Abandoned Vermont: Warren Mill

Found off Vermont Route 100 in Warren, this mill has gone through many reincarnations, but sits empty today. A brief history of this site, from History of the Town of Warren compiled by Katharine Carlton Hartshorn.

Fire, as well as high water, plagued the mill business. Palmer and Wakefield lost a mill by fire. Henry W. Brooks lost his by fire in 1947 and again in 1949. And the Bobbin Mill originally built by Erastus Butterfield in 1878 burned down in the early 1930′s when owned by Parker and Ford. They began rebuilding on a shoestring in 1932, but fire struck again before completion. It was finally rebuilt and run as a mill for twenty-five years. Under the ownership of Barry Simpson and David Sellers in 1974, the Bobbin Mill was again damaged by fire. It was rebuilt and became the birthplace of several manufacturing businesses, including Union Woodworks, Vermont Iron Stove Works, Vermont Castings, North Wind Power Company, and Dirt Road Company.

The mill showing damage and decay.

Hunter Bobbin Mill appears on the exterior.

The mill is composed of many blocks, likely additions from the various industries that have been located in the building.

The Double Press Cornice Brake. Industrial archaeologists: who can shed some light on this one?

The power source for operating the mill.

Twin Motor Electric.

Another view of the exterior, missing a few walls.

Around the corner.

Lincoln Brook Falls

Take a walk on the trail while you’re in the Mad River Valley. The water is blue and the rocks are worn from the falls, and even in the late fall, it was a peaceful (albeit chilly) place for a stroll.

East Barnet Inwood Station

If you’re cruising along US Route 5, following the Connecticut River on the eastern side of Vermont, you’ll pass by this Vermont oddity: the East Barnett Inwood Station. Apparently saved from demolition and relocated from Quincy, NH, this small depot sits among abandoned train cars and rail side lines, with trucks and a water tower on board. It is private property, but take a look at these images from the road.

Box cars set to appear approaching Inwood Station in East Barnett Inwood Station.

East Barnet Inwood Station rail side lines, in foreground and background.

East Barnett Inwood Station. The building says Inwood.

East Barnett Inwood Station, rail side lines. See the water tower (yellow with conical top).

Despite my best efforts at searching, I cannot dig up any information on this property. Who can shed some light?

Books, Brick Buildings & Backroads

Certain places will always tug at our hearts, filled with nostalgia, good memories, and chapters in the book of our lives that answer questions like: how did we become who we are? What has shaped us over the years? Where were we before this? These are places that may seem far away from the present, but if you stepped into them, memories would flood back to you. These are places that mean so much to us, places you will never forget and don’t want to forget.

Kenmore Plantation: where I spent many mornings cleaning the plaster ceiling with dental tools and toothbrushes.

Mary Washington College, dear in my heart.

Fredericksburg, VA.

Fredericksburg, Virginia, particularly the University of Mary Washington, is one of those places to me. It’s a chapter in my life that I keep with me still (hello, flamingos!) and cherish. Sure, the day to day worries of school exams and track meets and other issues have faded, but the brick lined campus walk, the historic preservation department, the streets that I’d walk or run everyday are embedded in my heart. Whether coffee at Hyperion Espresso, sleepless nights in the drafting lab or computer lab, learning from our professors, or admiring the beautiful historic buildings of Fredericksburg, Mary Washington represents my formative years as a historic preservationist (though I must have been one before I arrived) and it’s where the flamingos first flocked together, a group of intelligent, beautiful women whose bonds mean the world to me.

Flamingos flocked here.

Hyperion Espresso in downtown Fredericksburg.

A visit to Hyperion Espresso.

Suffice to say, when I was invited to be a part of the Center for Historic Preservation’s book prize jury, I was elated, honored and happy to be a part of Mary Washington in a different sphere (as a professional colleague instead of student). This included reading 17 books over the past few months, but it also entailed a springtime visit to Virginia, preservation chatter and scholarship, catching up with professors, meeting fellow preservationists, and visiting some of my favorite people. As evident by the photographs, Mr. Stilts came along for the ride, all in the name of Preservation in Pink entertainment.

See my challenge: The stack of book prize nominations.

Downtown Fredericksburg, VA.

I realized I was strolling the streets of Fredericksburg with Mr. Stilts peaking out of my bag — totally not posed!

The book prize will be announced in May, so I can’t say anything about it now. I will note that the morning sun in the preservation conference room with coffee, stacks of books and good company made for an excellent segment of my Virginia weekend.

