King and prince post truss, looking frontward

That Old Time Innovation

In 30 years of investigating New England’s historic churches, PTF has never encountered a better truss system than that of Eastport’s Central Congregational Church. Built in 1828, the roof system combines the traditional strength of a king post-prince post truss and principal rafter-principal purlin roof with innovative tying geometry that prevents the pitfalls of rafter…

Demeritt-O'Kane House

NH EXPOnential Success

The NH Old House and Barn Expo was a great success.  To be honest, I expected what I’d seen at other “old home” trade shows: booths hawking fiberglass steeples and plastic decking.  Instead, I was inspired by the level of craftsmanship and care on exhibit.  Sometimes it can feel like we are alone in the wilderness,…

Narnia of New Hampshire

Middleton, NH is one of those friendly, tightly-knit communities where folks meet weekly for a potluck at the old town hall.  The center of town is at a place known as Four Corners, at the intersection of Kings Highway and New Durham/Ridge Road.  Our subject, the Old Town Hall, stands at one of the corners;…

Barn Assessments

New England is peppered with antique barns in various states of disrepair, and saving them is central to our mission.  Timber-framed barns are icons of the New England landscape.  They connect us to our agrarian and architectural history and contain centuries of embodied energy.  But many other books, such as Field Guide to New England…