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January, 2008

Robert Cottrill, who has been instrumental in the restoration of Walker House from the first day, led a crew with our latest project, the restoring of our kitchen. In the picture to the left, the men are standing in what is the sub-basement to the existing kitchen. All of the flooring and floor joists have been removed so that the foundation can be shored up and new support beams installed. You'll also see in the picture the screens the men are using. Our crew, who need to excavate  by hand the dirt floor a few feet before a cement floor can be poured, are carefully screening every shovel full of dirt for artifacts buried in this historical site. Already various pieces of glass and crockery have been collected for our curator to examine. The original stone foundation has stood up well considering its hundred and fifty years.

Elsewhere the original trimwork around the doors, windows and floor has been reproduced by a crew led by Brian Holloway and its installation is proceeding with the help of many volunteers.

February, 2008

Work continues to progress well this month in our kitchen. The sub-floor has been installed, heating and electrical is being added and the walls are being strapped in preparation for drywalling in the next few weeks.

Meanwhile, Ken Buckingham and Ken Zubrick are proceeding with finishing the wainscoting in our Gift Shop as that room nears completion. The Dining Room will follow with new drywall and floor.

It has been a very busy month for our building committee volunteers. As our deadlines approach we really need the extra help that fortunately Robert Cottrill has been able to muster. The North Room has been completed and received fresh paint so that June Daniel and the Exhibits Committee will start planning our Irish Exhibit, scheduled to open May 1. The Gift Shop trim and wainscotting is completed and the walls ready to be painted. Our biggest changes have been in the Kitchen which is now being drywalled and the Dining Room, our final area, cleared and ready for dry walling. A lot of ground has been covered but a lot needs to be done in the next month!

April, 2008

Our excellent crew of volunteers began to tackle the basement. Fire code regulations require us to completely drywall the basement with fire rated material and it has proven to be quite a challenge, working in a confined space and around the existing stone walls and services (ie duct work) that has already been installed. Upstairs we continue to make progress in the dining room and kitchen with the completion of the drywall in those area, ready to be painted. Outside, we started work on the shed that will be used for artifact restoration and storage. This month we're preparing the site and pouring the concrete foundation with the hopes to raise the building itself in June.