Homestead Preservation

Frances Perkins Homestead National Historic Landmark
Preservation in Process, 2022

Laying the Groundwork for Opening to the Public in 2023

National Park Service Signage

Building project sign installed at site entrance,  May 2022. The COVID pandemic significantly delayed the work start date.

Window removed from ell dormer, north side of Frances Perkins Homestead. The dormer, added circa late 1960’s, resulted in compromising the structural integrity of the ell. Looking out the dormer following window removal. Installing new roof trusses and rafters to return structural integrity to the ell section of the Frances Perkins Homestead. 
Leveling 1837 Frances Perkins Homestead National Historic Landmark barn. The north end is raised 14″ to align with the south façade. This is the west wall of the barn, June 20, 2022. Once the barn has been raised, cribs are installed temporarily to hold the structure level as new foundation structures are put into place. This is the barn’s north wall.  Here the temporary cribs have been removed, replaced by permanent foundation stone footings here carefully crafted and stabilized prior to the final lowering of the level barn structure. 
Readying Homestead Barn for Restoration

Readying the Homestead barn for preservation during winter 2021. Each board was numbered, then removed and stored in a safe location. After the barn foundation restoration is completed, the boards will be replaced in their original order.  [At right: time lapse video of workers removing floorboards]

Architects and contractors inspect the 1837 Brick House cellar.

Brick and Stone are temporarily removed from Brick House basement floor to allow for new footings – to be returned to their original locations when the footing work is completed.

Emptying Corn Crib

The Corn Crib is emptied of its contents before critical roof truss repair work can begin. [At right video: Corn Crib contents being moved to an onsite storage container for safe keeping]

Executive Director Michael Chaney stands by newly laid underground utility lines.

Restoring Porch and New Accessible Entrance

Footings are put into place for a restored historic porch and new accessible entrance, north side of the 1837 Brick House.

First Layers of New Parking Area

Unloading material for the new visitor parking area

New Parking Area Framing

The new visitor parking area taking form at the north side of the Frances Perkins Homestead 

Shining a light on Frances Perkins' legacyFinally getting her due