Independence Day

First, the good news: Last week’s record rainfall did NOT do any significant damage to the mansion. Had it occurred a week earlier, when the driveway was freshly paved, I would not be saying that.

Dawn, however, did not sleep for three days. When you’re sleeping in a greenhouse with a plastic roof, heavy rain sounds like bombs exploding. So it was with a weary head and cranky attitude that she arrived in LA last Wednesday, ready to sort through all of our belongings which I had haphazardly boxed and stored in the garage.

Four days of bickering later, and we were ready for the movers. Well, perhaps “ready” isn’t the right term. We finally went to bed around 4am last night, and they showed up this morning at 7am. We had already packed the doorbell, so it was some time before they woke us up. The driver had everyone moving like it was choreographed, except for me; I was stumbling around and thinking it’s days like this that I wish I drank coffee.

I had to go get more boxes (we’ve now invested at least $400 in carboard — I don’t know how homeless people do it) and while they were hauling out the furniture, we packed at least another ten boxes. At that point, paperclips were being packed, because it was easier than throwing them out. At about 80 cents per pound to ship, however, I’m going to be pretty annoyed with myself when I’m unpacking.

Now everything is out of the house. (The front lawn is another matter, but the Salvation Army will deal with that on Wednesday.) Tomorrow morning Dawn boards a plane back to Philadelphia, so she can get back in time for the electricians, while I start my trek back east.

National Historic Register

Brilliant article in the Lancaster New Era today:

Mansion at Speedwell Forge makes U.S. register, LancasterOnline.com

Some interesting facts about the National Register:

• In Lancaster County, there are 212 sites (including us) on the National Register. By comparison, York has 92, Berks County has 130, and Lebanon has 24. (Chester County, though, has 313.)
• 25 of Lancaster’s “sites” are railroad cars in Strasburg, 25 are covered bridges, and 24 are tobacco buildings.
• Only 20 Lancaster sites have been added in the past 10 years.
• The first sites listed in Lancaster were the James Buchanan House (1966), the Robert Fulton Birthplace (1966), the Stiegel-Coleman House (1966), Ephrata Cloister (1967), and the Fulton Opera House (1969).
• Lancaster has five “National Historic Landmarks” — the James Buchanan House, the Robert Fulton Birthplace, the Stiegel-Coleman House, Ephrata Cloister, and the Fulton Opera House. (I once asked what it would take to be listed as a landmark, and was basically told “You had to be listed before 1970.”)
• Other Lancaster B&Bs on the National Register: King’s Cottage (built 1913), B.F. Hiestand House (built 1887), Limestone Inn (built 1786), and Churchtown Inn (“18th century”). Forgotten Seasons B&B (built 1735) should be on the National Register, but isn’t.
• Other Lancaster sites on the Register that are associated with the early ironmasters: Stiegel-Coleman House, Mount Hope Estate, Spring Grove Forge Mansion, Poole Forge, and Windsor Forge Mansion. (I understand Caernarvon Township bought Poole Forge last year and is trying to figure out what to do with it.)

So now that we’re recognized by the Lancaster County Historic Preservation Trust and the National Register of Historic Places, you’d think I’d be satisfied, but I’ve still got three more goals:

• Be recognized as a Lancaster County Heritage resource.
• Have the state erect an historic marker for James Old, the ironmaster who built Speedwell Forge.
• Convince the state to give me the historic tax credits without requiring me to rebuild the back porch (which is really inappropriate for a colonial building)