To celebrate the Bishop Hill Heritage Association’s 65th anniversary next year, the BHHA will start an exterior historic restoration of the 1854 Dairy Building next spring.
Firmitas of Knoxville will be the general contractor.
This project includes stucco removal, brick replacement, tuckpointing, chimney repair and some woodwork repair.
Exterior stucco was added later to Bishop Hill Colony buildings. Rmoving the stucco will return the Dairy Building to its original Colony appearance. It is very similar to the Carpenter Shop project that the Heritage did in 2017.
In addition, the exterior repairs, combined with the interior repairs that were completed in 2015, will help ensure the structural stability of the Dairy Building for decades to come, with proper maintenance.
The total cost of this project is $366,000. The majority of the cost is the stucco removal and tuckpointing.
The BHHA will have to purchase wood-fired bricks custom made to Bishop Hill Colony brick specifications. The only places that do this specialized type of brick making are in Europe. To retain the building’s historical accuracy, bricks will be made and shipped from Manchester, England.
The BHHA will be hosting some fundraisers to help cover the cost of this project.
The first is the purchase of a hod of bricks. A hod is a three-sided box for carrying bricks and other building materials. Typically, a hod can carry 10 to 12 bricks.
People can purchase a hod of bricks for $250.
All donations will be recognized on a gift board at the Dairy Building and in BHHA publications. Checks can be made payable to the BHHA and mailed to P.O. Box 92, Bishop Hill, IL 61419.
For more information, contact the BHHA at bhha@mymctc.net or at 309-927-3899.
