Help Us Save the Historic
Charles and Martha Brown House

Description

Photo #1: Front of the house showing the ornate wraparound porch typical of the Queen Anne houses at the turn of the century.

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Photo #2: South side of Brown House with the wraparound porch removed. In addition to entry into the cross hall, there is – oddly - a door into the master bedroom. This is the side of the house that appeared the worst due to the fact that the porch had rotted and sagged so severely.

Photo #3: Front (east) side with most of the porch removed; view is north toward the Salem Ditch. This portion of the porch will remain until full restoration begins.

Photo #4: This was possibly the least damaged part of the porch roof; the porch will be restored in kind, as near to its original structure as possible.

Photo #5: Front, looking south, during demolition. It was here that a staircase led up from the porch to the gallery porch on the second story, which was in the Forties a boarding house.

Photo #6: The infamous “hanging room” added in 1936 on the north side of the house. This portion was very well-built, by Oscar Hagen; however it altered the original architectural “massing” of the house, and it detracted from the delicate Queen Anne north entry porch.

Photo #7: Most of the 1930’s additions are removed in this photo, showing a profile that hasn’t been seen since the house was a hospital and then a boarding house. The original roof structure on this portion of the house is known from architectural evidence on the original house.

Roof Project 2004 Photos:

Photo #1: Spring ’04: the hospital operating room on the second floor is surgically removed so scaffolding can be erected.

Photos #2,3,4: Blaylock roofing crew tears off five roofs dating back over seventy-five years.

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Photo #5: Scaffolding is erected by Sunbelt Rental and volunteers Gregg Olson and Paul Fontanini.

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Photo #6: South bell-shaped gable pattern shingles show severe water erosion.

Photos #7,8: The east gable end is proportionally smaller than south; so the curved pattern shingles are bent to a slightly different arc.

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Photo #9: A healthy sword fern grew on the south cornice.

Photos #10,11,12: The south gable crown molding is masterfully repaired.

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Photo #13: The yankee gutter molding was reproduced by Gregg Olson from salvaged pieces of the original roof.

Photos #14,15: Stainless steel and removable yankee gutters were fabricated and installed by Middleton Sheetmetal

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Photo #16: Allen Nelson repairs eave, staying just ahead of the roofers.

Photo #17: "Gramps" Fontanini aligns shingle starter course to the southwest corner which is five inches lower -- a vortex caused by 100 years of settling.

Photos #18,19: Bob Pendleton and Paul Fontanini replace the shingle roof.

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Photo #20: The new south gable finial was reproduced by Gregg Olson.

Photos #21,22: Gregg Olson and Allen Nelson discuss the complexities of reproducing the ridgeboards on the corner bay…and get it right!

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Photos #23,24: The final touchup paint applied to the finials before the scaffolding comes down.

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Photos #25,26,27,28,29,30,31: The Roof and Cornice Project is complete.

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