OLD HOME PLACE 2001
Photo Album from the Potter Family Reunion in Wartburg May 26th, 2001
Photo Album from the 2001 Log Cabin Restoration
RENOVATION MEMOIRS 2001
CONSTRUCTION CREW
1. Cleo Potter Project Manager
2. Roger Steven Potter Construction Supervisor
3. Roger Dale Blankenship Saw Master & Grunt
4. Darrel Potter Straw Boss
5. Larry Potter Land Clearing Specialist & Head Operator
6. Gina Potter Chief GoFor, Cook, & Project Maintenance Specialist
7. Pam Potter Go-For, & Prime Agitator
8. Jeff Potter Grunt, Cook Specialist 1st Class, & Abuse Receiver
9. Jamie Gilray Fire Control Specialist, & Sawyer
10. Jontz Potter Grunt, Carpenter, Go-For, & Grounds Maintenance
11. Zeke Potter Grunt, Carpenter, Go-For, & Grounds Maintenance
12. Lester (Hawk) Beasley Grunt, & Provisions Expert
13. Frankie Blankenship Starvation Prevention Specialist & Off Bearer for the Saw Master
14. Greg Potter Wanna Be There
15. Bryan Potter Cook
VISITORS
1. Cory Potter- Friday, Saturday, & Sunday
2. Pam Potter- Friday, Saturday, & Sunday
3. Emily & J.D. Heeley Saturday, & Wednesday
4. Ina May Gilbert - Saturday
5. Doreen Barnett Saturday
6. M. Howard Saturday
7. Aunt Bess Pursley Saturday
8. Phyllis Potter Sunday
9. Kelly Potter - Sunday
10. Jewell Freels Sunday
11. Phyllis Potter Wednesday
12. Roger Steven Potter Wednesday
13. Dwayne Williams Saturday & Monday
14. Dee Williams - Monday
PROGRESS REPORT
2001
FRIDAY (5-25-01)
1. Mobilization - unload everything and sort it out.
2. Cut the large oak tree in the front yard. It has been dead for years now and was a hazard due to the large limbs remaining in the tree.
3. We all arrived that afternoon and sit around discussing what we would try to accomplish for the coming week.
4. Pam and Gina headed to the store for groceries and provisions. Jeff was chorused into grilling steaks, when they returned, and Cory Supervised.
SATURDAY (5-26-01)
1. Darrel and Roger S. Potter attended the Family reunion at the Wartburg Civic Center. They reported that approximately a 125 to 150 people attended the all day gathering. There is a registration list that will be published when we receive a copy.
2. Roger Dale and Larry began skidding and sawing lumber from logs Roger had previously cut.
3. Pam and Gina made a go-for trip to Crossville for building supplies to start construction of the East (bedroom) wing.
4. Bryan, Jeff, and Hawk dug out the footers, poured concrete, set stones and placed the sill beams. By this time Darrel and Roger S. had returned from the reunion and we all started nailing on the sub flooring. We were able to complete about ½ that evening before dark.
5. We did have a short break during the afternoon, when our visitors arrived.
SUNDAY (5-27-01)
1. Work proceeded at a relaxed pace, but the sub floor and walls where completed.
2. The roof framing was also mostly completed.
3. First discussion on type dozer to rent came up and was topic of debate all week long.
MONDAY (5-28-01)
1. Larry showed up with a load of 1 lumber for the siding.
2. The wall siding for the kitchen was started and the south wall completed.
3. Darrel went to get roofing tin for the east wing. When he returned, roofing was installed.
4. This complete, everyone sat down to admire our efforts.
TUESDAY (5-29-01)
1. The roof was tested by several rain showers this morning.
2. Larry, Roger Dale, Jeff and Darrel returned to siding the kitchen wing with lumber we had cut for Larry the previous year.
WEDNESDAY (5-30-01)
1. Bryan, to avoid what was obviously hard work, took over sawing operations. The remaining logs were cut into siding material and 2x4s. The siding project completed, Larry retrieved some 12 logs, and then master sawyer Roger Dale took over sawing to cut some 4x6 sills for the smoke house.
2. While the sawing of the sills was going on, Darrel and Zeke dug the footer pads and set the stones. The sills were set in place and squared up for review by all construction personal.
3. Everyone then took a short break lasting an hour or so. During this little break, the subject of the big oak tree and what to do with it came up. After a short deliberation, it was decided we would cut a few mementos from the butt log and cut an 8 section to make some massive counter tops.
4. Roger Dale took charge of the chain saw, being the saw master, and proceeded to lobe off three 4x 48 butt sections. The log was then cut and trimmed ready for the sawmill. Darrel brought the mill down to the log, because the log was too big to take to the mill.
5. The rest of the day was spent trying to make lumber from a log 12 larger than the mill is supposed to cut. Bryan demonstrated the procedure for this operation along with the aide of the chain saw. The diligent effort paid off with 27 ½ wide lumber being cut into 2 and 3 inches thick lumber.
THURSDAY (5-31-01)
1. It has been raining this morning and we have been sitting on the front porch watching the rain.
2. the rain finally stopped around 10:00 AM, Roger Dale, Larry, Jeff, and Darrel went down to the big oak tree and cut another log and proceeded to work it down into a 23 ½ inch wide cant. They then proceeded to cut some 23 ½-inch wide by six inch lumber. This board was cut into legs for the massive table. They also cut some two inch by 12 inch boards to make two benches. This took the better part of the day.
3. Bryan fixed a large breakfast while the guys are getting the log ready to cut.
4. Gina had fixed some food and brought it down. This evening the table was assembled and the first meal was served.
FRIDAY (6-1-01)
1. It is raining again this morning and we are all sitting on the porch in the east wing Basing about what needs to be done yet. A lengthy discussion about renting a bulldozer to clear the meadow, clear the area where the old hog lot was located and put in the old road down from the barn were the main topics.
2. An itemized list of remaining projects was made and it was very lengthy. See the attached list for the projects.
3. The rain has turned to scattered showers, so we decided to do some work. Darrel, Larry, Jeff, and Roger Dale worked on completing the massive table. They installed the braces and blocking cut from the log yesterday.
4. Bryan, Jontz, and Zeke finished up the siding of the 2 compartment outhouse, while the table was being finished. The partition wall was installed by Jontz and Zeke while Bryan nailed up the siding and hung the door.
5. Friday evening another large meal was served on the massive dining table. It was obvious that everyone is proud of this piece of work. Gina, Frankie, Hawk, Jeff, and Steve all took part in the meal this evening, and it turned out to be an impressive spread.
SATURDAY (6-2-01)
1. Everyone began packing up all the equipment in preparation to leave.
2. The loading and hauling was completed around noon, so this completes another week of progress by all to restore the Old Home Place for everyones future enjoyment.
This ongoing project is for the entire family to enjoy, We hope You will come and visit the Old Place as a remembrance of Your forefathers and experience the life they had. By next summer we hope to have all the doors installed on the additions to completely enclose the building. The place is now a primitive cabin for use, much the same as it was in the old days.