Historic Houses

Course Description: Buying and renovating a historic house can be a risky proposition. Hidden problems can increase rehabilitation costs by 25% or more. Through lectures and site visits, students will learn where to look and what to look for when assessing the overall condition of a structure. Specifically, we will study the long-term effects of gravity, moisture, and temperature on historic buildings.

What is this course about anyway?

This course is designed to help you assess a historic structure in terms of age, construction type, and condition, with an emphasis on historic preservation techniques. It is NOT a course on how to do an official home inspection, nor will we have enough time to go into lots of detail on specific renovation methods.

Who is it for?

People considering buying a historic home, as well as those who already own an old house but want the tools to learn more about it.

What should you bring?

Helpful items to bring include comfortable shoes, a water bottle, pencils, notebook and camera.

Recommended Readings (*asterisk indicates titles available in the Yestermorrow library)

Burns, John. Recording Historic Structures. Washington DC: AIA Press, 1989.

Fisher, C. and Miller, H. Caring for Your Historic House. New York: Harry N. Abrams, 1998.

Harris, Cyril, ed. Illustrated Dictionary of Historic Architecture . New York: Dover, 1977.

*McAlester, V. & L. A Field Guide to American Houses . New York: Knopf, 1988.

Nash, George. Renovating Old Houses. Newtown, CT: Taunton, 1992.

*Poore, Patricia, ed. The Old House Journal Guide to Restoration . New York: Dutton, 1992.

*Weaver, Martin. Conserving Buildings. New York: John Wiley, 1993.

Old House Journal

Traditional Building

Preservation Briefs ( not really a periodical, Preservation Briefs are bulletins provided by the National Park Service on a variety of topics related to the care and preservation of old buildings)

Rough Course Outline*

*Subject to change based on interests of students and specific field trips.

Saturday

9AM Welcome, orientation to Yestermorrow

9:30AM Intro to historic preservation, slide show

12PM Lunch

1PM Field trip to historic property

5PM Class adjourns

Sunday

9AM Lecture and Q&A session

12PM Lunch

1PM Field trip to historic property

4PM Wrap-up, evaluations, graduation

5PM Class adjourns