FIRST HISTORIC STRUCTURE PROJECTS:
STATE OF FLORIDA: O’LENO STATE PARK and DUDLEY FARM
My year at O’Leno State Park in High Springs and Dudley Farm in Newberry, FL in 2007 brought ample work on the historic structures. But more than that, history was made at O’Leno the year I was there on more than one account. Then most notable for me was the discovery of O’Leno’s old mill from the 1890’s that was kept in a barn on private property in Traxler for many years. And it was carefully brought to O’Leno State Park. And the Park Manager tasked me with this special project of restoring it. Florida’s Div. of Historical Resources chief conservator James Levy guided and advised us on this project with his expert knowledge.
Besides the O’Leno Mill key project, I pressure-washed the CCC historic structures in O’Leno State Park and assisted in re-leveling an historic structure on Dudley Farm. That year was great first experiences in historic preservation and restoration. Unforgettable.
Work on historic structures have not come often, but I anticipate more will come.
I have painted a few historic homes as A USA PPP:
A 1906 home east of Gainesville near Lake Newnan (see Painting Portfolio), and
a 1930’s 2-story home in downtown Gainesville, January 2022