|  The
Francis Mill will once again be the site of a post and beam conservation
workshop as work continues on the preservation of this circa 1887
water-powered grist mill. The mill, built by William Francis and
still owned by his descendants, is the only remaining grist mill
in Haywood County, North Carolina. It was in operation for 90 years
and still has much of its original equipment in place, including
overhead belts and pulleys, wooden gears and a variety of grinders.
The well-detailed finish work and exceptional carpentry that went
into the mill’s construction have protected the structure,
but weather and the passage of time have created areas of serious
deterioration. The Francis
Mill Preservation Society intends to restore the mill to working
condition and operate it as a heritage education site.
HCN’s first workshop at
the site during the summer of 2004 corrected the major structural
instability, replacing the sill beam and supporting posts on the
heavily damaged east side of the structure.
 The
2005 workshop will continue repairs to the timber frame and begin
other aspects of the building’s restoration. Tasks to be addressed
include: continued repair to beam ends; reconstruction of the foundation
at the southwest corner; repair of floor joists and flooring; and
rebuilding the upper frame. As with most historic buildings, unexpected
conditions may be encountered as work proceeds, so work may not
always follow the expected agenda. Jeffrey Finch, a wood conservation
specialist, will teach and lead participants in the work with the
help of other specialists. Instruction will be in English.
The workshop will be two weeks in length and participants may register
for either one or two weeks. The cost is US$950 for one week and
US$1900 for two weeks, which will cover lodging, breakfast and lunch,
insurance, workshop materials and instruction. The cost for area
residents not requiring lodging or breakfast is $475 per week. There
are discounts for early registration; see Registration
Form.
Transportation to the workshop is not included and is the responsibility
of the participant. The mill is located in the beautiful Smoky
Mountains about 40 minutes from Asheville.
Participants will stay in Waynesville
and will have free time on evenings and the weekend to explore the
area. Group field trips will be planned to other historic sites
of interest. Workshop participants may be interested in attending
two well-known local events: Folkmoot,
a folk festival that attracts entertainers from all over the world,
and Belle Chere,
the largest free outdoor street festival in the southeast, on July
29, 30 and 31, 2005.
 Summer
in western North Carolina brings daytime high temperatures from
the upper 70s F (25 C) to upper 80s F (31 C). The humidity can be
high so bring attire suitable for the weather that will also be
protective while working. Sturdy shoes (we recommend steel-toed
shoes, available at some discount stores for about $30), work gloves,
water bottles, insect repellant and sunscreen are recommended. Please
be conscious that safety is an important issue at any work site.
Additional details will be provided upon registration.
If you need additional information, please contact us at workshops@heritageconservation.net
or call +1 303-444-0128.
If you would like to help with the restoration of the Francis Mill
but are unable to attend the workshop, you can still participate
by supporting our conservation efforts with a gift to HCN. Donations
are tax deductible and will be used in a variety of ways - to sponsor
a participant, to provide materials needed for conservation work,
or to provide teaching materials for participants, just to name
a few.
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. |
