Historic Fraser, Inc. pleased to report that great progress is being made on the restoration of the Ford Barn on the historic 4 Bar 4 Ranch. “The concrete foundation is in place, damaged logs are being repaired or replaced, and soon we’ll order trussing and the corrugated metal roof. Our hope is to be basically finished before winter sets in so the Ford Barn will be secure against the weather once again,” says Kent Wehmeyer, HFI.
“During this process, we’ve received so much interest and support that we’ve planned a chinking workshop for those who are interested in working hands-on. The workshop will be taught by Kevin Murray, who specializes in historic preservation. At this workshop, you’ll learn how structures were chinked in the late 1800’s,” states Ronda Paschal, also of HFI.
The daub, burlap and wood block chinking was used by Colorado pioneers because it added much needed insulation and structural strength to the whole building. The wood blocks add structural strength to logs that can be as long as 25’ from notch to notch and the daub and burlap provide insulation in the winter. According to Kevin Murray, the General Contractor on this project, “When we’re redoing it, we have to do the exact same thing because otherwise it’s a false history.”
Date: Friday, October 12th
Time: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Place: On CR 5, between CR 5171 and CR 518
Let us know you’re coming: email rubydorchester@gmail.com
Please include your name and best contact information.
Bring your hammer and come prepared to work and learn about our history!
Rocky Mountain Chapter 