Newsletter - Sagadahoc Preservation Inc.

SAGADAHOC
PRESERVATION, INC.
SPI
Newsletter
The
P.O. Box 322
Bath, ME 04530.
SAGADAHOC PRESERVATION, INC.
Box 322, Bath, Maine 04530
E-mail: [email protected]
www.sagadahocpreservation.org
Winter/Spring 2008
SPI’s Education Program Expands - Martha Mayo
Est. 1971
Winter/Spring 2008
Trustees and Officers:
Peter Kahl, Co-President
(term expiring 2009)
Elizabeth Knowlton, Co-President
(term expiring 2009)
Elena Vandervoort, Secretary
(term expiring 2009)
Kathryn Klingaman, Treasurer
(term expiring 2009)
Terms expiring 2009
Ray Fredrick
Sue Fitzgerald
Terms expiring 2008
Carolyn Lockwood
Arthur Jensky
Martha Mayo
Jane Kresser
Patty Sample
Paul Seaman
Terms expiring 2010
Judith Barrington
Tina Goodman
Jane Morse
Thomas Pagnotti
Avanel Payne
Beverly Reynolds
SAGADAHOC PRESERVATION, INC. www.sagadahocpreservation.org
For one year’s membership, clip and send to:
SPI, P.O. Box 322, Bath, ME 04530. Please make
checks payable to Sagadahoc Preservation, Inc.
❐ $20 Single
❐ $35 Family
❐ $50 Patron
Name:_______________________________________
I wish to volunteer:
❐Preservation
❐Development
❐Winter Street Center
❐House & Walking Tours
❐House Plaque Research
Address:_____________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
Phone:_____________________________________
Email:________________________________________
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%
❐ $100 Sponsor
❐ $20 Nonprofit
❐ $50 Business
❐Education
❐Development
❐Membership
❐Newsletter/Publicity
❐Website
Morse High Students listening to Reverend Dole talk about the architectural history of the Church of the New Jerusalem.
Built in 1844, it is Bath’s premier example of the Greek Revival Temple Style of architecture.
This past fall, SPI President Peter Kahl brought a group of Morse students for a “long advisory period”
on a walking tour. After opening remarks by Reverend George Dole in the Church of the New Jerusalem,
SPI volunteers Peter Kahl, Gerard Dorian, Judy Barrington, Martha Mayo and Tina Hammond divided the
students into two groups and lead them on a circuit of Middle, North, and Washington Streets to the home
of Mr. and Mrs. D, the miniature horses that reside at the Gothic Revival home of Mr. and Mrs. Zimowski
on Washington Street. From there the students either went to the Winter Street Center or the City Park in
front of the Library for more architecture information before returning to school.
Once again, it was heartening to realize that many of them remembered their 4th Grade experience
with SPI. Others were quick to pick up on styles and details. It is clear that all of these students have a
greater appreciation for the built community of Bath because of SPI’s Education Programs.
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...continued on page 4
LETTER FROM THE CO-PRESIDENTS
Bath Mystery Interior
Winter Street Happenings
What a relief, spring is in the air! SPI has had a really busy winter. Our January
Trustees meeting was held at the home of Marie and John James on Garden Street. We
had a tour of the house, followed by a slide show that gave us a great picture of the before
and during stages of the restoration – their house is wonderful – we will sign them up for
the house tour next year.
We hosted a workshop on March 30th at the Winter Street Center featuring Jon
Brandon, a former SPI trustee and furniture conservator extraordinaire! Jon talked about
chair repair, demonstrating how best to dismantle a chair for gluing, not nailing! We had
75 attendees, including some who became first time members; everyone was really pleased with both the workshop and
the turnout – a perfect kickoff for our workshop series- stay tuned for more.
Main Street Bath hosted its 2nd Annual “So You Think You Know Bath” event on April 5th at Winter
Street Center, and SPI had a team this year. It is a great event that supports a terrific program and the entire Bath
Community. The Chocolate Church team of Barbara Gaul, Mary Eosco and Pat Taggart won with the most accurate
answers and lightening buzzer strikes.
The “Button–up Winter Street Center” Campaign was a great success this year, raising more than $9000
to heat, light and tighten up the building for the winter; thank-you to all of our members and friends who chose to
contribute.
Speaking of Winter Street Center, we held two focus group meetings on March 27th and April 2nd .
We invited community leaders, non-profit directors, SPI members and friends to participate in brainstorming sessions
to help us to see what the community envisions for the restored Sanctuary. The goal of SPI is to preserve Winter Street
Center for community use. To that end we need to define the possible future use of the Sanctuary before embarking on
the capital campaign. We found the process informative and helpful.
