Upcoming Exhibition and Presentation at the Greater Philadelphia Historic Home Show

We’re very excited to extend an invitation to you to join us at the Greater Philadelphia Historic Home Show Show March 10-11 in Oaks, PA. Visit our display booth where we will be giving demonstrations and providing a complete package of resources for your historic building.

LimeWorks.us produces appropriate historic masonry repair materials for respective applications to ensure a long-term service life for the conservation of our region’s cultural heritage as represented by its vintage architecture.

Andy deGruchy, owner of LimeWorks.us will presenting on the importance of proper repairs for vintage masonry.

How to repair vintage masonry successfully the first time with in-kind repairs that don’t offend.

 Many historic homes that have had no restoration work are in better condition than others that have been repaired improperly. Learn from the fatal mistakes homeowners and professionals often make regarding historic buildings. Understand how damaging Portland Cement has caused headaches and sometimes irreversible destruction to countless historic homes built during the 18th, 19th and early 20th Centuries. Educated homeowners are able to properly repair their historic homes the first time. Come to this one hour presentation and learn how to embark on a successful repair campaign on your historic home.

Also, take a few minutes to listen to a recent interview Andy had with the National Center for Preservation Technology & Training. A few of the topics discussed include confusion surrounding lime terminology, the application of lime mortars, master stonemason Ian Cramb and our efforts here at LimeWorks.us to educate others on the importance of using lime.

Get a discounted ticket to the show.

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)

Limelight on Stonemason and Sculptor Steve Snyder of Bucks County

“Using appropriate mortar is something I’ve been interested in as long as I’ve been in masonry and it’s something you never stop learning about and trying to get right.Using Natural Hydraulic Lime has been a big part of making mortar that’s better for the buildings we’re working on…”

-Steve Snyder

Take a Look: Our first “Spark Segment” featuring stonemason and sculptor Steve Snyder, one of Andy’s favorite Masons, from Point Pleasant Pennsylvania. Steve has a lifetime of experience working as a mason in Eastern PA and continues to be fascinated with the historical use and application of lime mortars. Steve began his career as a mason and says he would find stones that spoke to him. He would keep those stones and form them into shapes of animals and other objects. This fascination developed and he became a self-taught stone sculptor. Steve now juggles both careers as a mason and sculptor. His home is a testament to his skill and passion, a garden of sculptures surrounds his property where he hosts yearly parties.

If you have an interesting story you would like to tell us which highlights a unique building artisan, a talented architect, engineer or just an inspiring place please contact us and maybe we can shine the limelight on a segment of the story for all to enjoy.

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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