While we love building modern high performance structures and updating homes, part of our work that will always be close to our hearts is helping to preserve historic buildings. One such project was the preservation of the Historic Iron Worker’s Cottage in Lake Oswego.
The City of Lake Oswego purchased the cottage in 2003 in order to preserve one of the last remaining examples of factory worker housing in Oregon. Estimated to have been built in the 1870s or 1880s, it was constructed to house workers of the Oswego Iron Company. In 2011 the City began a three-phase preservation plan.
Before: Lake Oswego Historic Iron Workers Cottage Pre-Restoration. Image via Wikimedia Commons.
Hammer & Hand was proud to be part of the restoration and preservation of this historical site. Work done by H&H included repairing exterior siding, replacing windows and porches, and repairing the chimney.
After
H&H removed the dilapidated front entry and added a porch to match historic detail. The team also installed a new front door with addition of period-accurate brass screen door.
On the back of the building the team removed the existing non-period porch and rebuilt it to match the historic style. H&H then added a historic rear door covered by a brass screen to match the front of the home.
H&H removed non-period windows and replaced them with two mulled together double hung windows with matching exterior storm windows. The team patched and replaced the siding, reworked the window trim and sills, re-roofed the home and added a copper chimney cap.
While this was a small project for us it’s an important piece to maintaining the built legacy of the region. Hammer & Hand began 20 years ago as a remodeler of historic homes and we’re proud to continue our work in preserving the area’s historic buildings.
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