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The Stone Stable
The Old Stone Stable is being rebuilt!
Updates: Thursday, August 16
Over a dozen volunteers showed up to move the last of the stones onto pallets. Thanks to pizza from Toppers, beverages from Sentry, and cookies from Jan Bilgen Craggs, the workers were energized and motivated to finish the job.
Working to clear, sort, and palletize the stone
Marian Coburn lends a hand and a smile, cleaning the stone
Katie Strait has a smile too, for a job well done. Katie was our mortar specialist, separating it out from the stone. Thanks Katie!
Aidan Coburn demonstrates his technique - and strength! - as he helps
Ross Walton, general contractor to the project, uses his skid to sift the dirt for stones
Bruce Parker (l) is ready to pick the stones up
Motivated by the progress, volunteers such as Lynn Binnie work until dark to clear and stack the last of the stone...
... with beautiful results! The next morning, the site is clear and ready for the masons, who will begin the week of August 20. Thank you everyone!
The stone sits on pallets, waiting to be used on rebuild the Stone Stable on the site at the back of the photo, tucked under the ash tree
Wednesday, August 15
The spancrete was laid on top of the foundation of the stable. Spancrete will allow for heavy loads, such as carriages, horses, and even vehicles, to be supported by the stable floor (great idea for spancrete courtesy of Bruce Parker, who thought of it, and Tom Morrison of Home Lumber, who incorporated it into the plans). After the walls are built, two inches of concrete will be laid over the spancrete, and then the original floorboards laid over that.
A crane sets the first length of spancrete
(photo courtesy of Bruce Parker)
A worker sets in the fourth segment of spancrete, clearly marked for the Stone Stable
The last piece goes in! The hole in the back was cut to provide access to the crawl space in the foundation
Note: the last segment broke when the crane picked it u; the piece was later supported, mortared in, and attached with L brackets.
Background:
One of the special events of Whitewater Homecoming in 1907 was the rebuilding and rededication of a pioneer log cabin from early Whitewater. This event symbolized the purpose of the Homecoming which was to look back with nostalgia at the early years of Whitewater, beginning with settlement in 1837, and to appreciate all that had been accomplished since then. Likewise, a special event of Homecoming 2007 will be the rebuilding and rededication of a small stone stable built during the first decade of settlement.
Who built the stone stable and for what purpose? Little is known for sure. The first settlers came to Whitewater in 1837 and by 1850 a small village existed in a triangle formed by Church, Whitewater and Main Streets. The stable stood within this triangle. According to research by historian Carol Cartwright, Nelson Combs, a wagon-maker and immigrant to Whitewater from New York State, paid taxes and built houses on adjacent properties in 1845 and 1847, about the time the stable was believed to have been built. Combs was typical of many “Yankee immigrants who came to Wisconsin with education or a skill. Unlike later homesteaders.....early Yankee immigrants usually came with money to buy land or establish a business in Wisconsin.”
For individual homeowners to own horses was uncommon at the time which suggests a business of some sort. Stone construction is expensive in materials, labor and skill. Who went to the expense and trouble to build a well-proportioned, durable, fireproof building and, furthermore, one with an elegant arched doorway? Was the stable part of an early wagon-making enterprise? Perhaps a precursor to the Winchester & Partridge Mfg. Company, the wagon and plow factory founded about 1850 which by 1870 was producing 3500 wagons per year including the reknowned Whitewater Wagon. Although there is no evidence of the presence of a forge inside the stable, perhaps it was made of stone in order to be fireproof in the vicinity of a forge.
The stable is made of limestone which is the bedrock stone of the Whitewater area lying quite close to the surface in many areas. Quarrying began very early and is still in operation at the South Franklin Street site in Whitewater. Very possibly, the stone protruded from the earth in 1837 when settlers arrived. The upper layer of a limestone outcropping, to about six feet down, is softer and more weathered than the deeper-lying stone. Stone chipped or gathered from this softer layer is known as "limestone rubble." There are examples of entire buildings made of limestone rubble in southern Wisconsin, but they are not common, making the stone stable even more valuable. Granite fieldstone, in contrast to quarried limestone, litters the soil of Wisconsin as part of the debris left by retreating glaciers over several millenia. Fieldstone buildings and especially barn foundations are more common than limestone as fieldstone can simply be gathered in the fields whereas quarried stone must be cut out of the earth.
A fieldstone barn from 1903
A detail of a fieldstone wall
Historic mortar mix dried and cured much more slowly than the modern fast-setting Portland cement in use today, allowing buildings to settle over several seasons. The mix was made of lime, sand, water and some sort of a protein-based material such as animal or human hair. Masons often had their own favorite recipes. The lime reacted chemically with the protein causing a “coagulation” into a durable waterproof mass. The reconstruction of the stable will be done with something as close to the historic mortar mix as is feasible and compatible with modern methods and standards.
