I am raising funds to transform a 2000 square foot metal barn into a 4000 square foot conservatory and event center that will be architecturally compatible with the 251-year-old Charles Hammond House. This new space will not only help raise money for ongoing historic preservation and educational activities at the house, but it will also help protect the original colonial era heart pine flooring and the structure itself by reducing foot traffic inside the historic home.
The funds raised will cover: construction labor and material costs, engineering and architectural drawings, permitting of the barn renovation; continued restoration of the Charles Hammond House; landscaping; parking infrastructure; debt cancelation; and the creation of employment opportunities for the maintenance of the entire Charles Hammond House site. The site includes the main house, an 18th-century restored cottage, the new conservatory/event center, and the surrounding grounds. The project will include the restoration of the English Garden recorded in the house's history, restoration of a 40' deep brick lined well into a wishing well, and the landscaping to support up to 200 guests at a time.
The Charles Hammond House was built circa 1775 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is one year older than our nation and was built for Charles Hammond of Virginia, whose family fought for American independence in the American Revolutionary War. This house is a rare survivor from the 18th century, and the new conservatory/event center will allow people to experience a living piece of history through organizational meetings and events.
My goal is to share this house with the American people as a source of pride—a structure that has witnessed every challenge our country has faced from the very beginning and still stands strong today. When we count the tree rings in the wood making up the house, we see over 100 lines, showing that the trees were already old when the house was built. Some of the larger sills could be between 350 to 500 years old now. Amazing!
Your support will help keep this history alive for generations to come.