Scott Hanson’s book, Restoring Your Historic House: The Comprehensive Guide for Homeowners, hooked me with just one sentence:
I have not found a single [home renovation book] that prioritizes the identification and preservation of a historic house’s character-defining features as a starting point in the process.
The bold emphasis is mine. I literally swooned. And then I kept reading…all 700 pages. I strongly recommend that you do, too. In over 25 years of preservation training and practice, this is, hands down, the single best resource I’ve ever found for understanding the whats, whys and hows of old-home stewardship.
Hanson’s resume includes works as a designer, carpenter, municipal historic district regulator, architectural historian, and consultant based in Maine. Case studies from personal and professional projects abound in his book. Whatever dilemmas, joys and frustrations you’ve had in your old-house journey, he can relate. Consider this book the next best thing to having an on-call preservation mentor.
As someone who spends her days untangling centuries-old mysteries, what I appreciate most is Hanson’s insistence on understanding a building before touching it. The table of contents reads like a course syllabus (“Project Planning”—planning is another swoon word for me— “Systems”, “The Exterior Envelope”, “Interior Finishes”). Come to think of it, this is the same framework I use when building a historic rehabilitation strategy for my clients.
Here’s another quote that resonates with me: “Preservation is a frame of mind.” Every house has its own unique challenges. Stewardship is fundamentally the practice of balancing what your historic house needs from you with what you need from your historic house. Whether you’re a first-time homeowner or a seasoned professional, Hanson’s book will help you develop the necessary mindset and fortitude for this journey.
Old-house stewardship definitely isn’t for the faint of heart, so huzzah for Restoring Your Historic House (available from bookshop.org)!
AUTHOR KATE WOOD grew up criss-crossing the country in the family’s Volkswagen Bus, visiting house museums, battlefields, Main Streets, and national parks. Today, she is an award-winning preservationist, real estate broker and principal of the full-service historic rehabilitation consulting firm, Worth Preserving. Kate believes in the essential value of old-building stewardship to sustain community character. For her, each property is a cause and each client a fellow advocate. She specializes in matching people with properties, skilled contractors, historic tax credits and other benefits to support top-tier rehabilitation projects.
