| Jacob’s Resting
Place 1790 Architecture and Restoration |
| The structure is a classic 5 bay Georgian brick colonial. Most structural parts and building treatments are original. Little has been removed. We have performed about 75% of restoration and project work ourselves with about 25% being performed as specialty and contract work. We have hundreds of pictures of restoration and project work to include a historic before, during, and after photo album that has pictures as early as the 1870s. |
The following architectural treatments remain from original construction:
- The walls are triple thickness brick. The exterior brick was fired on site. Some amount of the interior brick is a softer orange tint brick that was brought up the Susquehanna River from the Chesapeake Bay as ballast.
- The bricks across the front of the structure are laid in an interlocking Flemish bond, which is uncommon because of the expense of laying brick in that fashion. However, it makes for a stronger more aesthetic structure. We would say it has great curb appeal. From the colonial coined term, it has its “best face forward.”
- Vertical brick fans exist over the doors and windows. Curved water table brick are laid about 2 feet above the front foundation.
- Approximately 90% of the windows (except for replaced glass panes) are original to the structure. Front windows are 12 over 12 panes (24 total) for each first floor window and 8 over 12 panes (20 total) for the second floor. The backside windows are 9 over 9 and 6 over 9 for first and second floors respectively. Original window sashes have muttons that are still pegged at the frames with interior mortise and tenon construction.
- Woodwork (doors, chair rails, foot rails, and door facings) is original with dovetail construction in corners. Joints are mortise and tenon. Doors are 6 panel pegged, mortise, and tenon. Floors are random width tongue and grove boards.
- All woodwork boards are hand-planed with plane marks remaining.
- Three exterior doors are each different being six panel, Dutch, or batten. Doors have their original hardware and are hung on iron hinge pins with hand forged strap hinges. Some original bean latches remain on interior doors.
- The main structural members are hand hewn walnut beams. Floor joists are held by heavy wooden pegs to the main structural members at mortise and tenon joints.
- Walls are tongue and groove or ship lapped random width boards with about an inch of horsehair plaster attached to uneven hand cut hickory lathe.
- There are seven fireplaces, all of which have their original hand-planed mantles. Some hearth brick are original. The large cooking fireplace in the kitchen contains a warming oven in the side. We safely use 6 of the seven fireplaces today.
- Other unique colonial style treatments exist inside the structure.
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The following major restoration and renovation work has been performed:
- Red paint residue was chemically cleaned from the brick.
- Brick was re-pointed by hand using a restoration formula for the mortar.
- We removed old knob and tube wiring and rewired the structure.
- Bathrooms were added.
- Central air conditioning was added with runs generally concealed in closets.
- Brick patio added adjacent to main structure and family room addition.
- The joint kitchen / utility room was returned to the original kitchen configuration.
- The random width kitchen floor was replaced with boards milled from trees on the property.
- A random width cherry floor was placed in second floor rooms over the kitchen.
- The ceiling was replaced in the Keeping / Tavern Room to expose original hand hewn beams.
- Damaged plaster was repaired or replaced.
- A bricked up window and a not original door were replaced with custom built reproduction windows to be like those of original construction.
- Several smaller restoration projects have been accomplished.
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The following major project additions have been performed to the structure and grounds:
- Large family room addition was built.
- Addition of 1,100 square foot wing for B&B suites and office space completed.
- Brick patio and terraces added at original front of structure.
- Patio space totaling 1,900 square feet added in front of east wing addition.
- Brick walkway added to east side of east wing addition.
- Pavilion, using old beams, was added on the patio.
- Swimming pool with hand hewn beam pool house added with terrace steps down from the rear patio.
- Colonial garden with brick walkways leading to a cottage garden with stone walkways added on the Pike side / rear of structure.
- Rail fencing placed around the 3 acres of grounds.
- Asphalt parking area added to the east side of the property.
- Stone road circular drive to rear of property added.
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The following projects are in the planning stage:
- Completion of electrification of the Pennsylvania banked barn (3 floors with about 9,000 square feet).
- Possible catering facility added on remaining footprint of old brick office and garage buildings.
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