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Carpenter Joe Barclay stripped the Generator Building of
its aluminum and homasote siding, made repairs to rotten framing and
applied pink building wrap. Joe has since moved back to the east coast,
so we've lost a valuable volunteer. Hopefully another carpenter can be
brought on board to direct us in applying the new 12" pine siding. |
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Masonry cleaner Harold Thede hard at work. Advanced
Restoration has the contract for cleaning our cream city brick. Among
the several employees who have worked on the Restoration Project, Harold
has spent the most time. He's also stepped in several times during his
breaks to assist us on other tasks. Determined to finish the work before
the weather gets too cold, Advanced Restoration has been working in the
rain and wind, even on the weekends. |
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Brick cleaning has been our biggest cost so far. The Light
Station was covered with many layers of Coast Guard white paint, white
wash and, proving most difficult to remove, cement paint which was
applied some time prior to 1934. With sand blasting not even considered
due to its destructive nature, the bricks are being chemically cleaned
and then scrubbed one by one. Talk about labor intensive! Cost of labor
and chemical cleaners, $25,000. |
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Rebuilding the eaves and gables was a very labor entensive
job that took 3 weeks and $18,000 to complete. |
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Front steps: one of the first exterior restoration jobs
was to rebuild the front entrance steps to their original profile |
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Still missing the tower and lantern, the front facade of
the Light Station is beginning to look like its old self. Stan's
Carpentry meticulously rebuilt the front gable using custom cut lumber. |
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We may be in the throes of restoration but visitors still
are welcome. The commercial fishing and shipwreck display in the
generator building is always a surprise and delight to those who stop by
intrigued by the Project. |
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Volunteer extraordinaire Ron Mans puts in 20-30 hours a
week restoring the interior of the Light Station. To accommodate new
insulation, all the old furring strips had to be removed and new ones
nailed in place. |
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Plumbers at work installing new plumbing and heating
systems. Kohler Co. of Sheboygan, WI has donated all new plumbing
fixtures. Alderman Burt Babcock and Dan McCotter of McCotter and Hanson
have donated the new boilers. Now we just have to get all this installed
before winter sets in. |
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Project co-chair Rick Smith really gets into his work. To
the back of the attic which houses the lamp room, is our Edgar Allen Poe
Room. Discovered by some previous Light Station resident, a dead space
exists behind the original north brick wall. When finally explored, much
of the tower platform boards were uncovered, hidden away since 1934.
Also found was a platform railing, cut in two and used to to reinforce
the back wall. Most of the wood flooring has now been removed and saved.
Insulation will be blown into this space, once again hiding it from
view. |
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Volunteer Dean Shaver helps prime the wood used to extend
the gables and eaves. The gables and eaves were chopped off during the
1934 renovation of the Light Station. Pieces of the original boards were
recovered during interior demolition work, so the Project was able to
have a millwright exactly duplicate the moldings and soffit boards. |
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Volunteer Nancy Simpson installing insulation. Original
ceiling joists visible across top of photo. As a concession to current
building codes and in an effort to minimize future heating costs, the
old walls were removed and new, insulated ones built. A final plaster
finish will be applied to the drywall. |
