PRESERVATION NEEDS ASSESSMENT

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1 PRESERVATION NEEDS ASSESSMENT AND RESTORATION RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE NEDDY JACOBS CABIN LEBANON, TENNESSEE August 2010

2 PRESERVATION NEEDS ASSESSMENT AND RESTORATION RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE NEDDY JACOBS CABIN LEBANON, TENNESSEE Prepared for Mr. Norm Hill, President Cracker Barrel Foundation by Michael Thomas Gavin, Preservation Specialist A Professional Services Project Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area August 2010 The Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area (TCWNHA) is a statewide program dedicated to the interpretation and preservation of Tennessee s Civil War and Reconstruction legacies. Partially funded by the National Park Service, the TCWNHA is one of several projects administered by the Center for Historic Preservation at Middle Tennessee State University.

INTRODUCTION After Wilson County was created in 1799, an act passed by the Tennessee General Assembly appointed a commission to locate a site for a county seat.

Just below this spring stood a humble cabin, built a year or two earlier by settler Neddy Jacobs for his small family. The simple log building had a stick-and-clay chimney and a dirt floor.

3 INTRODUCTION After Wilson County was created in 1799, an act passed by the Tennessee General Assembly appointed a commission to locate a site for a county seat. The commissioners selected a central place where a bubbling clear water spring was shaded by a grove of red cedar trees. Just below this spring stood a humble cabin, built a year or two earlier by settler Neddy Jacobs for his small family. The simple log building had a stick-and-clay chimney and a dirt floor. Later, Jacobs built a new house with a puncheon floor and tore the first one down. Some 200 years later, the City of Lebanon decided to construct a replica of the Neddy Jacobs cabin to commemorate one of the first houses built in the city and to remind its citizens of their heritage. The log building now standing near the spring on the square was originally erected in 1833 by John Kelley in the Leeville community along the old stage coach route. The logs from the old Kelley house, the lot on which the cabin now stands, and many of the building materials were donated for the project by interested parties. Heavy rains in May 2010 flooded downtown Lebanon and immersed the cabin. Many of its building components were saturated. In addition to the damage caused by the high water and mud, some areas of the building had been showing some signs of wear and needed maintenance. The following report will address these issues. 1

4 DESCRIPTION The Neddy Jacobs Cabin appears to be situated right over the town spring. The building measures 20 feet, 9 inches long and 14 feet, 9 inches wide on the outside, or 20 feet by 14 feet in the clear. Its foundation consists of standard-sized concrete blocks, veneered on the outside with artificial stone. The historic red cedar logs are hewed on the two wide faces and dressed to a thickness of approximately 4 ½ inches at the corners. The gaps between the logs have been chinked with small wooden billets and covered with modern plastic daubing material. The log walls on the ends of the cabin continue up into the gables and support the round log purlins that the wooden shingles are nailed to. Hand-split oak shingles cover the roof. The two doors of the cabin are centered on the long walls. The front door is constructed in the traditional way from thick hand-split boards using wooden pegs for fasteners and hung on large wrought iron strap hinges. The rear door, although similarly built, utilizes thin circular-sawn boards fastened with wire nails and hung on modern steel hinges. A large fireplace, also constructed with concrete blocks veneered with artificial stone, is centered on the east wall, as is the small window opening on the opposite wall. A set of red cedar log steps leads to the front door and a wooden ramp allows for handicap access at the rear of the building. 2

CONDITION ASSESSMENT WITH RESTORATION RECOMMENDATIONS 1. The foundation and fireplace appear to be in good shape and do not need any work at this time.

5 CONDITION ASSESSMENT WITH RESTORATION RECOMMENDATIONS 1. The foundation and fireplace appear to be in good shape and do not need any work at this time. Recommendation: No action needed besides cleaning. 2. A number of logs in the walls have begun to deteriorate and need repair. Several logs have developed cracks that not only will cause the logs to rot, but will admit water into the interior of the building. (left, below) 3

and the saturation of many of the logs by the recent flood waters

6 Mold is growing on the lower logs of some of the walls. High humidity creates favorable conditions for the spread of mold, and the saturation of many of the logs by the recent flood waters has accelerated the mold growth and allowed it to spread more rapidly than usual. 4

These logs will need replacement if they are not repaired in a timely manner.

7 Several of the gable logs are in an advanced state of deterioration and are soft and spongy. These logs continue to absorb water whenever it rains and are deteriorating rapidly. These logs will need replacement if they are not repaired in a timely manner. Recommendations: The following steps should be undertaken sequentially to restore the log walls to a stable condition and good appearance in preparation for daubing: 5

8 o Inspect logs for soundness and repair if necessary. Any stray nails, tacks, staples, or other objects affixed to the logs should be removed. o All surfaces should be thoroughly cleaned of dirt, mold, and mildew, as well as any construction debris. A pressure washer can be used, but care should be taken not to damage the historic materials. Do not use high pressure; rely instead on lower pressure and a suitable detergent to break down the grime and mold. o All rotten wood should be carefully removed, avoiding as much damage to the sound wood as possible. o All seasoning cracks should be filled with a suitable material. Any other damage to the wood should be addressed. o Seal all cracks around windows, doors, and butt joints with a suitable material. o Clean sealant residue from all surfaces. o Stain log surfaces to unify the appearance of the logs and eliminate any mottled-looking areas. o Apply a suitable protective coating to the logs. A number of national companies manufacture a variety of specialized products especially suited for restoring and maintaining log buildings. The following websites can be accessed for additional information: The plastic daubing has been improperly installed and admits water through the voids in the material. The present appearance of the daubing is neither neat nor historic. 6

Recommendation: The chinks between the logs have been daubed with a plastic compound.

