Getting Started

Work has just begun here at the Taylor House!

Progress

It's been a busy day at the Taylor House. The cedar shingles are going up on the back north roof. The color is much different than the mossy green we are accustomed to, but it's already breathing new life into this historic house. The craftsmen at Burley Building are taking their time, using traditional methods to restore the roof exactly as it was. The work is tedious, but worth it.

North Back

Section one is complete! After another scorchingly hot day,

the back roof on the north side of the museum has a

beautiful new roof. For the next few days, we'll keep a

close eye on the weather. Heavy rain and isolated severe

storms are in the forecast. Nate Reister and his crew will

be strategically planning their next moves.

South Front

Bee Relocation

For over 40 years, the Taylor House Museum has been home to a hive of bees. They basically kept to themselves and were causing no harm, so we let them stay. With the new roof installation, however, it was clear we needed to move our beloved bees.

From the early planning stages with Burley Building, relocating, not exterminating, was a priority. Burley Building quickly enlisted the help of BayBees Honey, who take care of bees all around the Eastern Shore. Lauren and Fred made a plan and this morning that plan was put into motion!

Everyone suited up for protection and the smokers were lit to help keep the bees calm. Lauren explained that the comb would be placed in wooden frames and held with a rubber band. Once the queens was found and moved, the rest of the hive would follow.

On the roof, Fred and Nate cut open a section to locate the comb. A large piece was cut out and brought down very carefully.

Lauren quickly got to work slicing the comb and placing it in the wood frames. She found the queen!

The bees will now have a new home on a small farm in Bishopville, thanks to Megan at Buzz Meadery.  And because Berlin is a member of Bee City, USA, the museum has begun brainstorming how to bring some bees back onto the property.

Historic Details

From burleybuildingco on Instagram:

"A closeup of the pegged mortise and tenon 3x8 timbers that make up the original roofline on the Taylor Museum. This one is unique to a lot of the old buildings that exist in Berlin. There are plenty of pegged timber homes but rarely in the ridge because for the most part the reciprocal beam construction holds itself in place. The old front porch on the sister house at 101 S Main also carried a similar detail. Neat to see the evolution of the craft, this burly detail is likely responsible for the great condition of the underlying frame."

"On the opposite side of the building... Replicating the one-of-a-kind ridge detail on the museum roof required some old-school techniques and attention to detail. Ridge miters and laps done using hand tools." Check out the video on Instagram.

The Big Finale

Our roof restoration is complete and we could not be more pleased! Using historically accurate methods and products, our beautiful new roof showcases the historic detailing found in the 1830s. Over the last month,  the crew of Burley Building, Co have meticulously worked, focusing on the small details that make this restoration authentic.