May is Preservation Month — Lakeport Technical Reports Made Available
The National Trust for Historic Preservation declares each May National Preservation Month. This year’s theme is “Celebrating America’s Treasures.” City and county officials throughout Arkansas have recognized the month and made their own preservation declarations.
Yesterday, the Historic Preservation Alliance of Arkansas announced “The Most Endangered Places in Arkansas” aka “Seven to Save.” There is a video of the announcement on Facebook or you can read about the seven on Rex Nelson’s Southern Fried Blog . The announcement has no power to save these sites, but it does raise awareness of historic places and generates public, technical, and financial support.
Lakeport was never on the Preservation Alliance’s most endangered list–although, the H. L. Mitchell/Clay East Building, now ASU’s Southern Tenant Farmers Museum, was on the list in 2000. Lakeport was in need of expert restoration work. Much of the technical work for the restoration was documented and complied into technical reports. Sonya Walker (formally of the Lakeport project) has authored eight technical reports on parge coating; chimneys; foundation and footers; windows; shingled roof; guttering and sheet metal work; cornice, siding, and paint; and smokehouse and mechanicals. Reports on dendrochronology and historic archeology have also been authored.
For Preservation Month these reports are being posted online. Today, there are links for the first three reports and I’ll continue posting more each day.
Technical Report #1: Parge Coating
Technical Report #2: Chimneys
Technical Report #3: Foundation & Footers
Technical Report #4: Windows
Technical Report #5: Shingled Roof
Technical Report #6: Guttering & Sheet Metal Work
Technical Report #7: Cornice, Siding & Paint
Technical Report #8: Lakeport Porches
Technical Report #9: Braced Frame Construction
Technical Report #10: Smokehouse & Mechanicals
Archeological Investigations at Lakeport Plantation: Randall Guending, May 2003
Technical Reports are also planned for the brick walkway, plaster work, shutters, restoration of the exterior doors, mantels, and rose window.