Strolling down campus walk at Mary Washington.

Following a stay in Fredericksburg, my sights were set on rural Hanover county, exploring on a sunny day and arriving at Ali & Hume’s in time for a flamingo mini-reunion evening. {If you revisit that post, the house has come a long way!} The roads to Ali’s were narrow and winding, and brought fond memories of learning Virginia architecture. The landscape struck me: large fields, farmhouses set in a cluster of trees far from the road. Small vernacular and modern houses are brick clad, as is typical Virginia. This was a good reminder of regional architecture. Vermont’s houses are often lined close to the roadway, valleys are deep, mountains reach high and roads follow waterways. Weatherboard is more common than brick in Vermont, storm windows are necessary, and gable front is a common form.

Driving in rural Virginia.

Narrow tree lined roads (blurry, sorry!)

Aside from visual reminders, the quiet rural night brought back memories. Lying in bed in the early hours of the morning, the sound of the nearby freight train rattled on the tracks, carrying across the fields near Ali & Hume’s house. I remembered how the sound carries differently when not in the mountains. And the railroad brings memories of Southern Pines, traveling by train along the east coast (various trips), and living in houses that physically shook when the freight trains passed through town. But that night I felt contently comforted by the rattling lull floating through the fields, lucky to be in the company of preservation friends who are so lovingly working on their Virginia home.

Dinnertime scenery in Hanover County.

Flamingos, friends, books, coffee, preservation, winding roads, good food and some exploring in the sun. How could a weekend be any better?

Time to leave Virginia, flying back to Vermont.

Thank you Virginia for a lovely stay. See you soon.

March Flamingo-grams

It’s been a full month of adventure; before April and spring pick up speed, here’s a look back at the goings-on of Preservation in Pink. Some of these tales have yet to be told. Stay tuned! Where have you been? What have you been up to?

On the road, books in hand.

Flamingo patterns.

Longley Covered Bridge in Montgomery, VT

Spring skies, finally!

Brandon, VT

Reading material.

Hand written notes & typed notes, merging of two eras.

Behind the scenes!

How to make coffee without a real French press.

Brookfield, VT

Truss bridge over the Connecticut River.

Shard Villa.

Round Church in Richmond, VT

Gary Stanton’s infamous coffee mug.

Where Preservation in Pink began.

Roxbury, VT

Previously: Thanksgiving Flamingo-grams, November Flamingo-grams, October Flamingo-grams

A Child’s Jewelry Box

Another one from the family keepsakes.

This will probably apply to girls more than boys, but who had a jewelry box (or similar keepsake box) as a child? Did you have one that wound up with a twirling ballerina? For some reason, I’ve kept my jewelry box all these years with jewelry I wore as a little girl. I don’t think I’ve looked at it in over a decade, except for when I’m sorting through stuff and deciding what to toss, what to keep.

Top of the box. Yes, of course, it has kittens on it.

Back of the box – wind up to hear the song.

Inside: felted thick paper creates three spaces. This ballerina has lost her tutu and has seen better days, but the music still plays and she still twirls when I open the box. What did I find in there? Just random necklaces and bracelets that I used to wear as a little girl (that’s a unicorn necklace on the right) and a bunch of beaded necklaces on the left.

This particular jewelry is also a music box, a combination of the two. What sort of jewelry box did you have? Today I have a few small ceramic boxes (some from childhood, too) that were gifts from relatives and friends. Did you know that jewelry boxes were uncommon to the masses prior to the industrial revolution? Requiring such craftsmanship, tiny intricate boxes were not something that everyone could afford. Boxes were crafted out of metal, whereas today we find them in all sorts of materials, shapes and sizes.

For any jewelry box or music box aficionados out there, do you know when or why a ballerina was added? I haven’t come across that information yet. Please share!

Preservation ABCs: R is for Railing

Preservation ABCs is a series that will work its way from A to Z, bringing words into conversation that are relevant to historic preservation, whether it’s an idea, feature or vocabulary term. The idea is to help you see preservation everywhere you look and wherever you go. Enjoy! See previous letters.

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R is for Railing

A variety of railings. Top left: a modern cable railing in a historic railyard turnable (Montpelier, VT). Top right: a pedestrian railing on a truss bridge (Woodstock, VT). Bottom left: An elaborate Federal style balustrade (Rutland County, VT). Bottom right: a joint on a simple storefront railing (Randolph, VT).

