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So, while I am sitting here watching a March snow-storm begin (aren't those the worst?), I am yet excited! The good news is, we began our barn restoration on Mt. Pisgah. This structure is a lovely old stone building, made in the vernacular Appalachian coal country style.
One of the unique discoveries that was found include foundation support rail road rails. These support the upper structure that faces the road and separates the lower that is built into the mountain. The thing is, our friend and contractor Rick saw that the rails are actually smaller gauge than what is being used today. He can't swear to it, but we believe the rails could have come from the dismantling of the Switchback Rail that runs behind us from the upper mountain down to the Lehigh River below. If you're interested, here are the coordinates of the area for the Switchback: 40.867287, -75.751293
I am finding old bits of tools and some of the items include an old claw-foot tub, complete with legs & faucets. I would love to use it again - we'll see if I can make that come to fruition! I would love to find out more about the rails, that was an incredible find. Rick even found an 'inner' roof of wood shakes that remained hidden up under a later add-on. We are going to Spot-Light it as a highlight feature.
So the makeshift 'ceiling' panels placed there by a previous owner are removed. Now, the structure looks more like a barn as you look up into the beautiful, old roof structure. Some of the rafters have been replaced or added; most of the original parts are here.
New garage doors are coming, as are man-doors for entry. There is a lot of work to be done, including a new set of stairs for the downstairs (mountain cave) part of the barn. All-in-all it's very exciting to see progress. I am hoping and imagining all the changes that will allow me to do the work that I love to do. So, we'll see! Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube & Rumble for more updates, photos and video. Happy March, in like a LION for certain!