The stable’s arch is one of its most distinctive features. In use for centuries and celebrated in Roman and Gothic construction, an arch is elegant and strong, but not the easiest way to create an opening in a building. It would have been much easier to use a timber piece or long flat stone for the span than to construct an arch which required a scaffold to hold the shape until the carved arch stones were fitted in place.
The Stone Stable by Marilyn Fuerstenberg
Here is the stone stable in its future location near the Whitewater Depot. Imagine it is July 4th. Children stroll by on their way to the carnival and a team of horses pulling a Whitewater wagon stands ready to load passengers for a sightseeing tour. After reconstruction, a goal will be to locate a historic Whitewater wagon, restore it and house it permanently inside the stable for exhibition on special occasions. Local artist Marilyn Fuerstenberg has generously donated this painting to the Stone Stable Project. The framed size of the watercolor is 30" X 37". It is for sale to the highest bidder with a minimum bid of $500.00.
After standing for over 150 years, the stone stable had to be moved in 2003 to make way for First English Lutheran Church’s expansion project. Several citizens stepped forward to prevent the total loss of this important part of our history. Historians were consulted who praised the building for its significance in the everyday life of the times, its ability to endure generations of change around it and, especially, its unique stone construction. The stone stable was dismantled under the supervision of historical preservation expert Gary Goyette with all parts preserved for eventual rebuilding. A committee was formed during the summer of 2006 and the City of Whitewater was petitioned to allow rebuilding of the stable on a site west of the Whitewater Depot, a site that is just three blocks to the south of the stable’s original location. The City agreed, and the fundraising effort began in earnest. A Friends committee has formed to direct the reconstruction project and raise the necessary funds. The fundraising goal is $75,000.00 with which we plan to reconstruct the building and refit the interior stalls and bunkers to recreate a functional working stable of the era. The Leadership Team includes the following citizens and officials:
Jerald Wendt & Ginny Coburn, Co-Chairman
Carol Cartwright, Liaison to Whitewater Historical Society
Kim Clarksen, Liaison to City of Whitewater Park Rec & Forestry Board
Dawn Hunter, Siting Committee Chairman Bruce Parker, Liaison to City of Whitewater
Jim Stewart, Liaison to Whitewater Common Council
Kristine Zaballos, Liaison to City of Whitewater Plan Board
Please donate generously to the Stone Stable Rebuilding Project. Your contributions will be the “mortar” that puts the stable back together.
The permanent record will show contribution categories as follows:
$5,000 “Cornerstone Contributor” $500 “Keystone Contributor”
$100 “Stone Mason” $25.00 “Own-a-Stone Club”
Please list the names as you would like them to appear in the permanent record. A gift made in honor or memory of a loved one would be a lasting tribute to a special person. Checks should be made payable to: The Stone Stable c/o Whitewater Community Foundation. Mail to: Stone Stable P O Box 403 Whitewater, WI 53190
The Whitewater Community Foundation is a 501(c)3 charitable organization. Donations are tax deductible.
Thank you for your donation in any amount.
Updates: Thursday, August 16
Over a dozen volunteers showed up to move the last of the stones onto pallets. Thanks to pizza from Toppers, beverages from Sentry, and cookies from Jan Bilgen Craggs, the workers were energized and motivated to finish the job.
Working to clear, sort, and palletize the stone
Marian Coburn lends a hand and a smile, cleaning the stone
Katie Strait has a smile too, for a job well done. Katie was our mortar specialist, separating it out from the stone. Thanks Katie!
Aidan Coburn demonstrates his technique - and strength! - as he helps
Ross Walton, general contractor to the project, uses his skid to sift the dirt for stones
Bruce Parker (l) is ready to pick the stones up
Motivated by the progress, volunteers such as Lynn Binnie work until dark to clear and stack the last of the stone...
... with beautiful results! The next morning, the site is clear and ready for the masons, who will begin the week of August 20. Thank you everyone!
The stone sits on pallets, waiting to be used on rebuild the Stone Stable on the site at the back of the photo, tucked under the ash tree
Wednesday, August 15
The spancrete was laid on top of the foundation of the stable. Spancrete will allow for heavy loads, such as carriages, horses, and even vehicles, to be supported by the stable floor (great idea for spancrete courtesy of Bruce Parker, who thought of it, and Tom Morrison of Home Lumber, who incorporated it into the plans). After the walls are built, two inches of concrete will be laid over the spancrete, and then the original floorboards laid over that.
