The Fairview Area Historical Society TEAR DOWN                                               HOME     CALENDAR     GENEALOGY & LIBRARY    GIFT SHOP     NEWSLETTER    RENOVATIONS    SPECIAL FEATURES     STURGEON HOUSE  January 20, 2010  // Updated on February 20, 2010  //  Updated March 20, 2010  //  Updated November 6, 2010 Note:  Photos are slow to develop...                                                     What's happening here?      Whoops!  What happened?  We're historians and we didn't take a "before photo"?  Oh, my!  But, we are taking pictures now.  About what you ask?  Well, about the second floor of the Sturgeon House.       Ever since the historical society purchased the house and requested its placement on the National Register, we have known that the second floor could not be opened to the public... because there is no second exit from that floor.  So, it took a back seat to the restoration work on the first floor.  One exception was the south room, which was gutted and remodeled for use as an office several years ago.  The room was also outfitted with baseboard heating, although that has rarely been turned on.         The rest of the second floor can be described as in terrible shape.  At the north end of the house is a second bedroom and connecting the two rooms is a long hallway.  Years ago one of the owners partitioned off three small rooms over the low side on the east.         But wait!  That should be written in past tense, because as of January 9, 2010, things have changed.  Work is now going on by a volunteer team to gut the second floor (leaving the remodeled office as it is) and make one large open room there.  The walls and ceiling are being stripped down to the lath, insulation will be inserted and new walls will go up.  The area will then be prepared for better storage - shelves, lighting, filing cabinets, etc., and the office will be equipped as a temperature controlled site.       As a precaution during all this work, all the furniture on the first floor is covered, the parlor rug is rolled up and covered and everything is secure.  The house will be open again to the public for meetings, the quilting ladies and in preparation for the extended summer exhibit.         The four descending photos on the left show the large section in the middle being stripped of walls and ceiling.  Much work has progressed since then.  The area was cleaned up of debris after Van-Fab (center descending row)  donated the use of its dumpster for the duration of the project.  For that the Society is most grateful.                 The two bottom photos in the center row are of individual crew members pointing at wooden pegs used in the old post and beam construction.  Top photo on the right column is a close-up of the pegs.  The work crew, J.R. Freeman (l) and Richard Stachel (r) pose in their paraphenalia for the website.           Two other members have volunteered to work as needed - Jim Bolla and Jim Getz.      Thanks to all who have assisted in this major renovation!  The photo to the left was taken on March 13.  The crew has begun to take down the walls between the north and center rooms.  Watch the progress!                                                                                                                                                                              The work will continue until the job is finished.  At this time there There is no end date... So keeping watching our progress!                        This photo  (extreme right) shows some of the square nails that were used in the old construction.            Below are three photos showing the wall between the rooms as it came down.  Left and center are looking into the north room.  Right is in the north room looking into the center room.  Notice the stairway in the right photo.       Keep watching!  It's happening!   The last of the wall/ceiling removal was completed in late October 2010.  After a planning session, work will then begin in order to finish the large room, build shelving, etc.  Below are three views, left is one of the stairway from the second floor; middle is looking south toward the chimney; and right is the stairway as seen from the first floor The exciting part will begin after the first of the year when the crew begins to build, build, build.         Watch here for the progress we are making!!