Proud to work like a Norfleet

Isaac and Christiana Norfleet were well respected members of the town of Tarboro, North Carolina in the early 1800s. Owning over 1700 acres of land, Isaac had a small house built around 1810 that would fill up with children quickly as he and Christiana expanded their family. An addition was added to the back of the house around 1830 by their son Robert, the fourth of ten children. The addition was most likely a dining room for the large family and was thought to be connected to the main house by a large covered breezeway.

After standing empty for many years, the structure was used in the 1950s to house the warden of a prison system built nearby on property formerly owned by the Norfleet family. In 1999, long after the prison was shut down, the house was moved north of Tarboro where it sat as a rental unit for eleven years. In 2009, Edgecombe Community College purchased the house and had it moved to its campus. Coincidentally, the campus is located on the remains of the old prison system that was once part of Isaac Norfleet’s land. The house is now located less than one quarter mile from its original location in the early 1800s.

The Norfleet house is the center piece for Edgecombe Community College’s Historic Preservation Program. The program is very “hands on” and many classes use the house as a classroom. The goal of the college is to have the house restored to its original state within the next 3 years.

I’m one of 3 people working on this house this summer and I feel really accomplished with the work we have done so far. I’ve also learned so much more than just a classroom experience could ever relay. Using the secrets found in the historic lumber; secrets revealed by tool marks, shadows, and joinery, we are quickly making progress on a project that will be the pride of the college and the community of Tarboro. I’m proud to be a part of that.

If you are interested on following my progress on this project on a daily basis, feel free to connect to my facebook (http://www.facebook.com/daniel.chasse) or twitter (@kenderc) accounts where I post progress pictures frequently. 

Welcome to the year of education!

Wow, what a finish to 2010, and a great start to 2011! The holiday season was full of wonderment and surprises, perfect for the lead into the new year which is beginning at a breakneck pace. Let me review... (insert Scooby Doo fade sequence here)

In November I answered an ad looking for some help milling lumber, which led to moving into a rehabilitated train depot built in 1880, resulting in a little extra income and an awesome place to move into. There is much more to this story but I'll wait a few months before releasing all of the details.

Forward to December where I met and talked to Roy Underhill about Roubo and train stations. He invited me to send him some more pictures of the depot, which I have not yet had the time to do. He and Bill Anderson were very supportive of the house and my plans to persue a  Historic Preservation degree.

Finally in January, school! I began my degree with full time classes in: Historic Carpentry, Historical Culture and Landscape, Architectual Drafting, Researching Historical Properties. These classes are so awesome and I spend everyday anxious to go back to school!

Daily routines have been once again uprooted and pressure is on to do well and still make enough money to survive, but I would truely have it no other way. Welcome 2011, year of education!

No time for November

Can you believe it's November already?

I'm in full swing for the holiday season this year. I've got all my presents figured out and am spending lots of time at the workbench in order to make them a reality. Unfortunately, time there means not as much time here, writing the blog.

I'm sure that I'm not the only person on the web that has to curb back on some of the content during the holidays. Kari at The Village Carpenter is taking a well deserved break this season (I am in no way comparing myself to the talent she has). Of course, I do have enough material to push through and keep to posting twice a week like I have been, so I really have no excuse. I still have postings to make for Winding sticks, chisels, saw benches, book reviews, and carving...honest, I have no shortage of materials. Ha ha.

However, all posts concerning the holiday festivities of  present exchange will have to wait for the new year to be posted, just "in case" someone decides to visit this website and see what I'm up to. ;)
 
I'm really happy with the way things are turning out for the holidays, actually, and I can't help but get a little excited. This is the first year that I really sit down and make personalized gifts and I'm having a great time learning with every cut, scrape, sand, and finish. Hopefully, the recipients will feel the same way.

Another neat thing about November is the fact that my site will be 1 year old. That probably doesn't sound like I big deal to you, but I enjoy it and plan to keep traveling this road going for at least another year. Who knows where that will take us?

Well, time to get off the couch and sharpen my new mortise chisels. :D  I'll be back soon to do some real posting!!