"It's very probable those stones are theguard, for want of a better term, for either a drain or pump suction.
When you do decide to go in there PLEASE employ proper confined space safety techniques and ventilate properly."
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Leah Acosta
- Female
- Pittsford, VT
- United States
- Blog Posts
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Leah Acosta's Discussions
Stained Glass in an 1820's Federal??
7 Replies
I'm being reminded just what a babe in the woods I am, when it comes to a house THIS old. Can anyone tell me...would stained glass be at all "period appropriate" to an 1820's federal?? Clearly,…Continue
Started this discussion. Last reply by jane Mar 13, 2010.
Cheap source for Lolly Columns, please?
2 Replies
In the course of investigation that has led me to believe that our 1827 brick federal was built NOT "on the site of the 1791 original house" but rather, having made a walk-out cellar of the original…Continue
Started this discussion. Last reply by Joe Farrell Feb 21, 2010.
Painted pine floor - looking for pictures
3 Replies
Hi everyone. Can anyone suggest sources/locations of photos of painted pine floors from early 19th century? I've found a few but they are from a "country" style farmhouse, but I'm needing some…Continue
Started this discussion. Last reply by Sean Maher Jan 28, 2010.
OOPS, I did it again!
3 Replies
I swore I was not taking on any new projects this winter. Only 3 months here, and we've had to do major repairs on every appliance, the heating system, and the plumbing is still in ruins. I really…Continue
Started this discussion. Last reply by Leah Acosta Jan 19, 2010.
Leah Acosta's Page
Latest Activity
Jim Finley replied to Leah Acosta's discussion Anyone have a cistern?"thats really cool! You couldnt keep me out of that for long - I'd be itching to get down in there and figure out what it is!"
Natalie Magill replied to Leah Acosta's discussion Anyone have a cistern?"We just discovered our cistern as well - it's in what is now a crawl space, and is about 12 ft deep. What is strange is that there are about 20 or so flat stones (or slate) stacked in a pyramid at the bottom. Has anyone else…"
cblehmann replied to Leah Acosta's discussion Anyone have a cistern?"2 years later...'There are many of these in the community of our "new" house. The large big fridge-sized galvanizd steel (?) tank is up there wiht all the plumbing (capped) It was well-fed wiht a…"
dawn mohrbacher replied to Leah Acosta's discussion Anyone have a cistern?"Wow Jim, how cool! You make me want to build a cistern house lol"
Jim Finley replied to Leah Acosta's discussion Anyone have a cistern?"here's a picture of my cistern circa 1960 - unfortunately the house had completely collapsed down into the cistern when we bought it - I had to drain it and climb down in it and clean everything out. Someday I'll rebuild it as it was.
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Andy Streenz replied to Leah Acosta's discussion Anyone have a cistern?"I'm sorry to hear about the Tiffin Courthouse, Martin. It looked like a beautiful building and a community centerpiece. Nothing can replace these buildings. I suppose they'll build a fountain with a plaque telling about…"
Franz replied to Leah Acosta's discussion Anyone have a cistern?"I wasn't aware Ohio had followed Maryland down the road of claiming ownership of all water.
You have my sympathy.
I had to change the family name to Nobody after the County Health Department announced "Nobody on my road was…"
Franz replied to Leah Acosta's discussion Anyone have a cistern?"Actually most cisterns in old farm houses I see get destroyed for such necessities as pool tables.
My cistern was built when 2 buildings were moved onto the new cellar to become this house in 1950 with the intent to flush the toilet from the…"
Martin replied to Leah Acosta's discussion Anyone have a cistern?"It is the People's Republic of Ohio actually lol... where a lot of people think tearing down old houses/buildings is progress, even if they are in great shape. Tiffin Ohio just lost its beautiful courthouse to the wrecking ball over the past…"
PeytonC replied to Leah Acosta's discussion Anyone have a cistern?"I wouldn't say using a cistern for something other than water is destroying an old house. If you're so insistant upon keeping the exact character and function in an old house, i'm sure you don't have any kind of moden HVAC,…"
Franz replied to Leah Acosta's discussion Anyone have a cistern?"Just a couple additions to the warning; If you have a cat or cats, access to the cistern NEEDS to be restricted. Fetching a wet swimming cat from the cistern is no fun!
Anyone entering a cistern for inspection or work reasons should employ…"
Jim Finley replied to Leah Acosta's discussion Anyone have a cistern?"Note of caution to anyone with kids, or even kids who visit - cover your indoor cistern and lock it!! When we bought our former home (c.1770's) we were walking through it with our new neighbor and I showed him the shallow well in the basement,…"
Bill Hendrickson replied to Leah Acosta's discussion Anyone have a cistern?"I will have to come up with plan as the water runs off the four corners of the house. I hate to think I will have to have four water tanks of some sort. Maybe I can put one on each side and plumb to the middle."
Franz replied to Leah Acosta's discussion Anyone have a cistern?"Sounds like you live in the People's Republikk called Maryland.
I'd almost enjoy the challenge of the water meter horsecrap in that state. Do they mandate meters on sump pumps too, after all they are really very shallow wells.…"
Jim Finley replied to Leah Acosta's discussion Anyone have a cistern?"our 1741 homestead has an in ground stone cistern on the hill above the house. It is about 10 ft deep but is built in a stone surround partially above ground - so it looks like a short round stone foundation. It used to have a small wooden structure…"
Profile Information
- Tell us about yourself:
- Just took on a ca. 1827 Brick Federal that was the "Iron Master's" personal home. The furnace foundations still stand, but the company store, company post office and company schoolhouse are either gone or reduced to rough outlines in the ground. We love old houses, and have dreamed of a project like this. Now we are wondering if we should have been careful what we wished for!
- Tell us about your old-house experiences and dreams:
- The Iron Master's house will be my 5th restoration project, but my first federal. I've done everything from a brick victorian to a New Mexico colonial adobe, but I'm out of my depth here. I'm going to be begging for help! Built in 1827, I believe it's been thoroughly "remuddled" in the 1850's (?). I'm trying to envision what the original floor plan must have looked like!
Leah Acosta's Photos
Comment Wall (2 comments)
- At 1:04pm on February 18, 2011,
Mike Greene said… - I used to own The Iron Master's Inn in Pittsford 84-88. There is a book in the Pittsford Library on "Granger" The Smith Family updated the place in the 1850"s. There is a picture in that book that showes the earlier house and it was a story and 1/2. I think they added the full second story and attic. The second story is post and beam construction as the posts show in the corners of the bedroons. very strange. I think when they added on they used older methods and some of the doors are federal. most of the main rooms were Victorianised. The house was in the Smith family for a hundred years or so and Alan Hitchcock bougth it with approx. 70 acres. he sold it to me the next year with just the 3 acres. Let me know how you are doing. PS. I replaced the 14 ft columns in the front with copies I ordered from PA. Oh yeah Perry King's family owned it for a summer house before Hitchcock bought it...
- At 1:07pm on February 18, 2011, Mike Greene said…
- I named the Inn. was considering "The Iron Munger's Inn" as he was called at the turn if the 19th century.
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