The Columbia County Historical Society (CCHS) has entered into a partnership with the new Preservation Carpentry Certification course at Columbia-Greene Community College (CGCC) to complete a restoration project at the James Vanderpoel “House of History,” located at 16 Broad Street in Kinderhook.
Under the direction of Associate Professor John Lombardi of the school’s Construction Technology Center, the Preservation Carpentry coursework emphasizes historic restoration techniques and a range of construction methods, including stabilizing endangered buildings and preserving and recovering architectural details. For the project, students are learning about the methods and materials used to preserve 16 wooden shutters from the Federal-era house.
The shutter restorations are part of a multistage exterior weatherization project at the James Vanderpoel house. The first phase, which focused on replacing the roof, was completed in the fall of 2019. Due to the pandemic, the start of phase two was delayed until late 2020. Currently underway, the repairs are expected to reinforce the historic integrity of the building’s windows and provide improved weatherproofing.
The project is expected to conclude in spring/summer of 2021.
Photo of students at CGCC’s Construction Technology Center work on the James Vanderpoel House shutters provided.
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