And then there is the Podcast Project! Elena Vandervoort and Gerard Dorian have been writing the script
for a walking tour of selected Bath homes – it is an exciting project and an adventurous one- the first phase will be out
by the summer! This is a joint effort between the City Tourism Committee and SPI. We will let membership know
when it is available to download or where you may borrow equipment so that you too may walk the streets of Bath and
hear about the days of yore.
SPI Co-president Elizabeth Knowlton and Winter Street
Oversight Committee Chair Patty Sample address the
March 27th Focus Group.
This photo is in our files without a caption. The fireplace
in the background could be a clue as to this room’s location.
One of the Washington Street Italianates perhaps?
On March 27 and April 2, the Winter Street Oversight
Committee hosted two Focus Group Sessions. A broad spectrum of people from the Bath area were invited to attend,
ranging from the Chocolate Church, City representatives,
other local non-profit heads, caterers, and groups from out
of town such as the Choral Arts Society and Mid-Coast Orchestra. In anticipation of beginning our capital campaign
for the restoration of the former Sanctuary, we want to make
sure that we will be providing a space to be used by the community. We are currently assessing their input which is vital
to the future use of of our great space.
Bath Mystery House II
Jon Brandon-Furniture Conservator
As you can see, SPI has been really busy! All of these events are in addition to the 4th Grade School Program, the June House Tour, the House Plaque Research and the May 17 Antiques and Ephemera Auction.
In closing, we must say good-bye to two great friends of preservation. Peter Robohm died on February
28th. Peter and his wife Sharon moved to Bath just 10 years ago and Peter soon became an invaluable volunteer in the
Bath and Midcoast community. Peter had a passion for trains and railroads and was instrumental in the renovation
of the Bath Train Station, Chairing the Bath Transportation Commission which oversaw the project. Peter joined us
at the Annual Meeting in 2007 and received SPI’s Preservation Award on behalf of the work of the Commission, the
City of Bath, MDOT, Maine Historical Commission, Bath Iron Works, SPI, The Bath Garden Club and the Southern
Midcoast Maine Chamber - truly a community-wide project. We shall remember Peter fondly as we continue on the
course he charted for us and for the City of Bath.
And our past president, Trustee Emeritus, Charter Member and preservation guru, Mel Rogers, died on March
27th, leaving a hole in the hearts of all who knew her. (See page 3 for more on Mary Ellanor Donnell Rogers)
Fair Winds and Following Seas, Good Friends, from the City of Ships.
Peter Kahl &
Elizabeth Knowlton
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This photo is also in our files. Can anyone identify
this two family federal style house, now long gone? Note
the two-toned paint scheme on the handsome front
On March 30th, as the first in our revival of the
SPI Lecture series, past trustee Jon Brandon gave a talk
on “Preserving Antique Furniture”. Attendees were encouraged to bring a small piece of antique furniture or
photo for advice. The talk consisted of a slide/lecture
presentation along with a demonstration on repairing an
old chair. Jon is the owner of the East Point Conservation Studio located in the Fort Andross building in
Brunswick. He is a graduate of the Smithsonian Conservation Training Program and has had more than 25 years
of experience in private conservation practice.
New Attraction at Winter Street
Recently, the Winter Street Oversight Committee undertook a small project. Over the years, Sagadahoc Preservation
has received a number of awards. It was decided that these
honors should be matted, placed in matching frames and
hung in the entry hall for all to see.
Each of the awards, in chronological order, is now on
display. The committee is grateful to Bath artist Elizabeth
Messler who contributed her time and framing talent. Many
thanks to Art Jensky for hanging them. Please stop and look
at the new display next time you visit Winter Street.
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Old House Windows - What to Do? - Judith Barrington, HDARC Chair
Mary E.D. Rogers, Charter Member of SPI - Elizabeth Knowlton
with Diane Curtis (Dee) Francis and others she was responsible for helping to create the first National Historic
District in Bath. Mel may be best remembered for working on the first survey of all buildings in the city starting
with those built before 1920 and later to include those
built up to 1985.
As a preservation society, SPI recommends that if you own an older home you should do everything in your power to
restore the wooden windows you have. The argument being that with proper restoration the wooden windows will outlast the
guaranteed lifetimes of the vinyl and aluminum substitutes as well as maintain the inherent character of the design. Along with
a few statewide courses to teach individuals simple techniques to increase their home’s energy efficiency and preserve its historic
integrity for years to come*, there are several old window preservation carpenters in Maine including Bath carpenter Nate Jung
who specializes in this area. The Historic District Architectural Review Committee (HDARC) has been faced many times with
owners who insist on changing their old wooden windows to new ones, the most recent being the Sewall mansion at 963 Washington Street, Since this structure is a Bath “flagship” building within our historic district, I recently contacted Mike Johnson
of the Maine Historic Preservation Commission as to what type of replacement window is acceptable to the Commission within
Historic Districts or in any building eligible for the National Register of Historic Places.