A crane sets the first length of spancrete
(photo courtesy of Bruce Parker)
A worker sets in the fourth segment of spancrete, clearly marked for the Stone Stable
The last piece goes in! The hole in the back was cut to provide access to the crawl space in the foundation
Note: the last segment broke when the crane picked it u; the piece was later supported, mortared in, and attached with L brackets.
Background:
One of the special events of Whitewater Homecoming in 1907 was the rebuilding and rededication of a pioneer log cabin from early Whitewater. This event symbolized the purpose of the Homecoming which was to look back with nostalgia at the early years of Whitewater, beginning with settlement in 1837, and to appreciate all that had been accomplished since then. Likewise, a special event of Homecoming 2007 will be the rebuilding and rededication of a small stone stable built during the first decade of settlement.
Who built the stone stable and for what purpose? Little is known for sure. The first settlers came to Whitewater in 1837 and by 1850 a small village existed in a triangle formed by Church, Whitewater and Main Streets. The stable stood within this triangle. According to research by historian Carol Cartwright, Nelson Combs, a wagon-maker and immigrant to Whitewater from New York State, paid taxes and built houses on adjacent properties in 1845 and 1847, about the time the stable was believed to have been built. Combs was typical of many “Yankee immigrants who came to Wisconsin with education or a skill. Unlike later homesteaders.....early Yankee immigrants usually came with money to buy land or establish a business in Wisconsin.” For individual homeowners to own horses was uncommon at the time which suggests a business of some sort. Stone construction is expensive in materials, labor and skill. Who went to the expense and trouble to build a well-proportioned, durable, fireproof building and, furthermore, one with an elegant arched doorway? Was the stable part of an early wagon-making enterprise? Perhaps a precursor to the Winchester & Partridge Mfg. Company, the wagon and plow factory founded about 1850 which by 1870 was producing 3500 wagons per year including the reknowned Whitewater Wagon. Although there is no evidence of the presence of a forge inside the stable, perhaps it was made of stone in order to be fireproof in the vicinity of a forge.
The stable is made of limestone which is the bedrock stone of the Whitewater area lying quite close to the surface in many areas. Quarrying began very early and is still in operation at the South Franklin Street site in Whitewater. Very possibly, the stone protruded from the earth in 1837 when settlers arrived. The upper layer of a limestone outcropping, to about six feet down, is softer and more weathered than the deeper-lying stone. Stone chipped or gathered from this softer layer is known as "limestone rubble." There are examples of entire buildings made of limestone rubble in southern Wisconsin, but they are not common, making the stone stable even more valuable. Granite fieldstone, in contrast to quarried limestone, litters the soil of Wisconsin as part of the debris left by retreating glaciers over several millenia. Fieldstone buildings and especially barn foundations are more common than limestone as fieldstone can simply be gathered in the fields whereas quarried stone must be cut out of the earth.
A fieldstone barn from 1903
A detail of a fieldstone wall
Historic mortar mix dried and cured much more slowly than the modern fast-setting Portland cement in use today, allowing buildings to settle over several seasons. The mix was made of lime, sand, water and some sort of a protein-based material such as animal or human hair. Masons often had their own favorite recipes. The lime reacted chemically with the protein causing a “coagulation” into a durable waterproof mass. The reconstruction of the stable will be done with something as close to the historic mortar mix as is feasible and compatible with modern methods and standards.
The stable’s arch is one of its most distinctive features. In use for centuries and celebrated in Roman and Gothic construction, an arch is elegant and strong, but not the easiest way to create an opening in a building. It would have been much easier to use a timber piece or long flat stone for the span than to construct an arch which required a scaffold to hold the shape until the carved arch stones were fitted in place.
The Stone Stable by Marilyn Fuerstenberg
Here is the stone stable in its future location near the Whitewater Depot. Imagine it is July 4th. Children stroll by on their way to the carnival and a team of horses pulling a Whitewater wagon stands ready to load passengers for a sightseeing tour. After reconstruction, a goal will be to locate a historic Whitewater wagon, restore it and house it permanently inside the stable for exhibition on special occasions. Local artist Marilyn Fuerstenberg has generously donated this painting to the Stone Stable Project. The framed size of the watercolor is 30" X 37". It is for sale to the highest bidder with a minimum bid of $500.00.
