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Ring ring goes the bell
Read more: Ring ring goes the bellWe completed a major, multi-phase project for a beautiful school building last year. Sitting atop a grassy hillock in a quiet agricultural town, Atkinson Academy is partly shrouded by mature trees from the road. As we approached the horseshoe-shaped driveway from Academy Avenue, we got a better sense of this…
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Put that back right now!
Read more: Put that back right now!The Ox Barn at Sabbathday Lake Shaker Village and the Penhallow House at Strawberry Banke are two of our most historically significant projects. Both buildings were temporarily lifted by Geddes Building Movers so that they could receive completely new foundations and modern drainage systems. Jimmy and his crew are peaceful…
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Slow and steady wins the raise
Read more: Slow and steady wins the raiseThis is the Sabbathday Shaker “Stables” in the left foreground and “Ox Barn” in the right background. Perhaps you’ve seen them? They make up the little logo on highway signs telling drivers to “take the next exit!” (And you should, Sabbathday Shaker Village is both fascinating and chill). We’ve performed…
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Watch the Tuttle House restoration on the small screen!
Read more: Watch the Tuttle House restoration on the small screen!On and off since 2019, PTF has been involved with the restoration of the Tuttle Barn at the Desert of Maine in Freeport. The new owners, Mela and Doug Heestand, have transformed the Desert to be more welcoming for families and more clearly interpret the unique ecology of this site.…
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New frame on the block
Read more: New frame on the blockThis past winter, we cut and raised a new frame for Poland Provisions, a farm stand and general store in Poland, Maine. They’re right across the street from the town hall, and we can’t wait to stop in for a sandwich this summer. We designed the frame with the help…
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Rebuilding after a fire
Read more: Rebuilding after a fireLast week, the entire crew came together to raise Arron and Michelle’s new barn. A lightning strike destroyed their home, our office, and workshop over two years ago. Last night, NewsCenterMaine published a lovely story about how the community has been helping to rebuild ever since. Arron and Michelle and…
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Big wins from beginning to end
Read more: Big wins from beginning to endThree of our projects have been in the news recently: Sabbathday Shaker Village won a $750,000 grant to rehabilitate their Herb House, the Abyssinian Meeting House will complete their restoration with $1.7 million in federal funding, and Broad Bay Church won a Maine Preservation Honor Award. The Sabbathday Shakers are…
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Crisp crane day at Kavanagh
Read more: Crisp crane day at KavanaghWe raised the Kavanagh ell last week. The frame was in rough condition, but the owners have prioritized preserving original material as much as possible. All but one tie beam received two new ends, each joined by a timber scarf. Most of the posts received repairs as well. The undercarriage…
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A Historic Steeple’s Speedy Recovery
Read more: A Historic Steeple’s Speedy RecoveryChester Congregational Church is a Greek Revival cutie with a facade that can stop traffic. It was originally built in 1773, 90 degrees to its current orientation, with a tower that stood proud of the end bent, an open belfry, and eight-sided spire. In the 1840s, the building was turned,…
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Kavanagh Undercarriage, Oak Bell Yoke, and Barn Raising
Read more: Kavanagh Undercarriage, Oak Bell Yoke, and Barn RaisingPTF has been wicked busy. We are working on some phenomenal projects, and I’m going to let the pictures speak for themselves: The Northern Crew of Jake, Dan N. and Tim is completely rebuilding the undercarriage of the historic Kavanagh House. The Far Southern Crew of Erik and Brian painstakingly…