Stop by the Chestnut Hill Historical Society ever 1st Saturday.

by Shirley Hanson

Starting on Oct. 3, on every First Saturday of the month from1 to 3 p.m., the Chestnut HIll Historical society, located at 8708 Germantown Ave., will host experts on significant preservation and repair issues.

You can call on specialists for answers to questions like these:

• What techniques are appropriate for protecting and repairing an older building?

• Where should we look for trouble spots?

• How can we accomplish change in a sensitive and honest way?

• How can we find suitable replacements for worn-out materials and missing parts?

• When is professional help needed?

Meet outstanding experts and join in the discussion. Everyone is welcome.

Oct. 3 - "How to Get Ready for the Cold Weather"

Dennis Meyer will address how to winterize your older home and also provide a checklist to everyone who attends. He will note effective methods and reveal what adds comfort and value to your home and what creates problems. You'll have a chance to get answers to all of your specific questions.

Meyer heads Dennis F. Meyer Inc., a construction firm that has been specializing in old house restorations for more than 50 years. The firm, which is rooted in traditional building practices, has completed countless projects, ranging across the spectrum from size to scope.

Nov. 7 - "Do's and Don'ts of Protecting Your Historic Masonry"

One of the architectural delights of Chestnut Hill is the beauty of its stone in buildings, ornamental walls, fountains, and gateposts. Peter Saylor, FAIA, will help us understand how to build, maintain, and repair these unique elements. For the talk he has teamed up with Saxon Restoration, a Wissahickon schist expert. Find out about the common problem of stone deteriorating because the mortar is too hard and much more.

Peter Saylor, FAIA, a founder of the former Dagit Saylor Architects and now SaylorGregg, a Studio of JacobsWyper, has designed award-winning academic and cultural buildings for more than 40 years. His work includes projects at Penn, Swarthmore, the University of Virginia, Lehigh, and Cornell, and he designed the new Karabots Pavilion at the Franklin Institute.

Check out the Historical Society's Resource Center for information and techniques to preserve and maintain the architectural design and details of Chestnut Hill’s buildings. Preserving and maintaining these treasures is a way of keeping alive continuity, variety and beauty in our lives. The Resource Center can help to find appropriate solutions to care for your home, to prevent costly mistakes, and to provide answers to your practical concerns.

Also, at every First Saturday, Alex Bartlett, the Historical Society's Assistant Archivist, is available to help you discover details about your home and your street among the 20,000 drawings, photos, maps, deeds, and diaries in the collections.