Restoration of the Eldridge Street Synagogue in New York City with Ecologic® Mortar

In the heart of what is now Chinatown on the Lower East Side in Manhattan lives the Eldridge Street Synagogue. A very important Jewish Synagogue built in the late 1800s, it was the first synagogue to be built by the Eastern European Jews emigrating from Russia, Romania and Poland. The synagogue flourished for its first 50 years and was revered for its gorgeous vaulted ceilings and stained glass windows. But the membership began to dwindle following the great depression and was abandoned in the 1950s. Harsh city life ate away at the building, it became home to flocks of pigeons and other critters. Leaks developed and the stairs became unstable, the remaining members retreated to the basement where they remained for almost half a century.

The rescue effort of the Eldridge Street Synagogue began in the late 70s when volunteers and the Friends of the Eldridge Street Synagogue initiated efforts that led to an $18.5 million dollar repair campaign. This campaign included repointing work of the facade using Ecologic® Mortar from LimeWorks.us Additional repairs to the ceiling, wallpaper, paint and almost every aspect of the central room was restored returning it to its original glory. The final element was set during the fall of 2010, the stained-glass window commissioned by Kiki Smith and Deborah Gans is the only 21st century element inside the historic space.

More details of the Eldridge Street Synagogue restoration can be found in the latest issue of Traditional Building Magazine

-LimeWorks.us (Linked-in : Blog : Facebook : Twitter)

Facade after restoration, photo credit: Kate Milford

All Photos Copyright Sean K Maxwell

LimeWorks.us in the Big Apple, our recent visit to NYC

This week, some of the team members from LimeWorks.us ventured up to the Big Apple to take a look at a few places that have used our materials over the years and connect with other like-minded folks in an effort to help do what’s right for our historic built heritage and preserve in-kind. Here is a peek at some of the photos from our trip. Check back in the coming weeks to see some more great photos from New York City and read some stories about our visit.

All Photos Copyright: Sean K Maxwell

-LimeWorks.us (Linked-in : Blog : Facebook : Twitter)

The Historic Spring Grove Farm and Whiskey Distillery, Greencastle, PA

Andy recently visited Greencastle, PA and stopped to see the historic Spring Grove Farm and Whiskey Distillery. The barn was built in 1872 with some unique features in the brickwork. The air vents depict the Easter Lily representing Jesus, the wheat sheaves and the diamond represent the communion wafer. Faint lines show the penciling in the center of the brick joints.

Other artifacts are dispersed throughout the property including an old bottle from the whiskey distillery. Thousands of bricks were also made on site and many still display their lot numbers. There are a few photos with messages written in the masonry as well as a photo of the view from the mill looking up to the barn and carriage house.

The first photo below is actually depictions of the farm and distillery from 1877 by William Wallace Denslow (1856-1915). He spent some time traveling throughout Franklin County, PA drawing for a book called Historic Sketch of Franklin County. Also known as W. W. Denslow, he built his fame and fortune as the illustrator for The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.

Excerpt from Historic Sketch of Franklin County:

On the Greencastle and Williamsport turnpike, two miles south of Greencastle, is the farm, mill and distillery of Mr. Robert Johnson. The farm contains 124 acres of good land and the mill and distillery are well known throughout the surrounding country. Dr. Johnson, who report says was blessed with four hundred and fifty pounds of a wife, was the first settler, and he took out a patent for all the country surrounding. About 1810 Dr. Johnson sold to Samuel Hunter, who twenty-five years later sold to Philip Weaver. Ten years afterwards Mr. Weaver sold to Joseph Whitmore, who, after owning it for seven years, sold to Michael Zellers. Henry Miller, two years later, purchased it and kept it for five years, when Jolin H. Hartle became the owner. On October 29th, 1866, the present owner purchased from Hartle. The grist mill located on the property is a very old one, and Mr. Johnson has had it remodeled and steam power introduced. The distillery was built by Philip Weaver in 1838 and the mansion house in 1867. An addition of a bonded warehouse was made in 1867 and in 1872 the barn was erected. The distillery is known by the name of Spring Grove.

Mr. Robert Johnson was born in Washington township, Franklin county, Pa., on .June 22d, 1825. In 1853 he was married to Margaret Stoops, of Quincy township, who was born January 15th, 1835. By this marriage Mr. Johnson has had seven children born to him, five boys, one of whom is dead, and two girls. In a pleasant country and a beautiful valley, Mr. Johnson has everything he could desire to enjoy life, which he no doubt does.

Saucon Valley Historic Pennsylvania Barn Tour

This past Saturday was the Saucon Valley Conservency 5th annual Historic Barn Tour. The day started off with a presentation at the Beethoven Waldheim Club by Robert Ensminger and Gregory Huber on barn types and styles found throughout Saucon Valley and the Shenandoah Valley. Following the presentation, we all embarked on a self guided tour of 9 historic barns dating back to the late 1700s and early 1800s. Guides greeted us at each barn and some of the homeowners were even there. Many of the barns had been passed through their families for generations. It was amazing to hear some of their stories and see these magnificent barns, all uniquely built with influence from many European countries.

The first barn we visited was converted to a house in 2005 and is now a home full of remnants of the past. The husband is an auctioneer and has filled his home with local antiques from regional dairies and other businesses of yesteryear.

The other barns were all unique, and it was very exciting to see all the small differences. On one barn, the interior was in excellent condition and still covered in the original hot lime with the solid white lime nodules.

Here are some of the best photos of the tour, please take a look.

all photos ©Sean K Maxwell

-LimeWorks.us (Linked-in : Blog : Facebook : Twitter)

Liberty Hall, Quakertown PA

This is Liberty Hall in Quakertown Pennsylvania. It was the home of the Liberty Bell for a night in September 1777. Part of warfare is to destroy the morale of the people you are fighting by destroying their precious icons that define who they are. This is a sort of psychological warfare that goes on while bullets are flying. The British would melt the bells and make bullets and then shoot us with our Liberty Bell if they could. The freedom fighters took the Liberty Bell down from The State House (Independence Hall) and on its long journey to be hid in a basement of a church in Allentown, PA, it rested overnight in a covered Ox cart behind what we now call Liberty Hall in Quakertown. Today, Liberty Hall is a part of the historic fabric of the city complete with a replica of the Liberty Bell.

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A visit to Bricklayers Heaven

We recently went on  visit to Salem, NJ unaware of the epic journey and incredible historic structures we would happen upon… Salem NJ was the original site proposed to be what is now Williamsburg Virginia. Salem was founded in 1675 and main street still holds the charm of an earlier time.

We also took a walk out of town, through the forest in 105° heat to find an amazing house originally built in 1722. The Nicholson house was complete with a lozenge diapering pattern and remnants of the incised line in the center of the brick joints to receive penciling was still visible. The history of this house in not completely clear but was referred to as “The Harbison’s” house, Harbison was the name of a large dairy farm in the New Jersey and Philadelphia region in the 1800s.