|
|
||
Local builder, salvage specialist team up to reconstruct a 19th-century North Carolina plantation house in Spotsylvania Date published: 2/18/2005 By RICHARD AMRHINE W HEN DAN SPEAR set out in search of an antique log cabin to reconstruct on his Spotsylvania County homestead, little did he know his plan would evolve into the reconstruction of an 1812 North Carolina plantation house. Spear knows a little bit about construction. For decades, his company, Spear Builders of Virginia, has been building houses in the Fredericksburg area--144 of them last year alone. Like a lot of people who love their work, Spear's pastimes are a lot like his work: He builds and restores things, including houses and old cars. For a while now, Spear and his wife, Debbie, have been kicking around the idea of having a bed-and-breakfast on their property, and creating an interesting and historic place for people to stay. The log cabin was part of the plan. So back in 2003, when he spotted a little newspaper ad for Salvagewrights Ltd., an Orange County business that deals in "architectural antiquities," he picked up the phone. That put him in touch with Craig Jacobs, whose Web site, salvagewrights .com, says that he either has, or can find, any sort of antique architectural element, from hand-forged door hardware to entire buildings. Speaking of people who actually live what they do, Jacobs and his wife have raised five daughters in a Madison County log cabin that he calls "two steps above camping." "I'm looking for an old log cabin," Spear told Jacobs. "Have you got anything interesting out there?" In the fall of 2003, Jacobs had been contacted by a North Carolina woman who had a dilemma. The 19th-century plantation house she owned in Como, N.C., 15 miles from the southeastern Virginia city of Franklin, had part of its roof blown off by Hurricane Isabel. She knew the post-and-beam house might have some historical significance, but didn't know whether it was feasible to save it or if she would just have to let it be gutted for its parts. That sounds interesting, Jacobs thought, and off he went to Como, where he found himself in a salvager's dream. "I went inside and as I looked around, I started shaking. I deal in salvaged parts. It's not often I get to see the whole house," said Jacobs. "I knew this one was special."
1. Be respectful. No personal attacks.
|
|
|||||||||||||
