Agenda - 02-15-2005-10a - Laserfiche WebLink

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Blackwood Parm Page 2 a 5 detailing. Other features visible throughout the house, the narrow beaded sheathing on the ceilings and the slightly wider board sheathing on the walls, are all factory-produced material typical of the first half of the twentieth century. The Blackwood House exemplifies the evolution of a modest farmhouse over a course of almost two hundred years. It would be inappropriate, however, to interpret the house in its present condition as an early nineteenth-century dwelling. If the new material was simply applied aver the old, it may be possible to remove the aluminum siding and sections of the interior sheathing to reveal an earlier finish. Care should be used to ensure that removed material, particularly the tongue-and-grove wood sheathing, could be reapplied if necessary. Another option would be to remove only enough fabric to determine the evolution of the house, and then display that evolution through a series of drawings and informational text rather than to try to restore the house to an earlier period. The early twentieth-century character of the house and its outbuildings does not reduce its importance to the architectural history of Orange County. The house tells an important story in its existing condition. It documents the success of one local family to undertake a substantial renovation project to update an older house to reflect current architectural trends. Many earlytwentieth-century houses were constructed in rural Orange County based on the influence of the Arts and Crafts period, particularly the side-gable bungalow form characterized by its large front dormer over a front porch. (The Craig-Blackwood House (OR 452) located nearby serves as another example of this process where an older vernacular house was updated with bungalow features.) The Herbert Blackwood farm is also valuable because of the number of outbuildings that survive; it still reads as an early twentieth- century farm. Potential Use It is always important to evaluate the structural condition of any building before considering its use or reuse. It is even more critical when evaluating alder structures to consult with a preservation expert, someone who specializes in historic buildings--their repair and maintenance. The first step is to ensure that the buildings are weather-tight and structurally sound (particularly the sills and foundations). As long as the buildings are stable they can be "moth-balled" for a reasonable amount of time. Plans to reuse the house and outbuildings should take into account initial repair requirements as well as maintenance needs. Different uses such as a county office, a retreat center, a museum, or a caretaker residence would have different requirements. Fire protection is also an important consideration. The Blackwood Farm is clearly an important part of Orange County's local heritage. The surviving outbuildings provide a rare glimpse into the lives of rural farmers during the first half of the twentieth century. The house documents the efforts of local residents to update their buildings, particularly their houses, based on current architectural trends. It is important to preserve the house and its surrounding outbuildings in a way that will maintain their earlytwentieth-century character. li:AParlsVDlad~wood (ldew i-lope)\StewzirUshi~7\sCarr Analysis B~aclavood-update doc