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Greetings!
We at Efficiency Vermont, the Preservation Trust of Vermont and the Vermont Division for Historic Preservation want to share with you a tip sheet that was just produced by the National Trust for Historic Preservation on Historic Wood Windows and two guides for reducing energy use in homes and buildings available from Efficiency Vermont: A Do-It-Yourself Guide to Energy Star Home Sealing, and The Energy Smart Home. If you have wooden windows in your home that are 50 years or older, you will find the NTHP Tip Sheet, Historic Wood Windows, useful in evaluating and maximizing their energy cost savings. Window replacement is not a particularly "green" option for energy retrofit and, despite the substantial increase in fuel prices over the last 2 years, there are other areas of buildings that offer much better return for the money you invest. According to Efficiency Vermont's The Energy-Smart Home booklet, "It's generally not cost-effective to replace old windows for energy-saving purposes alone, because the high cost of new windows is rarely paid back by energy savings." (pg 5). Even with heating oil at $4/gallon, the payback at best is in the vicinity of 25-30 years or longer. Knowledgeably performed air sealing and insulation measures offer greater savings than window replacement. We at the Preservation Trust, along with colleagues from the Division for Historic Preservation and Jeremiah Parker Restoration, have been working collaboratively with Efficiency Vermont to better understand energy efficiency in relation to historic buildings. We're in full agreement on where to start to realize energy savings and improved building performance, including:
- addressing moisture problems
- installing efficient furnaces, appliances and light bulbs
- effectively sealing air leaks with an awareness of combustion safety
- effectively insulating attics and foundations
- weatherizing historic windows and installing high quality storm windows
- insulating walls: Because of the potential serious moisture damage risk to historic structures, consider wall insulation after evaluating the other improvements, taking into account construction type, expected costs and savings, materials and existing or potential moisture problems. Make sure that you or a potential contractor has a professional understanding of both interior moisture and exterior water management strategies to manage any risk to the building.
The work described in the bullets above will realize a substantial return on investment for any building. As with any weatherization improvements, an understanding of existing and potential moisture issues or effects on combustion appliances is very important. The Energy-Smart Home booklet is a good source for guidance, and can be viewed or downloaded from the Efficiency Vermont website at: http://www.efficiencyvermont.com/stella/filelib/2007FinalEnergySmartBooklet.pdf
We will continue to do research and to share latest findings with you, but for now, save those historic windows! We encourage you to be in touch if you have any questions. Sincerely, Efficiency Vermont Preservation Trust of Vermont Vermont Division for Historic Preservation |
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News from the Preservation Trust
Silent Auction Coming Soon!
The Preservation Trust of Vermont's annual "Silent Auction by Mail" fundraiser will take place this November. Over 100 businesses and individuals have contributed to what is shaping up to be a spectacular collection of unique and valuable items and experiences. From vacation rentals, to Church Street Marketplace Gift dollars, to restaurant gift certificates -- you can even bid to be a character in Archer Mayor's upcoming mystery novel! Please watch your email, but if you would like to receive a catalogue in the mail, please email elise@ptvermont.org to be added to the list.
In April 2008, when Heartstone Books decided to close the door to their bookselling business in the center of Putney Village, the community lost one of its gathering places and residents were devastated at the thought of losing the hubs of social and intellectual interaction in town. So several community members and PTV begin the process of exploring the potential of re-opening the bookstore as a community supported enterprise. A crucial first step was finding someone with the passion and experience to take on the task of owning and operating the store. Fortunately Sarah Tirrell-Baker, a former employee at the bookstore and Assistant Manager of the Putney Coop, has decided to take on the challenge. Click here to read more about Community Supported Enterprises. |
Robert Sincerbeaux Funds Awarded
Robert Sincerbeaux was Preservation Trust's first benefactor. We've named our project development grants after Bob as a way to honor his approach to preservation. Bob understood that people all around Vermont are passionate about their communities, countryside, and special places.
