Old House Restoration Class

In March 2021, Les Fossel of Les Fossel’s Restoration Resources and the Sullivan­–Sorrento Historical Society (S-SHS) launched a virtual house class pilot for old house lovers in the Sullivan-Sorrento area.

For the past 30 years, Fossel has partnered with local historical societies and adult education programs to offer field courses for owners of historic houses and barns in communities around Alna, where he is based. The classes typically meet once a week to tour a different participant’s old house or barn and learn together in the field.

Like the in-person “field” course, the Sullivan class meets regularly, but over Zoom. At each 2-hour class session, a participant presents his or her house, and the group works together to learn about and from the house and to solve problems. Participants create a support group for each other, sharing questions and challenges as well as tips and tricks they have picked up from their own projects. Sessions are recorded, edited for privacy as needed, and published on the historical society’s website. Any new information about the house is added to the historical society’s archives, and the virtual format of the class makes it easy to augment a house tour with a quick slideshow of historic photos or records, further connecting homeowners to house and even town history.

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This is a pilot project. For a course description, click here. We are still accepting registrations in the ongoing pilot and currently planning a summer session. If you are interested in being part of the group or if you have any questions, please contact Raina at rsciocchetti@islandinstitute.org.