The Timber Frame Assessment Reports for the “Boodey Cape House” and the “Mooney Damon Barn” are not just documents but the backbone of our preservation efforts. They are crucial in guiding building stewards and engineers in understanding the frame's date and explaining its historical significance. These reports are instrumental in developing final construction and mechanical drawings, structural drawings, annotated photo documentation, suggested repair prioritization, phasing, and cost estimates. Ultimately, they aid in determining the final cost of preserving the buildings. Their importance cannot be overstated, as they are the key to ensuring the longevity of these historic structures.
House Timber Frame Assessment Photos
Barn Timber Frame Assessment Photos
“In North America, timber structures have been built since the first Europeans arrived 400 years ago,” as stated in the “Guild to Structural Evaluation of Exiting Timber Structures” document TFEC 3-2019. If maintained and protected from biological agents of destruction, the preservation of these structures can extend their service life indefinitely. Timber construction, distinct from its much younger cousin light-frame wood construction, commonly referred to as stick framing, is characterized by the size of the members, underscoring the importance of their preservation.
Working with historic buildings and structures is not just a technical task but a philosophical and aesthetic challenge. Many complex issues are raised, such as the preservation of significant carvings, markings, structural elements, and structural relationships. These elements must remain in context within a building to enable us to make sense of its development and preserve its history. However, these elements may be structurally unsound. This dilemma makes us ask difficult questions: do we sacrifice some to save others? Do we preserve all at all costs? Will the only solution to keeping them detract from them and reduce their impact? Such issues demand an integrated design process between all construction disciplines, highlighting the complexity and importance of our work.
The Zechariah Boodey House is a classic example of a nineteenth-century New England Cape-style single-family dwelling with a central chimney. It features English Tying joints. Its timber joinery was custom-mated to its neighbors and marked using Roman numerals, typical of the English Scribe Rule. A nineteenth-century, two-story addition was constructed on the west end of the House, and the original “log cabin” was added to the east end of the House at some point. The House’s East Room holds historical significance as the site where the birth of the Free Will denomination occurred on June 30, 1780, under the leadership of Elder Benjamin Randal(l).
The Mooney Damon Barn typifies an early nineteenth-century Yankee Barn with its original threshing floor. English Tying joints are present. The timber’s joinery was custom-mated to its neighbors and marked using Roman numerals, typical of the English Scribe Rule, a system that custom-fits each joint to an adjoining one. At some point, the barn's function changed to house livestock, and an addition was added to the East Gable end of the barn. The barn’s original location was in New Durham Gore and was once the home of author, lecturer, and humorist Bertha Clark Damon.
The Zechariah Boodey House and the Mooney Damon Barn are not just buildings but living testaments to our past. They embody the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, and method of construction that represent a significant and distinguishable entity. The House and Barn are associated with the lives of persons and events that is significant in our community and nation’s past. The historic preservation of these buildings is not just a task but a responsibility we bear to transmit our understanding of our past to future generations. These community landmarks were from a different period of time, containing materials from over two centuries ago, different building standards, and materials from over two centuries ago. Preserving our heritage is not just a duty but a source of pride for our community, providing a visual of our cultural identity and legacy for the future.