Learn how to restore a period home

— From https://www.mcwb-arch.com/lang-hill-farm

Before: In 2011, when Mesick Cohen Wilson Baker Architects started work on this mid-19th-Century farmhouse in Washington County, it had suffered from years of neglect.

— From https://www.mcwb-arch.com/lang-hill-farm

After: The Lang Hill house, near New York’s border with Vermont, was restored with all new building systems and additions to accommodate modern living conveniences.

To the Editor:

The New Scotland Historical Association’s first program of the 2019-20 season features retired architect John Mesick. He will discuss how one should go about restoring a period house.

John’s firm, Mesick Cohen Wilson Baker Architects, worked for nearly 40 years restoring the interior of the New York State Capitol and on restoration projects at Thomas Jefferson’s two homes, Monticello and Poplar Forest.

However, as stated on the firm’s website, its work “ranges from the strictest building conservation of National Historic Landmarks to researched conjectural historic reconstructions of lost landmarks … to modern buildings and additions.” Also mentioned is the firm’s experience with historic masonry systems including its leadership in “the resurgence of lime and natural cement mortars.”

This aspect of the firm’s expertise may be of special interest to devotees of period structures in our locale given the prevalence of lime and of historic lime kilns in this area.

This informative and interesting program will be presented on Tuesday, Oct. 1, at 7:30 p.m., at the Wyman Osterhout Community Center in New Salem on Old New Salem Road. Admission is always free. Also, the association’s museum will be open one half hour before the program.

Judy Kimes

Publicist

New Scotland

Historical Association

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