©2006 The Chestnut Hill Local

Final phases in historic inn’s exterior restoration about to begin
by KRISTIN PAZULSKI

Dick Meyer of the Friends of Historic Bethlehem Pike helps guide into place a roof support beam, donated by Anderson Welding of Oreland. The beam was placed on the roof of the Black Horse Inn last week as part of the inn’s restoration. (Photo by Andrew Glendinning)

Roof repair is topping off the final phases of the $600,000 exterior restoration of the historic Black Horse Inn, pending approval from the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission.

At their June 14 meeting, the Springfield Township Board of Commissioners approved a bid with Russell Roofing of Oreland for $46,000 in work on the south and east portions of the inn’s roof. The repair is one of four phases in the restoration of the inn’s exterior, anticipated to be done by the end of this year.

The Black Horse Inn, reportedly built in the mid-18th century, was one of eight in Springfield Township that stood along the stagecoach line running from Philadelphia to Bethlehem. Four of the inns remain, including the Black Horse, at 1432 Bethlehem Pike, which remained a working tavern into the 1990s.

After the tavern ceased operating, the building was left to deteriorate and in 2004 was almost demolished by the township because of its condition and a lack of financing for the restoration. Springfield residents fought to save the nationally recognized historic building, and eventually teamed with the township to raise money to restore it. The neighbors, or Friends of Historic Bethlehem Pike, the township and Springfield Township Historical Society were honored for their collaborative effort by the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia in May.

Before beginning the work on the southern and eastern roof of the inn, the township must get the materials it plans to use approved by the PHMC. The original plans for the exterior restoration, approved by PHMC in December, discuss the use of stainless steel for the gutters and the roof on both of those portions.

In a letter to the PHMC from the township, dated June 6, the Black Horse Inn Advisory Committee requests replacing the stainless steel with copper guttering and downspouts, which would be less expensive and require less long-term maintenance. The letter also asks for approval to replace the stainless steel roofing on the eastern side with a rubber membrane roof, which would save the township an estimated $20,000 and should not take away from the historical significance because, according to the BHI Advisory Committee, that portion of the roof is not visible from the ground.

For the south roof, the township made PHMC aware that it would use wooden shingles, a material that was already approved as an alternate to stainless steel roofing.

The south and east roof restoration will begin once PHMC gives its approval, said Andrew Glendinning of the advisory committee.

The entire, $1.5 million restoration of the Black Horse Inn is to be complete by December 2007. The township’s commissioners voted to work with Seiler+Drury Architecture of Norristown on the interior design and use planning of the building.

Contact staff writer Kristin Pazulski at 215-248-8819 or Kristin@chestnuthilllocal.com.