Through the foundations he managed, he was able to provide a little seed money and a lot of encouragement, and then he watched the remarkable progress. Similarly, our project development grants, up to $500, are used to hire a consultant to provide technical assistance for projects. For more information, please visit: http://www.ptvermont.org/sincerbeaux_fund.htm
RSF Grants Awarded in 2007-2008
Adamant Community Club Adamant Co-op
Adirondack Architectural Heritage, Friends of the Lake Champlain Bridge (pictured left)
Digital Downtown Mapping, Better Bennington Corporation
Brandon Free Public Library Broad Brook Grange, Guilford Brownsville Grange, West Windsor Burnham Hall, Lincoln Caledonia Grange #9
Canfield Fisher Barn, Arlington (pictured left)
Circus Smirkus' Greenboro House & Barn College of St. Joseph, Novitiate Mansion Community Bandshell, Norwich Dorset Marble Sidewalk Project Dyer Hill Stone House, Isle La Motte East Monitor and Carriage Barns, Richmond Federated Church of Castleton First Congregation Church of Wallingford First Congregational Church of Royalton Franklin County Senior Center, St. Albans G.R.A.C.E. Glover Community Church
Grafton Brick Church (pictured left)
Greater Hartford Church of Christ Greensboro Bend United Methodist Church
Greensboro Library Immanuel Church, Bellows Falls Isle La Motte Town Hall Jerusalem Schoolhouse MACC Middlebury Area Land Trust Middlebury Trans. Care Coalition, Inc.
Monkton Schoolhouse (pictured left)
New Haven Mills Union Church Pownal Center Community Church Putney General Store Rochester Public Library Rockingham Area Museum Project
Shaftsbury Historical Society
Shaftsbury Town Hall (pictured left)
Slate Valley Regional Ministry Spencer Hollow School, Springfield Springfield Theater St. George Schoolhouse St. James Church, Arlington St. Mary Star of the Sea, Newport St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Wells Starksboro Country Store The Old North Church, Danville Town of Salisbury United Church of Bethel United Church of Thetford Vermont Folklife Center West Dover Congregational Church Westford United Church Westminster Aqueduct Gate House
Wolcott Schoolhouse (pictured left)
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Vermont News
Historic Village Walk
On Saturday, October 4, Black River Academy Museum (BRAM) will sponsor a walking tour highlighting historic homes and buildings in the Village of Ludlow. "We've worked very hard to make this an enjoyable yet informative walking tour of area buildings to show the living history behind many of the buildings in the Village," said Georgia Brehm, BRAM Director. Eighteen specific structures will be viewed and discussed during the tour, some going back to the beginning of the settlement of the Village of Ludlow. Several will be open for interior inspection including the Fletcher Memorial Library, United Church, and Ludlow's Town Hall. The historic walk will begin at 2 PM at Fletcher Memorial Library on Main Street across from Veterans Memorial Park. The walk is free and open to the public. For more information, visit http://www.bramvt.org.
SculptCycle Auction and Gala! TW Wood Gallery, 36 College Street, Montpelier Saturday, October 4th, 5 to 8pm
Enjoy an evening of live music and great food to auction SculptCycles! Meet the SculptCycle Artists and Sponsors! Featuring auctioner Willem Lange. Music by Michael Arnowitt , his new bicycle-inspired piece: "Bumpy Ride" Place your bid on one or more of the great SculptCycles! Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door. Contact Suzanne Hechmer, at 802-223-9604 for details. www.sculptcycle.org
10th Anniversary of the Vermont Downtown Conference Tuesday, October 14, 2008, Capital Plaza Hotel, Montpelier
Key note address by Donovan Rypkema, speaker, author and renowned authority on economic development, sustainable development and historic preservation.Donovan Rypkema is principal of PlaceEconomics, a Washington, D.C.-based real estate and economic development-consulting firm. The firm specializes in services to public and non-profit sector clients who are dealing with downtown and neighborhood commercial district revitalization and the reuse of historic structures. In 2004 Rypkema established Heritage Strategies International, a new firm created to provide similar services to world-wide clients. He also teaches a graduate course in preservation economics at the University of Pennsylvania. For more information, visit: www.historicvermont.org/programs/downtown_conference_2008.html
Vermont Barn Census
October 18-19
The Fall Barn Census weekend will take place October 18-19. It will be a great time to get outside, meander through the countryside, talk with neighbors, and record and photograph barns for the great Vermont Barn Census. See more at the Barn Census website www.uvm.edu/~barn.
