Historic Photograph

Phase III: Restoration
The Gustav Stickley Museum

Gustav Stickley, who pioneered the Arts & Crafts Movement, built his envisioned farm school in the New Jersey Highlands in the western portion of Parsippany Troy Hills in 1908. Built of simple natural materials, chestnut logs, field stone and green glazed tile, the house is in harmony with the setting. The main log house is “ T” shaped with a one-story kitchen attached to the rear. Today, Craftsman Farms is a museum, which celebrates Gustav Stickley and his design work.

Historic Building Architects (HBA) completed the Phase III restoration work at the Log House in October 2004. The emphasis of the work was to provide a detailed analysis that documented and allowed for appropriate intervention and restoration. The work was carried out in a manner sympathetic to Gustav Stickley’s original design.

Work included the restoration of all the windows including paint analysis, preparation of window mock-ups, replication of historic profiles and restoration of hardware funded by a Save America’s Treasures Grant. The exterior log restoration included testing and resistant drilling by a wood specialist, with designs for appropriate repairs to the chestnut logs prepared by Robert Silman Associates. Extensive research and evaluation of salvaged logs was successfully completed. HBA published an article on this project in The Journal of Preservation Technology Vol. XXXVI No. 2-3 in 2005 in addition to the log repairs. The chinking mortar was analyzed and restored, the electrical wiring and fire safety of the building was upgraded and the interior finishes were analyzed and replicated, which was funded in part by a NJHT Capital Grant in 2002.

www.stickleymuseum.org

Annotated elevation (Click to enlarge: PDF Format)