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Swept Away…
July 2023
We’ve been swept away by something that was recently completed at the Brice House — swept valleys! This technique of fanning the cedar roof shingles from one surface to another takes great design and skill, and the restoration team has been working on how best to accurately reproduce this beautiful craftsmanship for a very long time.
It’s A Secret…Sort Of.
May 2023
What’s the secret-not-so-secret ingredient in traditional mortar in the tidewater region of Maryland and Virginia? Oyster shells! They are burned and slaked to produce a quicklime. For the Brice House restoration (1767), we are using this oyster shell mortar on the recently rebuilt wall of the carriage house wing where Prince George meets East Street.
Looking to the Future
May 2023
What will the Brice House be when the restoration is complete? The short answer is that the Brice House will be a museum, with the site open to the public on a regular basis for the first time in its 250-year history. But what stories will we tell here? How will this cultural treasure be used to create connections to our past? HA is already thinking about the interpretive future of this site, with the partnership of many community members, museum professionals, and historic preservation experts. Working with 106 Group, a cultural resource consulting firm, we are holding visioning sessions and focus groups, brainstorming new ideas for interpretive programs, and researching the primary and secondary source documents that connect to this place. The result of this work will be a comprehensive interpretive plan that will guide future exhibits, tours, and programs at the Brice House. This project is being funded through generous grants from the National Park Service Chesapeake Gateways program, Chesapeake Crossroads Heritage Area, and Lewis Contractors.
Diggin’ It…Again
April 2023
April is Maryland Archaeology Month and we are conducting more archaeology behind the Brice House to prepare for underground chases for electrical and mechanical equipment. We are told the story here is dirt more than finds—though bits of brick, glass, and dishes have been uncovered and do help to inform the story of Brice. Thank you to our archaeologists from the James River Institute of Archaeology!