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a new house on another site on the 120 acre property. In the past, the owners did not <br /> permit access but now these new owners are eager to share it. These owners are not <br /> sure they can or want to restore this house so wanted to get some input from the <br /> preservation community. Your staff and Cathleen Turner with PNC toured the property in <br /> January. This is a complicated house that was first built in the 1820s, then enlarged <br /> around 1850 with a one-story wing to the north, then again with a large two story addition <br /> on the south in the 1880s or 1890s. Important features include the fine exterior chimneys <br /> from the 1820s, showing a three-to-one common or American bond pattern. Inside it <br /> retains a wealth of vernacular Federal style woodwork, including wide board wall <br /> sheathing, raised panel doors, mantels and trim. It rests on a stone foundation with a dug <br /> out cellar under the 1880s wing. It has been little altered over the years so provides a <br /> wealth of information about the level of finish for a house of this era. It is one of the few <br /> still surviving in the county dating from this period. Staff will correspond with the new <br /> owners and provide an update on the preservation activities there. This could also be a <br /> good candidate for an HPC field trip. <br /> ITEM #6: UPDATES AND INFORMATION ITEMS <br /> a. Dendrochronology protect: Staff reported that things are falling into place for <br /> starting this effort in mid-late April. We plan to include the Old County Courthouse and Ayr <br /> Mount to provide good solid control data, along with houses like Moorefields, the Colonial <br /> Inn, the Alexander Dickson House and more. The challenge is to find original timbers that <br /> have big enough dimensions to provide a long chronology, plus some wane edge (bark <br /> edge), in good condition without a lot of termite damage. <br /> b. Book Project: <br /> Staff reported on multiple phone meetings with our author, Laura Phillips. One topic is the <br /> challenge of doing the final editing on the property entries. She's finished writing all the <br /> property entries and is now starting on the essay. She'll be taking all the old texts and <br /> reports and pulling it all together to utilize the best from the various earlier efforts. We <br /> have resolved the issues with contracting with the book designers, so that contract should <br /> be signed soon. Conversation turned to the topic of artwork for the cover. Staff explained <br /> the recent history of that topic and the interest in having a local artist do the primary <br /> artwork. Ballard asked if we knew the name of the artist who did the murals at the Colonial <br /> Inn. Noe had ideas about several possible artists that he know who might be worth looking <br /> at. He will share information and web sites with the group. <br /> c. Blackwood Farmhouse preservation funding: <br /> Staff discussed the current funding situation for the farmhouse, in response to questions <br /> at an earlier meeting. As it now stands, the county finance office is preparing to transfer <br /> funding that had been allocated to the Millhouse Road facility over to the Blackwood <br /> account. If this can be accomplished, we would have enough money to restore the <br /> exterior and maybe the interior, depending on how much we have to spend on mold <br /> remediation. HPC members may need to be prepared to speak up to support this. <br /> d. Cameron Ice House sign and roof repairs: <br /> As reported earlier, a local Eagle Scout has taken on the project to research and develop <br /> an interpretive sign for this remarkable structure on the property of the Board of <br /> Education, near the Cameron Park School. The goal is to get the Board of Ed to pay for <br /> repairs to the shingles. The Alliance and the Preservation Fund are helping to pay for this. <br /> They are still looking for great photos of the interior so that folks viewing the sign are able <br /> to really see what how deep the ice pit is. <br /> e. Open airtime: <br /> ITEM #7: ADJOURNMENT: Noe moved to adjourn, seconded by Loter; meeting adjourned at 8:11. <br /> Meeting summary by Peter Sandbeck, DEAPR staff <br /> 2 <br />