My Time at The Brown Homestead
Our outgoing Heritage Coordinator Rick Pali, reflects on his time at The Brown Homestead as part of his diploma in Heritage Conservation at the Willowbank School of Restoration Arts.
The John Brown House at The Brown Homestead
In the 1981 film, Raiders of the Lost Ark, bad guy Rene Belloq says of the Ark of the Covenant, “We are simply passing through history. This is history.” I’m not sure I could better describe how I feel about The Brown Homestead.
My name is Rick and I’m currently a third year student at the Willowbank School of Restoration Arts in Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON. The school offers just one program and describes it this way:
“Our unique Three-Year Diploma program provides students with a professional network that can take their career path in many directions. Coursework focuses on developing skills and knowledge related to conserving our built and cultural heritage. Our focus on providing a well-rounded education in heritage conservation and sustainability is made possible by the exceptional faculty practitioners who came from across Canada, the United States, and Denmark.”
The third year started with three weeks of classroom instruction, then a six month placement, and ended with three more weeks in the classroom. My placement was with The Brown Homestead, due to the generosity of Andrew Humeniuk, Executive Director.
My first time at the homestead was for a three week job in August 2020, just before starting my second year at Willowbank, painting the windows with several of my Willowbank classmates. The house has about 25 windows so it was no small feat to paint 25 window frames, 25 storm windows, and 50 window sashes in a matter of weeks. When Andrew told us he would be taking on one student for the six month placement, I made sure he knew I was interested.
Now I sit here about to return for my final three weeks of classes and I wonder where the last six months have gone! During that time however, I learned so much about the history of the house and absolutely loved my time here. I also learned many new skills, and how to implement so much that I learned in my classes.
The things I’ve done at The Brown Homestead include:
Earning my lift certificate. I can operate scissor lifts and boom lifts and have the paperwork to show any jobsite inspector who needs to see it. Of course learning a new skill often involves setbacks. Like not really thinking about how each wheel of the lift supported nearly a tonne before driving into a muddy field. It took two hours and the help of two co-workers to get the lift unstuck. Then of course, I got it stuck a second time. Later, when I got more confident, I dented a heritage-style copper eavestrough that I need to try and fix when the weather warms up.
Eavestrough cleaning, using the lift.
Research and summary. I’ve researched various tools and put forth suggestions on which we should buy. Recently, I’ve gone through the City of St. Catharines Heritage Designated Property Grant guidelines, summarized the conditions, and put together a number of restoration project suggestions for the John Brown House that would qualify for the grant.
Cedar shingle replacement. The cedar shingles over the front entrance portico were installed with staples that were too short so the shingles were firmly attached to the shingle underneath, but not to the portico itself… so we ended up losing a few shingles to windy days. While that’s not a good thing, it alerted us to the problem and we took action to fix the problem with suitably longer nails.
Expanded my knowledge of power tools. I’ve always tried to get battery-free corded tools because I didn’t use them nearly enough to make fussing with batteries worth it. That’s all changed. I bought a few battery powered tools, a drill, an impact driver, a circular saw, and an orbital sander, and I’ve used them a lot. The Homestead has many tools, but I have a few they are missing, and it’s nice to use one’s own tools as well. Further, I liked the table saw at the homestead so much, I bought the same model for my own use at home.
We pulled up a tongue-and-groove floor in the loft to clean and examine the space between the floor and ceiling below. The floor is at least a century old and made of untreated wood. We’re looking at how to clean the wood in preparation for a protective treatment. We often use linseed oil as it’s natural and not only does it protect wood from weather and dirt, but enhances the contrast in the grain, making the wood look absolutely beautiful.
We also took up a floor in the summer kitchen, original to the house to add structural support to the hand-hewn beams that hold up the floor. I’ve never done anything like this before and I’m quite proud of the result.
Installed storm windows in the fall. This used to be a task most every homeowner did, but it’s not necessary any more, with double- and triple-glazed windows.
I learned how to put up, take down, and crawl around on scaffolding. It can be so much more convenient than a ladder! That said, ladders seem to ease my worry of heights more. Strange but true.
Putting up plexiglass on the back of the Norton Cabin, to take advantage of the missing wall sections to let in light and provide a view to visitors.
Adding a ridge cap the the Norton Cabin roof to stop rain and snow coming in and soaking the wood structure. I did part of the work while my colleague Chris piloted the lift for me, and later, my other colleague Holly finished the work while I controlled the lift for her.
Learned about the purpose and methods of linseed oil paint use. Before modern synthetic paints, there was linseed oil paint. It’s different in that the oil base is from a plant, and the pigments are very simple. There is a bit of a learning curve because although it is still paint, it’s not the same as modern paints. We use it extensively at the homestead because it was what they used back in the late 18th & early 19th centuries when the house was first constructed.
I researched, wrote a script for, and ‘starred’ in an educational video explaining what oakum is and how it’s installed. It’s an old method used to seal cracks in structures and on boats. I had to research how to do it myself, as it’s very uncommon these days! If you want to learn about it, you can watch the video yourself:
I also now have a much greater understanding of how easily material for a blooper reel happens!
I’m going to build a bat house! I have the plans already but spring will be a much better time to do it. That bats don’t need it now anyway.
Helped to install a set of stairs and railings on the front of the Norton cabin.
Made the cabin back doors with my coworker Chris, and we installed them. We also installed the front door.
Always assisting with the proper documentation of site work, including many photos of the progress of the work in addition to before and after pictures.
In an epic failure of imagination, I had always pictured my work in heritage restoration as a transient thing. Go to an old building, work on it, then leave when the job is done. A job well done is satisfying. That said, doing multiple projects in the same location is even more fulfilling as one sees one's efforts make the house better and better over time. Even simple things, like taking the garbage out weekly, and picking up the mail, makes the house feel almost like a home, despite my not living here. There’s a continuity of working toward a goal that could not happen when working at multiple locations and then leaving when the work is complete.
The Brown Homestead is more than 200 years old. Everywhere I look, I see signs of lives lived, experiences, and private moments. It’s not difficult to imagine how the events of the past affected the people living in the house. We have a photo in the centre hall, of a little girl sitting on the now gone fence in front of the house. The photo was clearly taken in the early days of modern photography, c. 1910. The girl is Annie Powers and she grew up in the house. She came back when she was in her eighties and pointed out where, as a child, she scratched her initials into the edge of a bedroom door. Although she is no longer with us today, her initials are still there, marking her presence across the decades.
Unusually, for a heritage home that was lived in, the previous owners did not update the house with all the latest technology and fashions. Of course there is electricity, for example, but the main stairs are original. I did note that the handrail is strangely smooth. I have no doubt it was well-sanded when made, but two centuries of use would also be a factor. The ballroom upstairs is the least updated room in the house and other Willowbank students recently closely examined the room for an adaptive re-use exercise. They found eleven layers of wallpaper in the ballroom.
I started attending Willowbank not because heritage structures were an overriding interest to me, but rather because the school curriculum was full of teaching such interesting skills. I went from that unfocused interest to a keen love of old places, like The Brown Homestead. I am looking forward to continuing work here in April as the full-time Site Manager. The staff put together a video presentation of his plans for the next few years of The Homestead’s future and the plans are ambitious. I am thrilled to see how it unfolds and be a part of it all.