Worthington mansion gets corbels

Posted

Patrick J. Sullivan, psullivan@ptleader.com

The latest fundraising chapter in the ongoing restoration of the Hamilton-Worthington mansion in Quilcene adds a personal touch to the ambitious community project: personalized roof corbels.

The nonprofit Quilcene Historical Museum acquired the Worthington estate in 2013, the first step in a five-phase project to restore what is considered to be the only Victorian-style home in Jefferson County outside the city of Port Townsend. The home is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The original style of mansard roof has been restored to the home, built in 1891-1892, to replace the gable-style roof that was added when the top floor was removed in 1934.

Corbels, described as structural pieces of wood, stone or metal jutting from a wall to carry a superincumbent weight, are part of the home’s original appearance. The home has 54 corbels.

The idea behind phase 3 fundraising (part of the overall campaign, “Event Ready – Let’s Finish the Mansion”) was for people to purchase a personalized corbel for $100. The corbel project raised $7,300 – some people donated above and beyond the requested amount.

Corbel donors were invited to add a personal message, printed on waterproof paper stock using a laser printer. The messages end up between the corbel and the home, so none would be seen again unless, or until, the roof is taken apart someday, noted Dave Satterlee, volunteer coordinator of funds development committee for the project’s second and third phases.

All donors receive a photograph of the finished corbel with their personal message, and a map indicating the exact corbel that belongs to them.

“If they keep the map around, maybe their great-grandchildren someday can find the corbel when it comes off for the next restoration,” said Christine Satterlee, lead project volunteer on the corbel campaign.

The corbel purchased in honor of Eilleen Worthington reads simply “In memory of your community spirit.” In July 2011, nearing the end of her life, Worthington offered the Quilcene Historical Museum board a two-year purchase option to buy her home, the 1915 barn, two outbuildings and 10 acres, with some of that acreage bordering the Little Quilcene River.

ONGOING CONSTRUCTION

Construction has been ongoing. For example, the home’s wooden windows have all been rebuilt by Chuck Thrasher, project manager for phase 2 (exterior). Original glass is being reused where possible.

The 9,000 cedar shingles, hand-dipped by community volunteers, were installed by Dan Nieman Construction of Quilcene, whose crew works Monday through Friday. Volunteers show up on Friday to clean the job site and sometimes do projects on the weekend, too.

Both the mansard roof and the front porch have been completed, and the side porch is underway. Siding is up on three sides of the building; there is still work to do on the home’s north side. The corbel installation was finished earlier this month.

Now that progress is so visible, supporters hope the final stages come together well. “We love to see traffic on Columbia Street and walkers stop by to see our progress,” said Dave Satterlee. “If volunteers are available, impromptu tours may be offered.”

NEXT STEP: INTERIOR

The goal is to have the four-bedroom, two-bath home restored and available as an event center for conferences and seminars, and weddings and other social gatherings. The project’s third phase focuses on the home’s interior. Grant applications are underway to help pay for utilities and restoration of the lath and plaster walls, for example.

Late last year, the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation announced the mansion project would be awarded a $1,500 Valerie Sivinski Washington Preserves Fund grant to restore the original tile on the home’s fireplace surround.

Phase 4 is all about the interior furnishings. A committee led by Larry McKeehan, museum board member, is already underway, gathering pieces. The five main rooms downstairs are to be decorated according to a different time period than that of the home’s early years, 1894-1934. Phase 5 is to improve the overall grounds.

“The hardest and most complex part was the exterior,” Christine Satterlee said. “We had to deal with unexpected lead paint, reinforce the whole building for that third floor, and aging issues of a Victorian structure were present. The inside doesn’t seem that daunting of a task.”

The museum is located at 151 E. Columbia Ave. in Quilcene, between Center Road and U.S. Highway 101.

Learn more at

worthingtonparkquilcene.org.