Jan Lewandoski is timber framer and preservationist living in Northern Vermont. He and his crew specialize in the restoration of wooden bridges, church trusses and steeples, and other historic heavy timber, and have done so for over 40 years. He devoted much of 5 years to the movement and restoration of a large Chinese house at a museum in this country, and has also worked in China, Russia, and Canada. Jan is the author of a great number of articles on framing, published in various journals, and is also co-author of the book Historic American Roof Trusses (2007).
Presentation
Restoration of a 1721 Dutch Framed Grist Mill in Roslyn, Long Island, NY
The Roslyn Mill ground grain between stones until 1916, then served as a Tea Room for several decades before becoming derelict. It is the most densely and heavily framed structure I have ever been in. Dutch-style transverse bents, with two wall posts and two tie beams, are spaced 42 inches o.c., obviating the need for floor joists. The immense dimensions, as large as 10 in. x 18 in. X 25 ft., of the oak and chestnut timbers has allowed the Mill to survive decades of neglect and allowed us to say we have all the pieces of the frame, even though many are severely deteriorated.
In addition to the closely spaced bents, other notable, and labor-intensive features are sawtooth let-ins for full-thickness weatherboarding along the height of every wall column, knee bracing 10 x 11 inches in section and scribed at greater than 45 degrees, and certain other Dutch framing techniques as well as a small bit of typical English style 4 x5 bracing.
The Roslyn Mill has fresh water at its road end, turning the wheel, and salt water immediately at its rear allowing products to be loaded and unloaded. Today it is crowded into a populous village, leading us to remove much of the timber off-site to have room to work. The Mill also had to be lifted several feet to be at the level of the modern roadway.
The early husk frame (an independent frame within the mill that carries the stones and the metal and wooden works that operate them) is in the hands of mill expert and TTRAG member Amy Boyce for restoration.
I was introduced to the Roslyn Mill in 2004 and began restoration in 2017. As of today, the Roslyn Mill is on a new foundation with sills, restored wall columns, rafter plates, and bracing in place. There is much more to be done.