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HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION h . 1 1 To: Barry Jacobs, Chair, Orange County Board of Commissioners From: Betsy Underwood, Chair, Historic Preservation Commission Date: June 10, 2002 Subject: Blackwood Farm On behalf of the Orange County Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) I would like to thank the Board of Commissioners for recognizing the importance of the Blackwood Farm as an irreplaceable local resource, and including it among the County's recent acquisitions. Few other sites provide such a link to our architectural and agricultural heritage within such a scenic setting, and we share the Agricultural Preservation Board's assessment that the Blackwood Farm is a special place worthy of preservation. While our appreciation of the site extends to its agricultural legacy our focus is on preserving the house and supporting building complex within its rural context. While the Blackwood farmhouse does not retain the integrity of the house at the Cate property, it exemplifies the common evolution of many Orange County houses, Built with local materials, the original core dwelling was a log structure with a sturdy stone chimney. The house was enlarged two -to -three more times with a series of additions to the rear. Finally during the Blackwood period of ownership, entire house was updated to reflect the popular side -gable bungalow form with the addition of a large front dormer. The "period of significance" for the Blackwood house is around 1920 -1940 because the existing building reflects the Blackwood ownership and expansion; the character of the original sections of the house, which date to the 1820s and 1840s, are no longer visible except for the dates in the chimneys. The early twentieth- century character of the house and its outbuildings does not reduce its importance to the architectural history of Orange County, however. The house tells an important story in its existing condition, in that it documents the success of one local family to undertake a substantial renovation project to update an older house to reflect current architectural trends. The Historic Preservation Commission discussed many potential uses for the building complex at their joint site visit in April with the Agricultural Preservation Board and the Planning Board and at their May and June meetings, The HPC shared many of the APB's ideas for using the property for agricultural education and rural heritage purposes, while