Tonya Taylor
Gardner House Restoration
My assistantship was a unique experience for both me and my department in that, in exchange for my education in folklore, I did hands-on restoration on a house situated on the Upper Green River Biological Preserve. The Gardner House, a circa 1790-1820 hall and parlor house, is a Flemish bond brick structure built of bricks made and fired on-site. My work included window restoration, masonry and plaster repair using historically appropriate mortars mixed on site, paint removal and linseed oil paint application. The best part of my assistantship was when I led other graduate students in the work with me, teaching them the techniques. While most will never turn a hand again on another building, many will go on to manage these historic resources and I feel that by improving their understanding of craftsmanship, conservation and restoration techniques, I have helped them to make proper decisions for the longevity of the structures in their care. Thank you to all the Gardner House Volunteers!
Gardner House Restoration and Repair Needs | |
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Historic Structure Report for the Gardner House | |
File Size: | 145 kb |
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Western Kentucky University Newspaper Article | |
File Size: | 77 kb |
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Gardner House Photos
Photos shown here are from workshops for Folk Studies graduate students taught by the author including masonry repair, flooring repair, wavy glass cutting, half-round gutter installation and sill replacement.