Historic Houses: Yestermorrow Design/Build School
October 25-26, Warren, VT
This workshop will help owners of historic homes, maintenance personnel, property managers, general contractors, and anyone involved in the stewardship of older buildings to make informed decisions on the job. We will discuss the historical, material and technological changes that have shaped building construction practice. Through lectures and site visits, students will learn where to look and what to look for when assessing the overall condition of a structure, how to prioritize their work, establishing routine maintenance programs, and finding help for projects beyond their capacity. Information/registration: www.yestermorrow.org, 802/496-5545
New England Museum Association Annual Conference Sustaining Communities: The Power of Museums November 12-14, 2008, Warwick, Rhode IslandJoin more than 800 colleagues in your region for networking and high-quality professional development. Affordable registration rates start at $200 for three days and $125 for one day. Scholarships and volunteer opportunities are also available. Preliminary program books and registration forms are available online and will be mailed in early September. For more information, please visit www.nemanet.org. |
New National Register Listings
The National Park Service recently listed the following properties on the National Register of Historic Places. Johnny Seesaw's Historic District, Peru
Johnny Seesaw's Historic District is a 6.8-acre inn complex nestled into the foot of Bromley Mountain. The property contains a c. 1924 shingle-clad, saddle-notched log, one-and-one-half-story lodge with additions that was originally a roadhouse/dancehall and residence. Also on the property are 4 historic cottages, a c. 1941 red-clay tennis court and a c. 1946 marble-rimmed swimming pool. Established as an inn for skiers in 1938, it played an important role in the early development of the ski industry in southern Vermont, particularly on Bromley Mountain and was associated with founding members of the National Ski Patrol System. The inn has been in continuous operation since 1938 and is the only one of the area's early ski inns still in existence. The nomination was sponsored by the owner to honor the history of the property and its role in the development of the ski industry. Worker Housing in the Intervale and Old North End, Burlington
These properties were nominated as part of the Multiple Property Documentation Form -"Historic and Architectural Resources of Burlington, Vermont, Historic Context-The Evolution of Worker Housing, 1827-1956" This MPDF was developed with a Certified Local Government grant to the City of Burlington to facilitate rehab of multi-unit buildings particularly for affordable housing. It provides an overview of the industrial and commercial growth in Burlington resulting from the growth of water-powered industries and the success of Burlington as a port in the 19th and early 20th centuries. It describes the housing stock that developed in response of this growth to shelter the larger numbers of workers drawn to the city. The MPDF will simplify documentation for National Register nominations of multi-unit buildings in Burlington that are covered by this MPDF as it provides much of the social context usually researched and prepared for individual nominations. Downtown Bennington Historic District Boundary Increase This National Register nomination is a CLG funded update and boundary increase to the original Downtown Bennington Historic District, which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. The original nomination included forty-six resources, thirty-seven of which remain standing in the historic district. The amended area of the historic district has a total of thirty-nine resources, and there are a total of seventy-six resources in the entire historic district - thirty-seven remaining resources in the original historic district plus the thirty-nine resources in the amended area. The historic district boundary increase includes extensions on Main Street and North Street, and one property on Silver Street. The boundary increase adds residential, commercial, ecclesiastical, fraternal, transportation, and educational resources to the historic district, and reflects, to a greater degree than the original nomination, the rich and diverse architecture and history of Bennington village. Bridge 15 (River Bridge), Sharon
This Parker through truss bridge was built in 1928 and carries River Road across the White River in Sharon. Bridge 15 was built after the 1927 flood as part of the flood reconstruction effort. Its design was frequently used for longer span crossings greater than 160 feet. This bridge exhibits rolled beams used as verticals and diagonals in the truss webs, an innovation that distinguishes post-1927 bridges from earlier, more lightly built spans. The bridge serves as a gateway on the westerly edge of Sharon village. The bridge was rehabbed in 1994 and continues to carry traffic. |
Upcoming Grants
Vermont State Historic Preservation Grants
Deadline: October 6, 2008
50/50 matching grants for the repair and restoration of historic buildings that are used by the public such as town halls, churches, grange halls, museums, etc. Read on...
Vermont Barn Preservation Grants
Deadline: November 3, 2008
50/50 matching grants for the repair and restoration of historic agricultural buildings listed on or eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. Read on...
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In the Media
Old Barns Get New Attention
Christian Science Monitor, September 2, 2008
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