After standing for over 150 years, the stone stable had to be moved in 2003 to make way for First English Lutheran Church’s expansion project. Several citizens stepped forward to prevent the total loss of this important part of our history. Historians were consulted who praised the building for its significance in the everyday life of the times, its ability to endure generations of change around it and, especially, its unique stone construction. The stone stable was dismantled under the supervision of historical preservation expert Gary Goyette with all parts preserved for eventual rebuilding. A committee was formed during the summer of 2006 and the City of Whitewater was petitioned to allow rebuilding of the stable on a site west of the Whitewater Depot, a site that is just three blocks to the south of the stable’s original location. The City agreed, and the fundraising effort began in earnest. A Friends committee has formed to direct the reconstruction project and raise the necessary funds. The fundraising goal is $75,000.00 with which we plan to reconstruct the building and refit the interior stalls and bunkers to recreate a functional working stable of the era. The Leadership Team includes the following citizens and officials:
Jerald Wendt & Ginny Coburn, Co-Chairman
Carol Cartwright, Liaison to Whitewater Historical Society
Kim Clarksen, Liaison to City of Whitewater Park Rec & Forestry Board
Dawn Hunter, Siting Committee Chairman Bruce Parker, Liaison to City of Whitewater
Jim Stewart, Liaison to Whitewater Common Council
Kristine Zaballos, Liaison to City of Whitewater Plan Board
Please donate generously to the Stone Stable Rebuilding Project. Your contributions will be the “mortar” that puts the stable back together.
The permanent record will show contribution categories as follows:
$5,000 “Cornerstone Contributor” $500 “Keystone Contributor”
$100 “Stone Mason” $25.00 “Own-a-Stone Club”
Please list the names as you would like them to appear in the permanent record. A gift made in honor or memory of a loved one would be a lasting tribute to a special person. Checks should be made payable to: The Stone Stable c/o Whitewater Community Foundation. Mail to: Stone Stable P O Box 403 Whitewater, WI 53190
The Whitewater Community Foundation is a 501(c)3 charitable organization. Donations are tax deductible.
Thank you for your donation in any amount.
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whitewateradmin |
Latest page update: made by whitewateradmin
, Aug 17 2007, 10:06 PM EDT
(about this update
About This Update
Edited by whitewateradmin
9 words added 5 words deleted 2 images added view changes - complete history) |
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More Info: links to this page
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| Started By | Thread Subject | Replies | Last Post | ||
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| Anonymous | Rad. | 0 | Oct 3 2008, 4:51 AM EDT by Anonymous | ||
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Thread started: Oct 3 2008, 4:51 AM EDT
Watch
This is all really sweet. Neato.
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| Anonymous | Stone Barns | 0 | Dec 28 2007, 10:54 PM EST by Anonymous | ||
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Thread started: Dec 28 2007, 10:54 PM EST
Watch
I am from the Town of Chase in Oconto County, WI. You have a couple photos of our 1903 split fieldstone barn shown above. I applaud you for all your efforts! You are not only resurrecting a historic structure, you are educating people about WI's historic landcape.
Did you know that the limestone used in this stable is around 100 million years old and has the remains of sea creatures in it? That's because there was once a shallow tropical inland seaway that divided the northern continent in half, flooding the central lowlands north and south across what is now the middle of the United States. It was caused when the Atlantic and North American techtonic plates collided. The Atlantic Ocean in the north and the Gulf of Mexico in the south met, forming a shallow inland sea that grew receded over time. Sea shells, remains of sea creatures, and other matter in the water would settle to the bottom of the ocean floor. Over time the weight of the water compacted these sediments causing them to turn into sedimentary rock, more commonly known as limestone. Limestone is full of Calcite which is comprised mostly of sea shells. Calcite is used to make lime which is the main ingredient in lime-putty mortar, hence the term "limestone." So your stone stabel tells more than the history of its use....it tells the geology of North America! If you look a little closer at the stones, you might even see an impression of a sea shell, plant, or focil. (Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Interior_Seaway) The arches used in this stable not only add architectural beauty, they add structural stability as well. Their main purpose is to support the open areas below them, such as doors and windows. If you would like to learn more information about our fieldstone barn in the Town of Chase, please visit our website at www.townofchase.org. Sincerely, Kristin Kolkowski, Chase Stone Barn Committee
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| PINKBUG | Helping with the Stone Stable | 0 | Aug 17 2007, 2:10 PM EDT by PINKBUG | ||
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Thread started: Aug 17 2007, 2:10 PM EDT
Watch
Hi.....I see things are rolling along nicely with the stable. I'm sad to say...my husband and I didn't realize that there was going to be a time set aside the other day for helping to move stones/rocks.....it wasn't in our paper until the same night that it would be going on...by the time we saw the article it was almost over....is that it??? Does anyone know if there might be another time to help out with the stable???? It would have been so neat to have been a part of it......
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Donor letter.pdf (Adobe Portable Document Format - 150k)
posted by virginiacoburn Apr 2 2007, 3:20 PM EDT
Donation Form
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