CPA images for grants from 2015 & 2016Historic Northampton
Progress Report to the CPC
Images of work related to the
2014 & 2015 CPA grants
Submitted February 13, 2017
Work on the side porch of Parsons House in 2016
included removing the old porch, replacing joists,
flooring and siding, and regrading the adjacent
grade.
Work on the rear ell of Parsons in 2016 included removing a 20th shed/mudroom, exposing and removing the rotten sill
and removing old or damaged siding. The rotted sill was a replacement from the original; this was determined because
we could see evidence that it had been cut with a circular saw.
After the shed/mudroom was removed, an historic
cistern was uncovered. Staff from UMASS
Archaeological Services met with Historic
Northampton and came up with a plan for moving
forward with construction, while not impacting the
cistern. The area was covered with rubber mats and
then a new white oak beam was installed. Once the
new sill was in place, siding repairs were made.
Note there is also a new, upgraded LED, motion-
detector light on the back of the building as part of
the electrical upgrades.
The rotted sill on the south side of the ell was also replaced
with a white oak timber. The mullions and window in the attic
of Parsons was also repaired.
Contractors Kris Thomson and Alicia Spence build a new
bulkhead on the back of Parsons. It provides easier
access to the basement of Parsons and is connected to
the basement that was excavated and built in 2015.
When the bulkhead was completed, new siding was
installed above the new bulkhead.
Here, Bob Paynter and Linda Ziegenbein, archeologists
from UMASS, inspect the 2015 cellar below the 18th
century kitchen.
Workers installed a new
roof and all new gutters on
the Damon House. The
balustrade along the roof
was removed during the
roofing portion and then re-
installed. It will be repaired
and painted in 2017.
The rotted windows in the back of the Damon Education Center
were removed, insulated, and then new siding was feathered in and
painted. Many other pieces of rotting trim were replaced at the
same time.
A replacement faucet was installed on the Damon House. The
plumbing work had been removed in order to waterproof and
insulate the interior front cellar, which is now completely clean,
finished and organized with new shelving, a new oil tank and a
portion of Historic Northampton’s collections.
With the help of board members, interns and volunteers, all of the paper artifacts and many other items were removed
and cleaned in preparation of framing, waterproofing and insulating the basement below the Damon Education Center.
At the Shepherd House, repairs were made to the roof, the
electrical system and outside plumbing as part of the
building’s restoration and upgrades.
During 2016 the
roofing
contractor
offered to
replace the
rotting roof on
the Gazebo for
the cost of
materials and a
neighbor paid
for the scraping
and painting of a
portion of the
Shepherd Barn.