I am headed downeast for a site visit at Woodlawn Museum in Ellsworth, Maine today.
The transitional Federal to Greek Revival style house was built by masons from Boston with bricks shipped from Philadelphia. Construction took three years between 1824 and 1827. A museum since 1929, the house includes furnishings and art from three generations of the Black family, which made its fortune in Maine lumber and Boston real estate. Visiting historic house museums is a wonderful way to get inspiration for your home restoration projects. woodlawnmuseum.com.
Like all historic houses, Woodlawn is due for some cyclical maintenance and restoration work. I will be examining the ornamental balustrades on the roofs and researching their history of repair and/or replacement in the past.
The goal is a report that guides the process for the next round of work – being as faithful as possible to the original construction and appearance. Such reports are critical for securing competitive preservation grants.
I wrote “Restoring Your Historic House, The Comprehensive Guide for Homeowners” in part to provide professional advice to homeowners, who generally can’t afford to hire consultants like me.
Signed and personalized copies of the award-winning and bestselling 720-page hardcover book are available directly from the author in our online shop at YourHistoricHouse.com/shop/.
Select restoration and preservation titles by other authors are also available in our shop including Virginia McAlester’s classic “A Field Guide to American Houses.”
“Restoring Your Historic House” is also available in bookstores nationwide and from online retailers.
© Scott T. Hanson 2025.
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