Mark Maleski
Administrator
Greetings SAPFM members! On Sunday, 4 February at 2:00, members of the Chesapeake Chapter are invited to visit Riversdale House Museum (near College Park). Riversdale is a five-part, large-scale late Georgian mansion with superior Federal interior, built between 1801 and 1807, and was the home of George Calvert. The purpose of our visit (besides viewing and enjoying the mansion), is to conduct a site survey of the Riversdale Dairy, which is in the basement area under the staircase of the front portico of the house. The dairy is undergoing restoration; plans have been drawn up based on studies done of the room. The dairy originally had white pine framework built to support marble shelves on which the dairy products were set on one side of the room and similar supports for white pine shelves arranged along the opposite wall. I thought we could help with construction of the white pine support structure using period methods (or at least period-appropriate results!) Whereas the drawings are highly detailed, we felt a site survey will allow us to determine an approach for the work. While I'm envisioning the work to be performed by just a handful of SAPFM volunteers, I'm hopeful for a good showing of SAPFM members on this day who can help decide on the approach and methods of construction. (E.g., while the construction drawings show pinned bridle joints used throughout the structure, the means of tying into the wall and floor isn't apparent).
We'll be joined on that date by Jennifer Flood (Riversdale Collections Manager), Patrick Gossett (Riversdale Historical Society), and Mel Kornspan, the Riversdale volunteer who first approached us for this activity. It should be a fascinating look at one of the finest early-19th century mansions in our area, and an opportunity to play a role in its restoration/preservation. Please email [email protected] to indicate you plan to attend this event, so we can plan accordingly for the group.
If you'd like to know more about Riversdale, you can follow this link: http://history.pgparks.com/sites_and_museums/Riversdale_House_Museum.htm
Thank you!
Mark Maleski
We'll be joined on that date by Jennifer Flood (Riversdale Collections Manager), Patrick Gossett (Riversdale Historical Society), and Mel Kornspan, the Riversdale volunteer who first approached us for this activity. It should be a fascinating look at one of the finest early-19th century mansions in our area, and an opportunity to play a role in its restoration/preservation. Please email [email protected] to indicate you plan to attend this event, so we can plan accordingly for the group.
If you'd like to know more about Riversdale, you can follow this link: http://history.pgparks.com/sites_and_museums/Riversdale_House_Museum.htm
Thank you!
Mark Maleski