Six-to-Fix Update: Crowdsourcing a Roof for Shafer Farm

by | Jan 25, 2017

We’re asking you – all of you – to help put a new roof on the important South Mountain Battlefield farmstead at the Shafer Farm. Our $2,500 fundraising goal will off-set the cost of a crew of roofers from the Durable Slate Company to make the roof last through the winter and until a proper rehabilitation project can begin. Can you help?

More About the Project

The Shafer Farm House in Burkittsville, Maryland was once the site of Union Army headquarters during the Civil War Battle of South Mountain in 1862. The farm house has suffered greatly from deferred maintenance. The roof is in danger of collapse and will most likely not make it through the winter. Without immediate attention, this witness to the Civil War could be lost forever. Thanks to Preservation Maryland’s Six-to-Fix program and dedicated local partners, the house is now receiving much needed attention.

WHAT YOUR GIFT WILL SUPPORT

Preservation Maryland is assisting the Burkittsville Preservation Association by helping to put a much-needed temporary roof patch in place while funds are raised for a total replacement.
This roof patch will keep the rain and snow out and also allow the attic rafters to dry and allow our expert building conservation specialists to determine how much of the roofing structure needs to be replaced or can be salvaged. Currently, the wet rafters cannot be assessed correctly, making rehabilitation difficult.

This project is a part of Preservation Maryland’s Six-to-Fix program – an innovative program designed to help save threatened resources statewide. Preservation Maryland invests seed funding, expert professional staff and volunteer time, and statewide advocacy and outreach efforts to move projects towards preservation.

This roof repair is a critical step in saving this structure, which local citizens hope can become a tourist centerpiece for visitors to the South Mountain Battlefield. Without a roof patch, more of the historic fabric of this building could be lost. We need to seal the envelope immediately.