence built by Albert T. Willcoxon in the late 1850s. It stands as a typical example of the late-Federal /mid-Greek Revival styles that were important architectural statements in the mid-19th century. What is particularly notable about Blenheim is its collection of historic Civil War graffiti that was a result of its occupation as a Reserve Hospital for the Union’s 11th Army Corps. It was during this time that numerous soldiers, many of whom were injured, left their ‘mark’ on the plaster walls with their signatures, cartoons, and even noteworthy artistic images of ships and cannons.

The City of Fairfax engaged us to prepare an Historic Structure Report and, subsequently, Restoration Drawings for the 1840 Grandma Farr Cottage that was eventually relocated to the Blenheim property. At present, we are working with the City as their consultant and advisor for the structural reinforcement of the Blenheim house following the 2011 earthquake that caused cracks in the historic graffiti-covered plaster walls and the exterior walls themselves. Future work on this National Register property includes a complete heating and cooling system, electrical upgrades, and lightning protection systems.

Blenheim
Blenheim

ADDITIONAL

Historic House Museums

  • Meadow Farm, Glen Allen, VA
  • Graffiti House, Brandy Station, VA
  • Kemper House Outbuilding, Orange, VA
  • Booker T. Washington Cabin, Malden, WV