Mike responded by submitting the following outline:
Mel served for many years on the Board of Trustees
of Sagadahoc Preservation Inc., as well as serving as
our president, secretary, preservation officer and in later
years, the head of the finance committee. She was still
an active member of the Winter Street Center Oversight
Committee at the time of her death. Mel also served on
the Board of Maine Preservation and was a member from
Maine on the Board of Advisors of the National Trust for
Historic Preservation. In 1986, she received a State of
Maine Historic Preservation Award and, in 1999, Maine
Preservation’s Statewide Historic Preservation Award.
“Based on the information submitted, I have concluded that the subject property is likely eligible for nomination to the National Register of Historic Places. Therefore we are recommending that the existing windows be
restored if this is possible within reasonable means (ie: repairing with wood putty, re-glazing, scraping/stripping
and painting, and weather stripping).
If restoration of the existing windows is not possible, and the windows must be replaced, the following replacement window specifications must be followed:
1) The replacement sash lite configurations must match the existing (i.e.: 2-over-2, 6-over-6, etc.);
2) Replacement windows must match the existing as closely as possible in materials (aluminum clad wood windows/sash are acceptable, vinyl windows/sash are not acceptable), design and dimensions (including exposed
glass area and overall dimensions, as well as rail, stile and muntin widths);
3) All original exterior and interior trim must be retained;
4) Any replacement window/sash model must include permanent exterior muntins (or “grills”), permanent or
removable interior muntins, and must have shadow bars between panes at the muntins (usually referred to as truedivided lite, integral divided lite, or authentic divided lite models);
5) If the stipulations above can be met by replacing the sash only (rather than the entire window unit), only the
sash shall be replaced. If not, the window units may be replaced. If any of the these stipulations cannot be met by
either alternative, further consultation with the Commission is required.
The following window and sash replacement products have been reviewed and found acceptable to our office
for similar projects, though this is not a guarantee they will be acceptable for the subject project. There may be
other products that are equally acceptable that are not included on this list.
Brosco ----------------- Authentic Divided Lite
Anderson -------------- Woodwright
Kolbe & Kolbe --------Heritage
Weathershield --------- Legacy
Harvey -----------------Majesty
Pella--------------------- Precision Fit Architect Series
Trimline----------------Ultra-fit Series
Lincoln----------------- Simulated Divided Lite w/internal aluminum gridwork
Marvin------------------Heritage windows – custom designed
Implementation of these recommendations into the scope of work for the proposed undertaking will likely result in a finding from our office that there will be no adverse effect to the historic property in question. Measured
drawings of the existing windows, and specifications and product information on the replacement sash or windows
product being proposed should be submitted”.
Note: The new owners are planning to use one of the above listed vendors.
* SPI would consider a workshop on wooden window restoration as part of our lecture series. (See article on page 4.)
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It is with great sadness that we report the death of
Mary Ellanor Donnell (Mel) Rogers, a charter member
and Trustee Emeritus of Sagadahoc Preservation, Inc.
Mel was one of the first to welcome many of us when
we chose Bath as our home. She was a mentor, advisor,
teacher and friend to many aspiring old house owners and
preservationists. Mel, you will be sorely missed.
Mel’s Maine roots are long and deep; Donnell ancestors arrived in York, Maine in the early 17th century, and
she is a direct descendent of Henry Donnell who came
to Bath in 1843 to work in the Donnell Ropewalk. As a
child, Mel and her family lived in Bath for a short time,
between years in China, Michigan and later Japan. After
graduating from Smith College and during World War
II, Mel worked for the OSS, predecessor of the CIA. Mel
and her husband, Colonel Joseph Rogers, moved to Bath
upon Joe’s retirement from the Army in 1967 and, in the
midst of raising their sons, Chad and DJ, Mel jumped
into Bath as a volunteer extraordinaire!
Memorial contributions may be made to
Sagadahoc Preservation Inc.
for the Winter Street Center
Building Endowment Fund.
PO Box 322, Bath Maine 04530
As Mel’s interest in the historic preservation movement
grew, she became a consummate preservation advocate,
working with a small group of original SPI members
to save the Winter Street Church and what is now the
Chocolate Church Arts Center. She was a founder and
a continuing supporter of the Chocolate Church, and
she was instrumental in establishing the Winter Street
Endowment Fund. As the civic affairs chairman of
the Bath Garden Club, Mel was a member of the Ad
Hoc Committee on Downtown Restoration and of the
Waterfront Park Committee and as such, was involved
in the restoration of downtown Bath by burying power
lines, replacing the street lights with the period lighting
we now have, and re-bricking the side walks as well as
working with property owners to restore facades. Along
Curtis Henderson and Mel Rogers at last year’s SPI Gala,
a Winter Street Center fund raising projct dear to Mel’s heart.
