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October 26, 2008
Dear NELL Members,
I just received this from Bob Trapani Jr. and wanted you to now as
we donated $2,500 to help make this happen.
Lighthouse Making History at
Cape Elizabeth Lighthouse
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For those who think lighthouses like Cape
Elizabeth are done making history in today’s world, think again.
The elegant 67-foot east tower at Cape Elizabeth
is currently undergoing an historic rehabilitation to its
concrete base, and in the process, the ‘makeover’ is making its
own new history.
The repair work to the light’s concrete base,
which is being managed by the nonprofit American Lighthouse
Foundation and facilitated by J.B. Leslie Masonry Company from
South Berwick, Maine, is addressing years of surface spalling to
the structure caused by age and the elements.
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(Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.)
Ken Morse repairs a top section
of the concrete base at Cape
Elizabeth Lighthouse
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Why is a project that is designed to repair a concrete
base so historic?
Earle G. Shettleworth, Jr. of the Maine Historic Preservation Commission
explains, “Based on the lab analysis identification of
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(Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.)
(L to R) Jim Leslie, Ken Morse
and Jake Johnson remove wooden
forms from the east side of the concrete base
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the cement base
sample as a grappier cement, it appears that the cement base of
the Cape Elizabeth Light is original and likely dates to the
1873-74 tower replacement. This may be the first known use of
cement construction in Maine, making it especially significant.”
The rehabilitation project to repair the base of
Cape Elizabeth Lighthouse, which stands majestic sentinel above
Casco Bay near the entrance to Portland Harbor, started earlier
this month and should be completed within the next two weeks.
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Working to replicate the original cement used to construct the
light tower’s concrete base is not the only
challenge to properly repairing the structure in accordance with the
U.S. Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Preservation.
Jim Leslie, president of J.B. Leslie Masonry Company
notes, “This project has presented a few challenges - one being the
concrete overhangs. In repairing the spalling edges, you cannot just
simply pour new cement or apply a skim coat patch. We built wood forms
to match both the original board lines and concrete form marks on the
cement base in order to replicate the historic appearance of the
structure, as well as to ensure the durability of the repair work.”
Leslie goes on to say, “The important part of a project
like this one is the careful prep work to remove the sections of failing
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cement. We removed the failing cement down to the existing hard
substrate and are using the closest match that could possibly be
duplicated mixture-wise to the original grappier cement.”
As interesting as this project has been from an
historical perspective, it has also been nothing short of a team
effort.
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(Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.)
Jim Leslie uses hand tools to
carefully
remove failed cement down to hard
substrate on a concrete overhang
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The American Lighthouse Foundation, which serves
as the steward for Cape Elizabeth Light
and 20 other lighthouses throughout New England, has worked closely with
the Maine Historic Preservation Commission and United States Coast
Guard, as well as with J.B. Leslie Masonry Company.
“In addition to initiating the consultation review
process prior to the work commencing at Cape Elizabeth, there was a lot
of behind the scenes work that occurred to ensure this project met the
high standards for historic preservation,” says Bob Trapani, Jr.,
executive director for the American Lighthouse Foundation.
Trapani went on to note, “J.B. Leslie Masonry Company
took core samples of the concrete, which underwent lab analysis by
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(Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.)
A close-up view of repairs to a
spalling
area on the top section where the
tower's
flashing is attached to the
concrete base
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Testwell, Inc. of Ossining, NY. This analysis report determined what type of cement we were
dealing with – in this case grappier cement that is no longer
manufactured. The data was then reviewed by the Commission and
later enabled Edison Coatings of Plainville, CT to closely
duplicate a cement mixture consistent with grappier cement.”
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The extent of the team effort with the Cape
Elizabeth
project goes beyond the professional consultation that has occurred.
The need to fund the $11,300 project required a team
approach as well. This is where the generosity of Mr. William Kourakos
of Cape Elizabeth, who kindly donated nearly $9,000, and the New England
Lighthouse Lovers, a chapter of the American Lighthouse Foundation who
contributed $2,500, helped make the project financially possible.
Without their support, the critical repairs to the light’s concrete base
would not have occurred this year.
As for the actual rehabilitation work itself; it is in
good hands with J.B. Leslie Masonry Company. Cape Elizabeth Lighthouse
is the
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third American Lighthouse Foundation project that the company
has worked with the organization on – the other two being the
high profile restorations of New Hampshire’s White Island Light
in 2005 and Maine’s Pemaquid Point Light in 2007.
“We take a lot of pride in this kind of important
work,” says Jim Leslie. “The fact that our company works on a
lot of historic structures gives us a better awareness and
respect for maintaining the structural integrity of an historic
building or in this case, a lighthouse.”
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(Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.)
Cape Elizabeth Lighthouse
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Leslie concludes, “In the end, we not only want to adhere
to the Standards for Preservation, we want to make sure the
repair and restoration work stands the test of time so that future
generations will be able to see a lighthouse like Cape Elizabeth looking
the same as we know it today.”
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(Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.)
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A close-up view of
the deterioration that occurred
to the light's concrete base on the
east side
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A close-up
view of the repair work by J.B. Leslie Masonry on the east side
of the concrete overhang
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(Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.)
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(Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.)
A view of the special cement
mixture from Edison Coatings
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(Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.)
Jake Johnson works to mix a
round of cement
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(Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.)
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A close-up view of the cement
mixture being prepared for application
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(Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.)
Ken Morse applies new cement to
repair spalling damage
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(Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.)
Ken Morse applies new cement to
repair spalling damage
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(Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.)
A close-up view of failing cement
on the top of the base
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(Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.)
Jake Johnson and Ken Morse
repair
a top section
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Jake Johnson vacuums around the
base of the lighthouse, maintaining a clean work area
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(Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.)
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(Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.)
A close-up view of spalling
occurring on an corner edge
of the light's base
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(Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.)
Jim Leslie works on prepping
a side section on the south
side of the base
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Posted: 10/26/2008
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