How I Restored a 150-Year-Old Door to Keep Local History Alive
I like to imagine what life was like for people in the past. People who were just like us but lived simpler lives and faced vastly greater challenges. Recently, I had the good fortune to become the owner of a wooden door made by such a person. I’m impressed they did such fine work using basic hand tools and no electric power.
The Historical Origins of Clinton, NY: From Revolutionary Roots to Cultural Landmarks
The Founding of Clinton, New York by Revolutionary War Veterans
My hometown of Clinton, NY, where this beautiful door originated, has a rich history. It was founded in 1787 by veterans of the American Revolution. Many of them are among the forty-eight soldiers of that war whose final resting place is the village’s old burying ground.
Reverend Samuel Kirkland and the Birth of Hamilton College
In 1793, the Reverend Samuel Kirkland, a missionary to the Oneida Indians, established the Hamilton-Oneida Academy in Clinton. That school became chartered as Hamilton College in 1812, becoming the third college in New York State. It was named after the inaugural trustee of the school and former U.S. Secretary of the Treasury, Alexander Hamilton. Hamilton was an aide to George Washington during the American Revolutionary War and was a founding father of the United States.
Sigma Phi Fraternity and the Victorian Era Legacy
In 1831, Sigma Phi became Hamilton College’s second fraternity. This was Sigma Phi’s second chapter in the country. In 1871, they built an ornate Victorian structure for their fraternity house. It was located on College Street in the village of Clinton, a mile from campus. Twenty-nine years later, in 1900, they built another fraternity house on the Hamilton campus.
The Transformation of a Fraternity House into the Kirkland Town Library
On December 11, 1901, the Kirkland Town Library opened in rented rooms at the original fraternity house.
In 1902, Sigma Phi put the building up for sale, asking $3,000. Hamilton College alumnus and Clinton native Elihu Root was instrumental in the Library’s building purchase. Root was President McKinley’s Secretary of War at the time.
The Preservation Journey of a Historic Door: From Renovation to Restoration
Major Renovations at the Kirkland Town Library
A significant renovation to the building was completed in 1995. Two thousand square feet were added, and substantial improvements were made to the existing structure and grounds. During this time, a door that would no longer be needed in the reconfigured building was removed.
Leadership and Legacy: How the Door Was Protected for Decades
That door was valued for the artifact that it was, and it went into storage in library director Lois Lemmer’s garage. When Anne Debraggio took over as director, she inherited the charge of the door and stored it in her garage. Amazingly, these two leaders kept the door safe for thirty-four years. I thank them both for that.
From Art Exhibit to Restoration: How a Historic Door Found New Purpose
The Offer of a Historic Door During 'Nature’s Artistry'
Every month the Kirkland Library hosts artists who display their work to the public. In July of 2024, Sarah and I exhibited our work in a show titled ‘Nature’s Artistry: Wood Sculptures and Paintings’. Since I worked with wood, I was approached with an offer of the door. With no hesitation, I accepted. There had to be somewhere to use the door, preferably intact, rather than just using the wood from it.
I picked up the door, freeing up that long-taken space in Anne’s garage. While its finish was in rough shape, it appeared the door could be returned to life. At 8 feet, 2 ½ inches in height, it is taller than the ceilings in most homes. It's a super wide forty inches, and it weighs in at 103 pounds.
Designing a Studio Around a Historic Door
Just a short time before this, Sarah and I decided to build a studio for her in our backyard. At first, using this huge door on a building as small as the studio didn't even cross our minds. We saw the door every day in our garage, and there was just something special about this piece of local history. It was just too awesome not to use, and we began picturing it as a welcoming entrance to the studio.
Adapting the Studio Design to Fit the Door
I designed the new building around the door. The ceiling had to be extra tall to accommodate its height. We get strong winds that will blow directly at the door, and because of its size, it will catch a lot of air. That, combined with its exceptional weight, if the door slams, it could rattle the place. So, additional framing was needed to stiffen up the wall.
Restoring the Door's Finish Without Losing Its History
Over many years, the finish on the door had blackened so much the color of the wood could not be seen. I chemically stripped the old finish off. Doing it this way preserves the patina in the surface of the wood, which has been formed over the past 153 years. Any sanding would remove that beautiful, rich tone.
Discovering the Chestnut Heritage of the Door
The original doors at the library all look a lot like oak, but something about the grain had me questioning that. While refurbishing the door, I needed to drill several small diameter holes. The wood drilled out quickly, with less effort than is usually required for oak. A small strip needed to be removed from the bottom of the door, and that sawed more easily than oak usually does. It also did not have the distinct oak smell when freshly cut. I have little experience with chestnut, but I was increasingly getting the thought that it may be a possibility.
Comparing Chestnut and Oak: A Historic Revelation
A little research on chestnut verified my suspicion. It drilled and sawed easily because it is only 40% as hard as white oak. When viewing the end grain, the two woods are quite different. The shapes of their pores are different and several color and pattern differences make a positive case for telling them apart. The woodwork at the Kirkland Town Library is American Chestnut.
Chestnut vs. Oak: End Grain Photos
The photo on the left is of the wood from the bottom of the Chestnut door. From early to late in the growing season, the color changes considerably.
The photo on the right is of the end grain of a piece of oak. Its color remains unchanged throughout the growing season. The lines running perpendicular to the growth rings are called Medullary Rays. They are easily seen in this oak but not in the chestnut door sample.
When the door was made, the American Chestnut tree grew pretty much everywhere in the Eastern United States. Today, very few exist due to a fast-spreading and deadly fungus in the early 1900s. The fact that this great wood is no longer available makes this door, and all of the library’s original woodwork, that much more of a treasure.
It’s simply a door, but I find it meaningful to be part of the transition that connects people of the past with those in the future. The door’s story is still being written, and hopefully, down the road, many will be awed by the skill of the craftsman who built it so long ago and all those who were part of its storied history.
Beautiful Art for Life Well Lived,
Moe and Sarah