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...continued from page 1
They sketched the feature and then molded them in clay
that was fired into tiles. These tiles were framed for presentation at the Expeditionary Exhibition; they have an accompanying catalogue that shows the address of the house,
the style, and the name of the architectural feature.
Vince Chatto, one of the participating Social Science teachers at the Middle school, offered the framed
tiles to SPI, and the SPI trustees voted to accept the gift.
We are hoping that the tiles can be exhibited at the Visitor’ Center at the Railroad Station this summer and then
come home to the Winter Street Center.
Volunteers Gerard Dorian, Judy Barrington and Rev.
George Dole are well dressed and ready for a chilly walk
around Bath’s North End Historic District last November
SPI Revives Lecture Series
In the early days of SPI, there was a very strong lecture program, and it was a money-maker for the organization. Several years ago, SPI sponsored some excellent
lectures, but there has been a hiatus. On Sunday, March
30, 2008, a very well received lecture by former trustee
Jon Brandon on “Preserving Antique Furniture” got us
back on track.
Besides reaching out to the high school, the traditional fourth Grade Education Program by the SPI Education Committee was expanded in the Fall of 2007 to
accommodate the Purple House’s Expeditionary program
“Beyond Bath Buildings.” The Purple House of eighth
graders combined Art, Social Studies and Language Arts
in a mixed discipline focus on architecture in Bath. SPI
volunteers participated in the kick off by giving a Power
Point presentation on a wide range of Bath buildings at
Winter Street Center to numerous small groups of students. During the mornings, the groups were also circulating through a walking tour, an introduction to the
History Room at the library, and the start of sketching
lessons. We made a point of reviewing the architectural
details that many of these students had been exposed
to as 4th graders and were pleased to note that many of
them remembered!
Back in the classroom, students looked at various
styles in an era and learned what features defined those
styles. They used pictures on the City Assessor’s Office
website, and determined, not surprisingly, that Greek
Revival is the most prevalent style. They also reviewed
SPI and Main Street Bath walking tours. Groups of four
students then chose one house from 20 representative
houses and focused in on specific architectural features.
Seventy six people attended the lecture, and, while it
was a “gift to the community,” the group donated $200.
What is even better, several of them became members!
A number of the attendees completed an “Information
Gathering” piece which asked them to indicate which of
the following topics would be of interest to them. There
were a lot of new faces, so we are asking for input from
established members as well. Please take 5 minutes and
indicate the topics for lecture that you might attend.
We have tentatively engaged Earle Shettleworth, Director of the Maine Historic Preservation Commission,
to lecture on our own Bath born Francis Fassett (teacher
of John Calvin Stevens) on November 5, 2008. Raise
your hand if you are interested…
• Greek Revival in Bath, ME (author Joyce Bibber)
• Upholstery techniques
• A Primer on Architectural Styles in Bath, ME
• Francis Fassett: Bath born, Maine famous (11/5/08)
• Making old houses more energy efficient
• Repairing old windows
• Nathan Lipfert “Victorian Interiors”
(Please suggest a topic of interest to you)
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Send your preferences to [email protected] , call 443-7124 or drop a line to SPI, P. O. Box
322, Bath, ME 04530. While you’re at it, include your
email address. With the growing cost of postage, we
would prefer to communicate via email.
COMING EVENTS AND DATE CHANGES
Sagadahoc Preservation, Inc.
is sponsoring an
Antiques and Ephemera Auction
Saturday, May 17, 2008 from 6:00.p.m.
at Winter Street Center
!
e
t ge 880 Washington Street, Bath, ME
a
D an Join us for suitable refreshments and lots of fun.
Ch
Members! Friends! We need your help!
Please check your attic, basement, sheds, over-flowing china closet, and jewelry boxes.
We can use rugs, furniture, paintings, vases, mirrors, etc... To donate items, please call: Ray
Fredrick, 442-9948, Art Jensky, 443-6610, or Bev Reynolds, 443-8812
Pick-up is available.
SPI Presents its 6th Annual House Tour
Open Houses &
Hidden Gardens
of Bath
Stunning homes and fabulous gardens
of distinction to peruse at your leisure.
An added plus, the historic Beth Israel
Congregation Synagogue will be featured
in the afternoon.
Saturday, June 14th, 2008
10:00 a.m.– 3:00 p.m.
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