Hearthside - The House That Love Built

HEARTHSIDE PROJECTS

Roof

In 2002, the first repair made to Hearthside with funds raised by Friends of Hearthside was a repair to the ogee curves on the roof in order to stop water penetration. The funds were awarded by The Champlin Foundations, and matching monies were provided by the Town of Lincoln.

In 2003, The Champlin Foundations awarded a $55,000 grant to restore roof rafters which were seriously affecting the soundness of the structure and causing water damage to some interior walls. The restoration work got underway early in 2004 and is now complete.  In 2007, leaks are developing once again so the roof will need further repair.

Exterior

Hearthside has had many problems in recent years with water penetrating the exterior surfaces and causing damage to the interior walls. Through a grant from the RI Historic Preservation Commission, Hearthside’s exterior masonry is being repaired repaired, as well as each of the four chimneys that have also deteriorated. Work began in 2005 and is still in process. Also, an engineer was hired to study any other underlying cause of water penetration, which resulted in identifying a serious drainage problem under the kitchen steps.

Window Restoration

Through a grant received from the RI Historic Preservation Commission, a major restoration of the windows was started in 2006. While all the windows are in need of repair, the most critical ones were completed first. This included the round window at the front of the house, which began leaking during the heavy rains in the Fall. Work will resume in 2007 to complete all the windows.

Interior

Painting: Monies raised over the past two years through special events and raffle sales are now being used to help spruce up the interior of Hearthside. A fresh coat of paint has been applied to woodwork, doors, window shutters and ceilings in various rooms throughout the house. Through the Historic Structures Report, a paint analysis identified the original paint color. A sage color, very similar to the original one used, has been applied to bring back much of the house to its original state.

Stenciling

Improvement plans originally called for the removal of old wallpaper in the borning room and at the back staircase and upstairs hall. The decision was made not to apply new wallpaper, but instead to have painted walls. Exhibits of various Hearthside paintings and family members will be displayed on these walls in the near future. In the borning room, a delicate early 20 th century design has been stenciled along the chair rail by Lincoln resident and artist, Carmella DelGrande, who donated her services.

Gift Shop

A small pantry at the back of the house was turned into a gift shop when Hearthside first opened its doors in 2001. Its’ design was quite simple with just a few banquet tables to place some donated or consignment products. Gradually, improvements have been made to the Gift Shop over the years, but recently with the donation of some glass display cases, the Shop has taken on a whole new look and has much more room for shoppers to view the beautiful Victorian items for sale. Of course, all proceeds help support the efforts by Friends of Hearthside.

Acquisitions

For those who have not visited Hearthside in awhile, they will see a big change. The house suddenly feels warm and “full.” Thanks to the donations of so many Hearthside visitors who were reminded of antiques they may have stored away at home, the house is now filled with an interesting assortment of furnishings and artifacts. Among the many items we’ve received are Oriental rugs, milk bottles, bureaus, chairs, an antique sleigh, a wine still and press, dishwasher, trunk, silver tea sets, dishes, photos, dresses, and a loom to name just a few. These donations have helped to transform Hearthside from an empty house to a house museum filled with history.

Furniture Restoration

Hearthside has received many pieces of furniture that need some minor repair before they can be used in the house. This is a great opportunity for a volunteer with the right skills to offer.

  • Both a couch and a chair need upholstery work.
  • A wooden commode needs some refinishing work.
  • A wooden desk and several chairs need repair.
  • Display cases and bureaus need refinishing.

Stair Restoration and Foundation Repair

With a grant from the RI Historical Preservation Commission, work to repair the south side foundation wall at Hearthside got underway in December 2004 and was completed in the summer of 2005. A settling below the stairwell was causing the south wall to bow in, a direct result of the of the kitchen steps sinking, this was causing cracked exterior wall and also on the interior walls. Before restoration of the masonry walls and windows could be undertaken, an excavation needed to be done to determine and address the cause of the problem.

The first step was to remove the topmost stair, a newer piece of granite which had been put into place sometime in the 1950’s, to combat the sinking stairs. It was apparent that there had been settlement damage to the wall behind the stair. Next, stair two came out, exposing rubble footing. A Quahog shell was found among the rubble fill. Loosening the iron strap, which had been sealed in granite, around the south side step was the next phase. A small iron pitch fork was found underneath this step as well as a large iron washer. A small iron pipe fastener was found under the south side rear step. The remaining steps were lifted out of place and with the removal of the last one, exposed a void at the cistern and foundation. A platform was built in order to gain access to the house during this construction, and a plastic tent covered the entrance to protect it and allow work to continue in the inclement weather.

Rubble fill was removed from the site, and a temporary supporting wall was constructed in the basement to stabilize the wall while the stairs were removed. Excavation around the abandoned cistern collar uncovered deterioration of the stone foundation, and a sizeable threshold drop at the kitchen entrance. Monitors were installed at some of the opening cracks in the masonry to measure any further movement of the foundation. A large amount of cement was found attached to both the foundation and cistern walls, probably done in the 50’s to stop the steps from sinking at that time. The cement was carefully removed so as not to cause more damage. Placement of rebar was set to establish a footing for the new cement. The new footing for the steps, cement block with gravel fill, has an open center for water to drain down, and to prevent any more runoff to disturb the stair base. Lead flashing was placed against the house to divert any water toward the new dry well formed by the stair foundation.

Once the excavated area was stabilized, the original rock fill was returned to the excavation. The original stone steps were lifted back into place, along with the iron strap, and the cistern is back to its original position. The project was successfully completed in August of 2005. Not only is the drainage problem resolved, but the masonry cracks have been filled, climbing the steps are a lot easier now that they are not so low to the ground, and best of all, the entrance has been beautifully restored, with a large area of cobblestone work at the landing that had been exposed through the excavation work. Click here for photos.

Side Portico

One of the most prominent architectural features of Hearthside is its curved ogee roofline, which is duplicated on the roofline of the portico on the south side of the house. Sadly, the portico has been in dire need of repair, with rotting columns and the decorative beadwork being very noticeable.

Thanks to a grant from The Champlin Foundations, the portico has now been fully restored to its original beauty. The beadwork was recreated by the skilled preservation carpenters of Heritage Restoration, Inc. Instead of building new columns, the original columns were restored, after having been found in storage in Hearthside’s basement. The portico was last repaired by Andrew Mowbray some 40 years ago. Click here for photos.

 

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