This procedure was not followed on the cabin; instead, the material was applied over traditional wood billets

In order to obtain a satisfactory result, one method or the other should be chosen; either apply the plastic

9 Recommendation: The chinks between the logs have been daubed with a plastic compound. This compound was designed to be applied 1/4 thick over a solid non-stick backer board. This procedure was not followed on the cabin; instead, the material was applied over traditional wood billets as if it were mortar. In order to obtain a satisfactory result, one method or the other should be chosen; either apply the plastic daubing over backer board or trowel a traditional mortar mix over the wood chinking. 4. The cedar poles used as roof purlins are undersized for the load they bear. Recommendation: The condition of the purlins should be thoroughly inspected. 7

10 If they are overloaded they can be reinforced with steel angle iron (non-visible) or replaced with stronger material. 5. The roof appears to be watertight, although there are small openings near the eaves that admit insects and birds. Recommendation: The cabin should be inspected from the inside to see where the birds are entering. Their droppings can be a serious health hazard. Heavy gauge hardware cloth and/or screening should be installed wherever necessary to prevent the entry of insects, birds, or vermin. 6. Both doors are showing signs of wear and need to be either rebuilt or replaced. 8

Saturation from the flood waters has allowed mold to grow and spread at the bottoms of the doors. Much of the material used to construct the door on the right is historically inaccurate.

The split board door (left, above) would be appropriate for a very primitive structure, but Neddy Cabin features such as the hewn logs and stone chimney are usually found on more sophisticated

11 Saturation from the flood waters has allowed mold to grow and spread at the bottoms of the doors. Much of the material used to construct the door on the right is historically inaccurate. Recommendation: It would be better for appearances if both doors looked similar. The split board door (left, above) would be appropriate for a very primitive structure, but Neddy Cabin features such as the hewn logs and stone chimney are usually found on more sophisticated dwellings. A historic door for this cabin would have been made from tongue-and-grooved, sash-sawn cedar planks, held together by three parallel battens (not in a Z-pattern) with beveled edges. The battens would have been nailed to the planks with wrought iron nails and clinched on the opposite sides. The doors would have been hung on large wrought flat pintle hinges (similar to the ones on the door on the left). 7. The log steps are dangerous and should be rebuilt or replaced. 9

12 Recommendation: All building codes require steps to be uniform in tread width and height for safety. The steps should be level and fastened securely to prevent any movement. These steps should be properly rebuilt by an experienced carpenter or replaced. In addition, a flight of more than three steps should have a handrail. 10

13 8. The area around the steps is somewhat cluttered and the hole in the foundation could be considered an attractive nuisance. Recommendation: Good housekeeping is always important for both safety and appearance. Any unnecessary items should be removed and a removable access cover installed in the foundation. Landscaping could be used to conceal any necessary modern intrusions, but care should be taken to keep trees and shrubbery away from the building. 11

Their shade and moisture content create favorable conditions for decay.

14 9. Two small cedar trees have been planted too close to the building and are causing the growth of mold on the logs and other wooden components. Recommendation: Trees and shrubs that are too close are not good for buildings. Their shade and moisture content create favorable conditions for decay. At a minimum, the branches in proximity to the cabin should be trimmed back considerably. For best results, no branches should touch or even hang over the building. 12

15 10. The recent flood immersed the cabin and saturated many of the building components. The logs and the floor of the cabin are covered with a layer of silt and high moisture levels have affected every part of the building. The resulting dampness tends to activate long-dormant mold spores and usually increases the likelihood of accelerated mold growth. The building should be allowed to dry out completely before any new building materials are installed. Recommendations: o Make sure that all electricity is turned off before cleaning the interior of the cabin with water. o Mud, dirt, and flood debris should be rinsed from all surfaces with fresh water as soon as possible. o Beware of concealed hazards such as nails or broken glass hidden in silt or pooled water. o Special care should be used when working on or around historic materials. Avoid using high pressure water on historic materials and exercise extreme care when washing decorative features and damaged or loosened elements. o Silt and mud will accumulate not only on the floor, but in wall cavities as well. To clean any remaining dirt and stains, use a standard non-sudsing household cleaning product as directed by the manufacturer. o After cleaning, use a strong disinfectant to kill the germs, bacteria, and odor left by floodwaters. Keep in mind that floodwaters and the remaining silt are contaminated by sewage and chemicals. Protect your eyes, mouth, and hands, and wear a mask and rubber gloves when cleaning out debris left by floodwaters. Use disinfectants to wash your hands before eating. 13

16 ADDITIONAL RESOURCES The Preservation Briefs series, published by the National Park Service, provide useful technical information in dealing with historic buildings. Copies are available from: Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C The materials also can be downloaded and printed directly from: Several titles are particularly relevant to restoration efforts at the Neddy Jacobs Cabin: #6: Dangers of Abrasive Cleaning to Historic Buildings #19: The Repair and Replacement of Historic Wooden Shingle Roofs #26: The Preservation and Repair of Historic Log Buildings #39: Holding the Line: Controlling Unwanted Moisture in Historic Buildings #42: The Maintenance, Repair and Replacement of Historic Cast Stone #47: Maintaining the Exterior of Small and Medium Size Historic Buildings Note: The restoration or reconstruction of historic log buildings requires specialized skills, tools, and techniques. For best results, only individuals or firms with demonstrated experience in restoring traditional log structures should be hired to perform this work. 14

PHYSICAL CONDITION ASSESSMENT. and RESTORATION RECOMMENDATIONS. for the DOE CREEK SCHOOL

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