Porch railings, stair railings (balusters & banisters), bridge railings, pedestrian railings, even small handrails – all of these might be small elements of our historic buildings and structures, yet they contribute to historic integrity and have the potential to make quite an impression, subliminal or obvious. Varying in height, detail, material and purpose, railings are elements that have changed over time; they are part of architectural style classifications just as doors, windows and interior details.

Due to deterioration of metal or rot of wood, railings exposed to the elements are often replaced. In terms of transportation, pedestrian railings and bridge railings are often replaced due to new crash ratings and safety standards. In public buildings, railings are often replaced because the old one doesn’t meet height requirements. And structures that did not have originally have railings often have later additions, perhaps on stairs or fire escapes – wherever one might be needed. Some might be historically appropriate to the architectural style of the building or structure; however, there is a chance that this new railing addition is an inappropriate, generic selection or 2x4s or standard w-beam (on bridges that is) when it should be something else. Modern railings on historic structures are often meant to fade into the background, such as cable rails, in order to not convey a false impression of what is historic on the structure.

In fact, railings might be something you notice without thinking about it. Next time you are walking or driving over a bridge, look to the side. What is the railing? Does it tell you about the bridge? When you walk into a building, what do you hold onto as you enter? How about when you climb the stairs or stand on a balcony? And then consider this: do you think the railing has been replaced? Even if you haven’t studied architectural history, does this railing seem like it matches the building?

Before replacing a railing consider if it can be rehabilitated. Minor repairs or a creative solution, like adding a parapet to get pedestrian height might solve your problem.

What do you think about railings?

Abandoned Vermont: Longmeadow Inn

The Longmeadown Inn sits quietly on US Route 5 in Wells River; 1832 on the sign refers to its construction date. Its hsitory is traveler based: inn, stagecoach stop, tavern, bed & breakfast. It’s for sale, so neglected is likely the more appropriate term than abandoned. But this building is included here because it has that historic & abandoned look about it, looking the same in March 2013 as it did in June 2012. Fortunately, it’s in good condition. Any interested buyers?

The inn’s sign welcoming travels.

A wide front porch for greeting and mingling.

The main brick block with ell and frame additions.

Looking up at the weathered brick and granite lintels and sills.

Around back, the additions don’t look any better. Note the array of fire escapes, too.

A view to the show the thickness of the brick wall construction. Look at the distance between the two window sashes.

Fire escapes on the side.

The building has a beautiful backdrop. The grounds have terraces that slope down to the river. It’s easy to see why an inn would be situated here, amongst the beautiful Vermont landscape.

Preservation Photos #173

A Winter Drive

“Let’s go for a drive.”

Do you ever just drive to drive? Did you and your families take Sunday drives through the countryside for some family entertainment? In the days before automobiles, city dwellers took trolley rides out to the parks for picnics or carnivals or other entertainment. Sometimes they visited cemeteries, as many were designed as parks. When the automobile arrived on the scene, trolleys fell out of favor. (Read more about trolleys here.) With automobiles on the scene, people had greater freedom of mobility for work, travel and everyday things.

Surely as teenagers, we all drove around because we could. Nothing said freedom like driving around with your friends, whether it was to the beach, the diner or nowhere in particular. If you’re a professional now with a 9-5 job (or some form of 9-5) and “adult” responsibilities, do you still have the urge to drive? Maybe you don’t have the time for a road trip, but what about for an afternoon? Do you drive for any other reason than you have to?

This past weekend, Mother Nature graced Vermont with sunshine and blue skies (before she throws a March snowstorm at us this week). I could think of no better way to spend a late sunny Sunday afternoon than cruising the Vermont highways for a while.

US Route 2

US Route 2 (I-89 to the left)

A truss bridge in Richmond, VT

VT Route 100, near the 100B junction.

Blue skies make up for the bare winter trees.

Since a summer road trip seems so far off, these afternoon and day drives will have to suit me for now. What about you?  Stay warm and drive carefully in this upcoming storm.

Preservation Photos #172

Carey Mansion in Newport, RI. (Also known as Seaview Terrace.)

One of the Newport summer cottages, and the fifth largest, this property was leased to Salve Regina University (students lived here!) until 2009. It is the fictional Collinwood Mansion in the Dark Shadows opening credits. Its construction began in 1923, however, this mansion incorporated a 1911 relocated mansion from Washington D.C. It has also been used as US Army headquarters and an all-girls’ summer boarding school. (Read more here.) Currently, it is private property.