Highfield Hall was constructed in 1876 by the children of businessman, James Madison Beebe.  It was intended to be a lavish summer cottage built with influences from the Queen Anne and Stick styles of architecture.  The original property included over 700 acres of land, 400 of which are known today as Beebe Woods. 

Over the next century, Highfield Hall served as a health resort, religious retreat, theatre, and vacation resort.  It passed through several owners, sadly falling into disrepair, and faced assured demolition in the mid 1990s.  The structure was spared when an advocacy group, Friends of Highfield, fought to save the building.  With $8 million in private funding, Highfield Hall underwent an extraordinary restoration effort.  After years of water damage and neglect were addressed, the restoration of woodwork, windows, and original color schemes brought the Hall back to its magnificance.

Pilgrim Monument, Provincetown
On the Outer Cape stands Pilgrim Monument, a Provincetown landmark that commemmorates the arrival of the Pilgrims in the New World in 1620.  At 250 feet high, the Monument is the tallest, free-standing, all-granite building in the United States.  On an exceptionally clear day, some claim they can see as far as Boston.  On any given day, if you make the climb to the top of the Monument, you may also see the Pilgrims' vision of a new world and feel the perseverance of a people searching for independence.

President Roosevelt laid the cornerstone to launch the Monument's construction in 1907 followed by a dedication ceremony conducted by President ant Mrs. Taft in 1910.  Where does such a formidable structure get its fortitude?  The initial design concept, defined by captain J. Henry Sears, called for a "plain, rough stone, just as high as possible."  Many designs were submitted and ultimately, William Thomas Sears (no relation to Capt. Sears) was chosen as the architect.  At the time, much ado was made about having a style unique to the Pilgrims, Cape Cod, and New England.  The final architectural style has its roots in Italian design, uncacceptable for some, quite fitting for others in so far as an Italian founded America.

Over the last one hundred years, the Monument has valiantly served as a seafaring landmark and has bravely endured nature's wrath.  Being located on the coast in the northeast makes the Monument vulnerable to weather-related deterioration.  Particular to the Monument because of its height are wind conditions and seismic activity.  Like many historic properties, the Monument's structural integrity was compromised by water damage.  The mortar that was used to bind the grand stones of the monument loosened over time and consequently the stones needed to be repointed.  The next phase of restoration includes repairing the interior hand rail and ramp system of the Monument.  Overall, this soldier of history has fared well since its construction.  The Cape Cod Pilgrim Memorial Association has cared for the Monument for decades and oversees its long-term maintenance today.

Fairhaven High School Restoration, Fairhaven
Moving off Cape into Southeastern Massachusetts, a restoration effort is underway at Fairhaven High School to restore the building's historic exterior.  Similar to Highfield Hall, a comprehensive survey and structural evaluation was needed before restoration activities got underway.  In doing so, the walls "spoke for themselves" in that they revealed history, architectural styles, and construction techniques of the day.

Described as Tudor-gothic in style with masonry construction including granite, brick, and Indiana limestone, this structure has many outstanding decorative features representative of early 20th century architecture.  Also noteworthy is the excellent workmanship of the structural support including state-of-the-art (at that time) lattice work, (rivet plate) girders, (lintel) beams, and structural framework.  Some imprints on the structural beams indicate Carina and McLellan, who were structural steel fabricators during the school's construction, which also indicated there may have been several fabrication shops involved in the project at the same time.

Inside the historic section of the high school and deserving a special mention are the Guastavino tile-vaulted porticos and floor supporting structural systems.  Rafael Guastavino was a late 19th, early 20th century architect and builder.  He is known for creating a tiling technique that constructs robust, self-supporting arches and architectural vaults using interlocking terracotta tiles and layers of mortar.  In this style, the tiles follow the curve of the roof as opposed to running horizontally, vertically, or perpendicular to the curve.  Guastavino's tile vaults are aesthetically pleasing and effective in the strentgh of their structural support.  Visit the Guastavino Project at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.