Miss-Delectable
New Member
- Joined
- Apr 18, 2004
- Messages
- 17,164
- Reaction score
- 6
Hessian Barracks' history being restored | Washington Examiner
History is being dug up anew at the Maryland School for the Deaf.
Since the time of the American Revolution, the property, which became the school's home in 1867, has been part of historic events and still offers glimpses of rare evidence from different periods.
Chad Baker, deputy superintendent of the school, said the need to make repairs to the Hessian Barracks building dating to the 1770s prompted an investigation into its complete history. Before restoring it, school officials wanted to determine what it looked like originally.
The barracks building, one of two built on the property in the late 18th century, is on the National Park Service's National Register of Historic Places. The second building was torn down in the 1870s.
Experts in architecture and archaeology are working on physical evidence while Baker and school staff prepare a narrative history using archived documents and personal letters to piece together what was built, how and when.
"We're trying to leave no stone unturned," Baker said. "The whole goal is to do an exhaustive statement."
In April 1777, the new state of Maryland General Assembly passed an act to erect barracks on the property, making it the first official state project, Baker said. The building has housed the state militia, enemy prisoners and wounded warriors, and served frontier explorers.
The original two buildings were completed around 1782, and were used as barracks for Hessian prisoners who fought with England during the Revolution, Baker said. Some prisoners wrote letters that have enlightened researchers about the site's history.
"We've been everywhere across the state digging up these facts," Baker said.
Meriwether Lewis stayed at the barracks and gathered supplies in 1803, before the start of the Lewis and Clark expedition, Baker said. After the battle of Antietam, the barracks became a hospital.
Most recently the building was the school's museum. A little more than a year ago, the museum moved to the new Bjorlee building on campus, and the barracks' interior took on the appearance of an archaeological dig.
Bits and pieces of plaster and other materials have been plucked from hidden brick walls and old floorboards to reveal secrets and forgotten history. Uncovered bricks reveal their age to experts, and nails dating to certain periods indicate when wooden parts were built.
Baker and his team at the school have nearly finished their narrative of the building's history, he said. The second part of the evidence is a historic structure report, which is being completed by the experts in historic architecture.
"They literally measure every inch," Baker said. "A report to this degree has not been done (before)."
The report will direct how to restore the building, which needs a new roof and work on the stone exterior, Baker said.
"This is an absolute jewel of a building," Baker said.
One noticeable difference will be made to the roof: from slate to shingles made of red oak. The slate roof was probably put on after 1875, Baker said.
"We found an original (red oak) shingle in the attic," he said. "They're gorgeous pieces of wood."
Made by hand, such shingles are hard to come by, but a New York supplier is working on the order. It will take a year to make enough to cover the roof's 6,000 square feet, Baker said.
A grant through the Maryland Historical Trust has paid experts to evaluate the building, and $804,000 from the Department of General Services will pay for the roof and stone work, Baker said.
After restoration the building will house a museum with several interpretive areas depicting different periods, Baker said. Funding for the museum will come from groups like the Friends of the Hessian Barracks and other donors.
On Oct. 23, the Friends of the Hessian Barracks will join with the Daughters of the American Revolution and Sons of the American Revolution on campus during the DAR Founder's Day celebration to launch a fundraising campaign for the barracks.
"It's been a grand historic adventure," Baker said.
History is being dug up anew at the Maryland School for the Deaf.
Since the time of the American Revolution, the property, which became the school's home in 1867, has been part of historic events and still offers glimpses of rare evidence from different periods.
Chad Baker, deputy superintendent of the school, said the need to make repairs to the Hessian Barracks building dating to the 1770s prompted an investigation into its complete history. Before restoring it, school officials wanted to determine what it looked like originally.
The barracks building, one of two built on the property in the late 18th century, is on the National Park Service's National Register of Historic Places. The second building was torn down in the 1870s.
Experts in architecture and archaeology are working on physical evidence while Baker and school staff prepare a narrative history using archived documents and personal letters to piece together what was built, how and when.
"We're trying to leave no stone unturned," Baker said. "The whole goal is to do an exhaustive statement."
In April 1777, the new state of Maryland General Assembly passed an act to erect barracks on the property, making it the first official state project, Baker said. The building has housed the state militia, enemy prisoners and wounded warriors, and served frontier explorers.
The original two buildings were completed around 1782, and were used as barracks for Hessian prisoners who fought with England during the Revolution, Baker said. Some prisoners wrote letters that have enlightened researchers about the site's history.
"We've been everywhere across the state digging up these facts," Baker said.
Meriwether Lewis stayed at the barracks and gathered supplies in 1803, before the start of the Lewis and Clark expedition, Baker said. After the battle of Antietam, the barracks became a hospital.
Most recently the building was the school's museum. A little more than a year ago, the museum moved to the new Bjorlee building on campus, and the barracks' interior took on the appearance of an archaeological dig.
Bits and pieces of plaster and other materials have been plucked from hidden brick walls and old floorboards to reveal secrets and forgotten history. Uncovered bricks reveal their age to experts, and nails dating to certain periods indicate when wooden parts were built.
Baker and his team at the school have nearly finished their narrative of the building's history, he said. The second part of the evidence is a historic structure report, which is being completed by the experts in historic architecture.
"They literally measure every inch," Baker said. "A report to this degree has not been done (before)."
The report will direct how to restore the building, which needs a new roof and work on the stone exterior, Baker said.
"This is an absolute jewel of a building," Baker said.
One noticeable difference will be made to the roof: from slate to shingles made of red oak. The slate roof was probably put on after 1875, Baker said.
"We found an original (red oak) shingle in the attic," he said. "They're gorgeous pieces of wood."
Made by hand, such shingles are hard to come by, but a New York supplier is working on the order. It will take a year to make enough to cover the roof's 6,000 square feet, Baker said.
A grant through the Maryland Historical Trust has paid experts to evaluate the building, and $804,000 from the Department of General Services will pay for the roof and stone work, Baker said.
After restoration the building will house a museum with several interpretive areas depicting different periods, Baker said. Funding for the museum will come from groups like the Friends of the Hessian Barracks and other donors.
On Oct. 23, the Friends of the Hessian Barracks will join with the Daughters of the American Revolution and Sons of the American Revolution on campus during the DAR Founder's Day celebration to launch a fundraising campaign for the barracks.
"It's been a grand historic adventure," Baker said.
