Sensitivity in Historic Preservation
There was a time in our past when one could walk down any street and be surrounded by harmonious buildings. Jonathan Hale, The Old Way of Seeing , 1994 Rotted window sill on the Nederland Mining Museum , Nederland, Colorado Sensitive is an adjective that get's used a lot in the world of historic preservation. When I first started out doing historic preservation carpentry I would ask those carpenters who used the adjective what its definition was to them. I heard "just take care of the building", "don't make it look new, keep it crooked", and "use the proper techniques". Pretty vague definitions. Then I saw these "experts" work on old buildings, most were as "sensitive" as a bull is in a china shop. I didn't see carpenters at work on these jobs, I saw hacks from a construction site using 16d coated sinkers instead of beautifully tapered square nails; the use of pneumatic trim guns on historic trim; and many times stru