Background
Joining us in Cairo will take you not to the land of pyramids and ancient tombs, but rather to the southernmost tip of Illinois – a place steeped in US history. Cairo (pronounced "kay-ro") was headquarters for General Grant at the beginning of the Civil War,  was the central hub for steamboat traffic, was known for its blues musicians, saw intense civil rights activity, and was for many years the economic and cultural center for the region. It also has an incredible array of historic architecture. In the past 50 years, Cairo has suffered tremendously from the economic depression that plagues the region and could become a ghost town, with historic buildings lining deserted streets, if action is not taken.
In 2009, a coalition comprised of the Cairo VISION 20-20 Committee; the School of Architecture and the Department of History at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale; Cairo Chamber of Commerce; the City of Cairo; Landmarks Illinois; Ray Black & Son, Inc.; AmeriCorps Vista; SIDEZ; and AiP (formerly HCN) came together to begin a project aimed at restoring some of the city’s historic shotgun houses for quality affordable housing. These houses are just some of over 200 properties in Cairo listed on or being evaluated for inclusion in the Cairo Historic district and listing on the National Register of Historic Places. This coalition will continue to work together in 2010 in the hope that the Shotgun Preservation Project will provide a spark for new business, increase tourism, and even bring new residents to this historic town.
 After a successful workshop in June 2009, followed by two additional months of hard work by students and faculty from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale under the direction of Robert Swenson, Associate Professor and architect, the exterior restoration of the shotgun house on Sycamore Street is near completion. With that strong start, expectations are high for 2010. AiP is using this momentum to bring more volunteers, sponsors, community involvement and energy to Cairo in 2010 to continue the repair and restoration of vacant historic shotgun-style houses for use as affordable housing.
Project
The 2009 project house was purchased by the City of Cairo and when completed will initially serve as an office for the Cairo Chamber of Commerce. A key feature in the office will be a display with photographs illustrating the hands-on preservation process and text explaining the benefits of creating affordable housing from existing houses built of high quality materials and still sound even after years of neglect.
 The 2010 workshop will provide training and experience in a variety of building conservation techniques used in the restoration of a wood frame structure covered with wood siding and detailing. Participants will have the opportunity to learn and try their hand at such tasks as the repair and re-glazing of historic wood windows; repair and replication of deteriorated wood detailing; assessment of potential structural problems; and much more.
The house restored during the 2010 workshop will be available for purchase as affordable housing, a process that is currently being developed with the City of Cairo and project partners.
 Work will be led by Bill Black, Jr., recently “retired” from Ray Black & Son, Inc., who is a regional leader in the field of building preservation and led both the Shotgun House project in 2009 and our 2007 workshop at the Kornthal parsonage. Working with Mr. Black to lead the workshop will be Antoinette Lettiere and James Schmidt, students at SIUC School of Architecture who played a pivotal role in the work completed on the 2009 shotgun house.
Visiting guest experts will provide additional information on the variety of topics involved in the preservation process.
The Cairo Vision 20-20 Committee is currently seeking funds to purchase a second, and possibly third, shotgun house that will be the subject of preservation work during the 2010 summer ReDesign-ReBuild project managed and directed by the SIUC-School of Architecture. Costing just $1,000, this a very feasible fundraising project for a group looking for a way to help a community in need.
In 2009, over $11,000 in materials and services was donated by local and regional residents. Equally as impressive, the value of volunteer labor totaled over $12,000, allowing for amazing results at minimal cost. We hope to see even greater involvement and level of donations in 2010.
If you are able to help by donating materials or professional services, please contact Bill Harrell with the Cairo VISION 20-20 Committee at 618-967-8270 or wrharrell @ gmail.com – or Monica Smith, Cairo Public Library at 618-734-1840 or monica @ ldd.net.
Logistics
The workshop will be two weeks in length and participants may register for either one or two weeks. The cost is US$775 for one week and US$1,275 f or two weeks, which covers lodging; breakfast, lunch and snacks (dinners not included); insurance; workshop materials and instruction; and a fieldtrip. Transportation to the workshop is not included and is the responsibility of the participant. Rates are based on double occupancy.
Reduced rates are available for local residents and for volunteers staying in an RV, and therefore not needing lodging. The cost if staying in an RV is US$425 per week, which includes snacks, lunch, insurance and instruction. Information on where RV’s can park will be provided upon request.
Local residents may participate for a reduced fee of $85 per week, which covers snacks, lunch, insurance and instruction; please contact Zachariah Green directly at Zachariah.Green @ illinois.gov to register.
If arriving by air, check flights into St. Louis, Missouri; Nashville, Tennessee; or Chicago, Illinois that connect with commuter flights to Marion, Illinois or Cape Girardeau, Missouri. From there, a rental car is still necessary. AiP may arrange shuttle service from nearby airports, so contact workshops @ heritageconservation.net if you need this service. For assistance making travel arrangements, contact AiP’s partnering travel agency, Peace Frogs Travel/Outfitters.
Workshop participants will be housed at the Days Inn in Cairo. Check-in is available on Sunday of the week you are attending. (Saturday night, June 12, 2010, is not included unless you are attending for both weeks.)
 Work hours at the site are generally Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. Lunches will be provided at an air-conditioned location near the site. A group fieldtrip will take participants to some of the area's scenic and historic sites. Instruction will be in English.
Southern Illinois can be quite humid in the summer, with June's average daytime highs being 32 C (90 F). Bring clothing that is suitable for the weather that will also be protective while working. Close-toed shoes are required; long pants and long-sleeved shirts should be brought to the site, although they may not be required at all times. Water bottles, sun screen, hats and insect repellent are highly recommended, as are safety goggles and work gloves. Please be conscious that safety is an important issue at any work site.
If you need additional information, contact us at workshops @ heritageconservation.net or call +1 303 444 0128.
If you find this project intriguing, but are unable to attend, you can still participate by supporting conservation work in Cairo and at other project sites with a tax-deductible donation to HCN. We have partnered with Groundspring.org to make it easy and
safe for you to donate online:
If you would prefer to mail in a gift, please use our donation form. |
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