Hands-on Living History Museum Woodwright Shop

After assuming some responsibility for the woodwright shop in the middle of the summer season, the new woodwright started thinking of ways to improve the shop. There was a barrier running down the middle of the room to separate the work area from the visitor's area. With the shop open nearly every day, it was impossible to implement some of the new ideas, but now the shop is closed for the winter. During that time, the entire barrier was removed.

Old timbers from the 1860s were salvaged from parts of an old flour mill and milled down to be reused. The goal for the new 'barrier" was to bring the shop to the visitors. The old timbers were made into a workbench top which replaced the old barrier. Now visitors and woodwrights can come face to face to discuss old hand tools while the visitors are given some hands-on experience with some of those tools. Excuse the out of period items in the background as this is still a work in progress. As you see, the new counter/work bench still displays the old original bolts that held it together. On the left side there are indentations in the counter which will be filled with period items under glass. On the right side, not visible in the picture, is a lower bench/counter which is meant for young children to learn about tools. The dark brown areas on the wall under the counter are signs remaining from the original flour mill.




Here you see the length of the main counter after it was polished up with tung oil. There are holes bored in the counter to accommodate bench dogs and hold fasts.



New shelves were built to display old molding planes and show the types of molding they made.



If you come to visit in the summer, you can learn to use an old hand plane and work on the new workbench!