SHERIDAN — Wyoming’s rich history means many of the state’s homes and structures date back to the 19th and 20th centuries. Maintaining the charm and character of an older residence can present challenges but can also be a way to keep a piece of the past alive.
Sheridan County Historic Preservation Commission Chair Kristin Campbell said updating a historic structure can often feel overwhelming, and she recommends homeowners tackle one project at a time to minimize stress.
The first thing people should consider when undergoing a historic home renovation is to ensure it complies with health and safety standards.
According to a Wyoming Business Council guide on redeveloping and maintaining historic buildings, homeowners should always employ professionals to check for — and potentially fix — asbestos, lead paint and pest infestation problems.
Old homes will likely need updated electrical, mechanical and fire protection systems. Changes to features like stairs, doors, windows and roofs are sometimes also needed to bring the home in line with building codes.
Professional engineers and architects who are familiar with historic buildings are often great resources for bringing an old home up to code, according to the WBC guide.
Sharie Shada, site superintendent for the Trail End State Historic Site — home of the Kendrick Mansion, Sheridan County’s most famous historic residence — said one of the most important parts of caring for the mansion, and any historic home, is to frequently monitor the structure for new or progressing damage.
“If people have old homes, they will know or soon find out that they are a lot of work. I think the best advice is to do a visual inspection of all your spaces, so if something starts to go, you notice it sooner than later,” Shada said. “We have historic water damage to the ballroom ceiling, and we have pictures of it so if it looks like it's getting bigger, we can compare it to the pictures we've taken. Maybe it’s just more noticeable to somebody, or maybe it’s growing. So we document things along the way so we can track any changes … it's really a lot of monitoring so you can catch a problem hopefully before it becomes a gigantic problem.”
While a long checklist of projects and maintenance tasks may sound intimidating to some, Campbell said homeowners should know that many charming, original features of old homes can often be safely restored and kept intact — including windows, floors, walls and more.
Refurbishing a home’s original features, rather than gutting or replacing them, can help cut costs and also helps reduce waste, Campbell said.
“Some of the biggest contributors to our landfills is construction debris. And we already have these beautiful buildings that might just need a little bit of TLC (tender loving care), instead of tearing things down to throw up another building,” Campbell said. “And they were oftentimes built to last with a lot of design elements.”
Since many old houses were built before the era of central air conditioning and heating, Campbell said those long-lasting design elements often include large, south-facing windows to promote airflow in the summer and to let sunlight in during the winter. Many also have east-facing porches that bring an indoor-outdoor feel to the home — those features can also make historic homes a great environment for houseplants, Campbell said.
Campbell said Sheridan County has an interesting mix of historic homes from various time periods, and there aren’t many neighborhoods in the city of Sheridan that feature one consistent style of architecture.
“Four square” homes — houses with a boxy, often two-story floor plan — were popular in the early 1900s and 1910s, she said; more craftsman-style homes were built during the 1920s; the 1930s saw more cottage-style homes; and the 1940s and 1950s popularized ranch-style homes.
Campbell said the historic preservation of neighborhoods is essential to community identity. Modern changes can quickly change the feeling of a home, and eventually an entire neighborhood, she said. Campbell said those who wish to build modern homes in historic areas should consider adding characteristics to the home that complement the neighborhood or mimic historic character.
“I think that people can resonate with historic preservation in a variety of ways. There’s obviously cultural heritage and the sense of identity through these historic places and spaces that we have,” Campbell said. “Or maybe you don't really care about the cultural heritage portion, but you care about your pocketbook … historic districts hold their value better than non-historic districts, and people spend more time and money in historic districts than they do elsewhere. So there's definitely a lot of value in it. Sometimes the investment might be a little bit more upfront, but it's a long term investment.”
Shada said preserving historic homes and buildings links homeowners, visitors and local residents to important pieces of the past.
“Things change very quickly, and this is a good way for people to learn about how life was … before they were here,” Shada said. “Houses are not built like this anymore, so it's a good way to see different construction techniques and materials that you can't use anymore … it's so important if you don't have that today or you've never been exposed to it. It’s just a way to see … how people lived and how they used things.”
