New Siding Going on the Tower

Beginning yesterday and continuing today the new siding is being installed on the tower. The new siding is made of mahogany and designed with a ship-lap detail so that the wood will fit together tightly even with swelling and shrinking. The siding was treated with a wood preservative, primed, and single-coat painted before going on the tower. The pictures show the siding going into place around one of the ox-eye windows, the ship-lap detail, and a side almost completed.

Weathervane Examined

This morning, New England weathervane scholar Myrna Kaye stopped by to examine the Old State House weathervane. According to Kaye, the weathervane appears to be from the building's first brick construction, about 1713. She even believes that the vane may have been made by Shem Drowne, who also created the grasshopper vane atop Faneuil Hall, but this point is still being investigated. In the above picture, Kaye discusses the vane with Bostonian Society Executive Director Brian LeMay; Don Tellalian, AIA, of Tellalian Associates Architects & Planners; and Old State House Museum Director Rainey Tisdale.

Siding and Corner Posts Arrive

This morning the crew from M&A Architectural Preservation brought the new corner posts and siding to the Old State House. The crew will start to place the siding tomorrow and test-fit the corner posts.

Fusing the Seams in the Dome

Late last week the team from Oak Roofing worked on sealing the seams in the dome. Our water test showed that the dome was leaking at the seams. As a possible solution for the leaks, the dome's seams were opened and fused together.

The dome is made of lead. Originally the seams were folded over and pounded to a tight seal. This picture shows one of the seams fused together to create a solid barrier against water.