The iconic Main Street store survived the great fire of 1893 that devastated most of the street. It survived flooding caused from broken pipes. It survived damage caused by burglars looking for whatever they could steal, but it would not survive the ravages of Mother Nature.

For Lesley Dean, The Blue Store was the legacy of her father, Arthur Gouin and she was heartsick, but determined to salvage and preserve as many fixtures and antique elements as possible. From the front door to the tin ceiling, from the antique light fixtures to the original display cases, what could be salvaged for future use would be.

Thinking there was plenty of time to take on the massive project and research the proper way to do it, the Deans went about putting a few security measures in place to prevent more damage and clearing out the remaining clothing and personal items and mementoes from many years of business.

In December the town of Norway, fearing the building would collapse and harm pedestrians and passing cars forced the Dean’s hand and they were told the historic Blue Store would have to come down right away.

“We had three months to do a year’s worth of work,” lamented Lesley. “But with the grace of God and a lot of help, we got it done!”

With the help of friends, family, Zack Bresette, Jason Rittenberg, and Erik Maddocks from the Oxford Hills Technical School along with their instructor Holly Allen, painstaking measures were taken to disassemble the interior of the store piece by piece.

“It’s not as easy as they show on HGTV,” said Lesley as she explained how they could only salvage 20 to 30 percent of the tin ceiling. “The ceiling was in panels of one, three and sometimes four tiles. We tried to save as much as we could, but there was a lot of rust and water damage.”

The removal of the ceiling uncovered original lathes and horsehair plaster.

It was discovered in the process of very carefully removing the interior walls that The Blue Store had undergone at least four renovations, a door that no one knew existed and 10 to 12 layers of wallpaper.

“You have to figure out how this building went together before you can take it apart,” Lesley told the technical school students as they got ready to go to work. And, take it apart they did, finding and salvaging several 16-foot boards with six various sizes of original square nails, something that these young men had never seen before.

A large display case with shelves and drawers and a glass display case believed to be original to the store were removed with the utmost care and are now in storage for future use.

The front double door with glass panels and original hinges was carefully removed and will be refurbished. The 1936 sprinkler system could not be saved even though it was carefully removed. It is however, an interesting artifact of how things were done a long time ago.

Two antique sewing machines used in a time when in-store tailoring and alterations were done will become future display tables as testimony to a service offered over 100 years ago.

In January, after everything that could be removed and saved including an 1890 safe, The Blue Store was razed. A vacant lot now occupies the space that provided quality men’s clothing and Scout supplies for more than a century.

The Deans advise anyone considering dismantling any part of an old building with preservation in mind to find out as much as they can about the building, be gentle yet strong, and make sure to have the right tools.

“You may think that because of the size of something you should use a large pry bar,” said Lesley, “when in fact a small pry bar is what is needed to prevent any damage. Take a peek at things before you rip them up and give yourself plenty of time.”

The Deans are hopeful to rebuild on the original footprint sometime in the future and use as many of the original fixtures as possible. When that is done it can never again be The Blue Store as it was known, but its history will be evident the minute one steps through the original doors.

Renovating an historic home

By MetroCreative

Living in an historic home can be a labor of love. The history and the distinct architecture of historic homes draw buyers to such properties, but what historic homes have in regard to history they often lack in the conveniences of modern life, forcing many historic-home owners to make renovations to bring their homes into the 21st century.

Historic-home renovations differ from other types of modifications. According to the Victorian Preservation Association, renovation is getting a home back to where it may have been when originally built, but making concessions for today’s lifestyle.

Preservation is the act of maintaining a structure in its current historic state, and restoration is returning a home to its original state. Unless a homeowner plans to use an outhouse or live without electricity, the majority of work done on historic properties is likely to fall into the category of a renovation.

Renovating an aging structure can be fulfilling and help to make a home more functional. But make no mistake, such a renovation is a major undertaking. Before beginning, it pays to hire a professional consultant with expertise in renovating historic properties. He or she can inspect the property to determine which areas of the home are safe and which will need to be upgraded.

A professional inspection also can determine if any deficiencies lie hidden in the structure. Potential concerns can be toxic paints and other substances, building code issues, rotting, and structural settling. Professionals will know what to look for and guide homeowners accordingly.

Homeowners also may want to consult with a preservation association, community restoration group or general owner-builder group. These people can refer homeowners to the craftspeople and materials that will be needed for a job. Homeowners can request to see other historic properties in the area and learn what those owners did to maintain the integrity of a home when using newer materials.

Before any work is started, homeowners should find out if their home is listed with the National Register of Historic Places. According to the United States National Parks Service, property owners can do whatever they want with their property so long as there are no federal monies attached to the property.

However, the property owner should also contact his or her state’s historic preservation office, or SHPO. The SHPO is the state agency that oversees historic preservation efforts in each state, and there may be state or local preservation laws that the owner should be aware of before renovating a historic property.

Craftspeople should have experience with historic homes and a sensitivity and appreciation of renovating older properties. Homeowners always should see examples of a craftsperson’s work and verify references from each contractor before hiring anyone to work on the property.

Homeowners who want to include traditional hardware and other period details in their homes may be able to find quality replicas of historic milling materials, while others may want to scour antique shops or salvage yards for era-appropriate materials.

Historic renovations can be costly and have a tendency to go over budget because of unforseen damage and hazards that have to be repaired so the building is up to code. Going into the project with this in mind can help soften the blow of extra costs down the road.

Historic homes can be beautiful and appeal to buyers who appreciate the one-of-a-kind nature of older properties. Renovating historic homes may take time and money, but the results may be well worth the effort. 

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