Eric Workman | TMP Images
(WALTHAM AND WATERTOWN, MASSACHUSETTS) Gore Place, the historic estate in Waltham and Watertown, Massachusetts, announced its plans to raise a reproduction, early 19th-century threshing barn to house their growing flock of heritage-breed sheep. The framing timbers and boards are being prepared at the Hardwick, Massachusetts facilities of Hardwick Post and Beam, a multigenerational company of craftspeople specializing in traditional construction techniques. They will assemble the barn, onsite, in the coming weeks.
Years in the works, the project to raise a period-inspired barn will be completed this fall thanks to the efforts of Gore Place staff, board of governors, and membership, and the generosity of the many contributors to the one-million-dollar Raise the Barn Campaign. The threshing barn will provide visitors closer access to the sheep and other farm animals. Along with the threshing barn will be a pole barn sheep shelter.
“We are grateful for the generosity of the many people who donated to our Raise the Barn Campaign and helped us reach our groundbreaking goal,” said Scott Clarke, Director of Farm and Landscape Operations at Gore Place. “The Leicester Longwools are a historic breed of sheep developed in the 1700s in England. Preserving this rare breed of sheep is the highest priority to our team, and these barns are a step toward providing them with the greatest care possible.”
“Timber frame construction is this beautiful combination of rough framing and furniture-making - this craft is what keeps the barn standing for generations all while showcasing the craftsmanship of each piece,” said Christian Gudmand, CEO of Hardwick Post and Beam. “The size and design of Gore Place’s new threshing barn is an homage to the barn’s 19th-century style, but what makes Gore Place’s project so special is that these barns will be a place that the entire community can appreciate. For us, it’s such a powerful thing to be a part of. It fills our emotional bucket for this craft.”
This project was made possible through the support of the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency, through its Mass Cultural Facilities Fund in partnership with MassDevelopment, and many individual donors. To learn more about the Raise the Barn Campaign at Gore Place, visit https://goreplace.org/support/raisethebarn.
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About Gore Place
Gore Place is a 50-acre country estate in the city, a grand mansion steeped in history, a working farm, and an invaluable community resource in Waltham and Watertown, Massachusetts. Formerly the country seat of Christopher and Rebecca Gore, the historic estate today is owned and operated by the Gore Place Society, a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and restoring the estate as a cultural resource for the community.
Christopher Gore was a founding member of the Massachusetts Society for Promoting Agriculture and was a Massachusetts governor and U.S. senator. Rebecca Amory Payne Gore was among the first women inducted into the Massachusetts Horticultural Society.
Gore Place is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums and receives funding from the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency.
To learn more, visit https://goreplace.org/.
About Hardwick Post and Beam
For 30 years Hardwick Post and Beam has raised handcrafted timber frames all over New England and in other parts of the United States. Their projects have included houses, additions, barns, cabins, studios, stores, restaurants, schools, clubs, and museum buildings. They have an in-house design team to develop plans that meet their client’s specific needs and budget. Their experience, skill, and flexibility allow them to take on special projects. Of the more than 500 frames they have constructed, no two have been alike.
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