Restoration efforts began in 2008 to protect and preserve the structure known as Coghlan Castle, near Rolla, ND. This is the only "CASTLE" in North Dakota and is remarkable in its unique stone architecture. Coghlan Castle was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2008 and plans to preserve the exterior portion of the Castle are underway. ROLLA, July, 14, 2010 - The story of Coghlan Castle begins in 1904 when Maurice Coghlan hired a Manitoba mason to build a large house for his family on his homestead claim. The Castle was built during the homestead era, when most North Dakota immigrants were constructing sod houses, tar paper shacks, and log houses. It provides an opportunity to tell his story, as well as the history of agriculture in this unique area of North Dakota. The exterior restoration of the Castle is currently underway. Grant funds from NDDOT Transportation Enhancement for scenic byway sites and grant funds from State Historical Society of North Dakota for National Register Properties have assisted with the restoration efforts. The stone walls were structurally stabilized this past summer with remaining stonework to continue in 2010. Rapid deterioration of the building and stonework bids received for restoration allowed only for partial completion, hence the opportunity for a hands- on learning session arose. The volunteer efforts will not only help to restore the Castle, but will provide a teaching opportunity for local masons and for anyone else interested in stone structure restoration. Sessions will focus specifically on restoration of the face stone and tuckpointing. Tuckpointing is a process that involves removing old/loose mortar in the joints between the stones and installing new mortar. A highlight of the Hands-On Learning Session is a workshop that will be conducted by a historic preservationist, Gordon Menzies. Gordon graduated from the University of Manitoba Faculty of Architecture and received a degree in environmental studies. He has assisted in various restoration projects in Manitoba, Canada. Gordon’s building set includes building materials knowledge and use in heritage structures, condition assessment reports, preparing blueprints and knowledge of building code requirements and monitoring of building movement and photographic recording. Gordon has been involved in more than 400 construction projects in his career. He will be onsite in order to coordinate the hands-on session at Coghlan Castle. The workshop is sponsored by Save Coghlan Castle, Inc. in conjunction with the State Historical Society of North Dakota and the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Various educational and demonstrative sessions are available. Day one, Thursday July 29 will begin at the St. John’s Senior Center. Session One will be from 3:00-4:00 PM and will focus on preservation, rehabilitation and reconstruction of historic buildings by Lorna Meidinger of the State Historical Society of North Dakota. Session two will be from 4:00-5:00 PM and will be facilitated by Gordon Menzies of Manitoba Culture, Heritage and Tourism covering stone architecture in the area. From 5:00-6:30 PM will be dinner and a free will offering. Bobbi Hepper Olson, architect and Coghlan Castle Project Manager, will provide a history of Coghlan Castle along with the restoration efforts that have been completed from 6:30-7:30 PM in Session Three. Session Four will be completed by Donovan Larson of ICON Architectural Group. Donovan will be covering the topic of historic preservation from an architect’s point of view. The evening will conclude with entertainment from 8:30-10:30 PM. Demonstration sessions will be held on Friday, July 30 at Coghlan Castle through Sunday, August 1, 2010. Monday, August 2 has been set aside for site clean-up followed by a luncheon from 12:00-1:00 PM. Space is limited to 30 individuals. Please contact Bobbi Hepper Olson, Save Coghlan Castle, Project Manager if interested in saving the only "Castle" in North Dakota or if interested in making a donation to this project. Contact Bobbi Hepper Olson, Save Coghlan Castle, Project Manager PO Box 147, 429 Broadway Street Buxton, ND 58218 Phone 701.841.1000 Cell 218.779.9427 Fax 701.841.1001 Email: bobbi@hepperolson.com
PHOTOS - Click on photos to enlarge
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