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Riley Farm/Josiah Henson Site, coverHistoric Structure Report for the Riley House / Josiah Henson Site

The 2008 Historic Structure Report for the Riley House / Josiah Henson Site prepared by John Milner and Associates. As with all historical inquiries, research is ongoing.

Parks Cultural Resources Stewardship Staff will use this information as a basis for further investigation into the history of the Henson Site as plans move forward to turn it into a public museum.

Historic Structure Report (2.5 MB, PDF)
Appendices (9MB, PDF)

Table of Contents

Frontispiece on the Riley Property and Uncle Tom’s Cabin - i
Executive Summary - ii
Table of Contents - v
Acknowledgements - vii
Authorship Page - viii
Statement of Approach and Methodology - ix
Josiah Henson’s Words regarding the Property - xii

Part I
Developmental History - 1
Historical Context - 2
Outlining Josiah Henson’s Life in Montgomery County, Maryland - 2
Plantation Life - 8
Historical Background of the Riley Property - 11
Property Ownership - 19
Partial Chain of Title - 20
Additional Documentation of Property Ownership - 22
Timeline - 24
1936 Drawings - 32
Statement of Significance and Chronology of Development - 39
Statement of Significance and Integrity - 40
Chronology of Development and Use - 43
Architectural Description and Condition Assessment - 45
General Architectural Description - 46
Condition Assessment - 52
Log House Condition Assessment - 52
Detailed Architectural Description - 52
Log House Conditions and Recommendations - 56
Summary of Recommendations for Log House - 63
Log Houses vs. Log Cabins - 65
Frame House and Addition Condition Assessment - 67
Detailed Architectural Description - 67
Tidewater Frame Houses - 72
The False Plate and Boxed Cornice Details - 73
Frame House Conditions and Recommendations - 83
The Can-O-Mat Wall-Mounted Can Opener - 90
Summary of Recommendations for Frame House - 91
Floor Plans - 93

Part II
Treatment Report - 96
Interpretive Strategy - 97
Treatment Plan - 102
Defining Treatment Plan - 102
Recommended Treatment Approach - 105
Treatment of Specific Historic Building Materials - 108
Architectural Alternatives - 110
Menu of Options - 111
Alternatives - 116
Bibliography - 125
Reference List - 126
Repositories - 130
Building Materials Bibliography - 131

Appendices - 133
A. Archeological Investigation - A
B. Landscape Assessment - B
C. Structural Engineering Report - C
D. Paint Analysis - D
E. Annotated Bibliography for Josiah Henson - E
F. Catalogue of Images - F
Historic Photographs - F-1
Aerial Photographs - F-6
Historic Maps - F-9
Historic Newspaper Articles - F-18
G. Josiah Henson and Dawn, Ontario, Images/Maps/Information - G
H. Josiah Henson’s Manumission Paper - H
I. Riley Family Bible, Family Record Pages - I
J. Riley Family Tree - J
K. Act of Assembly on Arnold Winsor’s 1827 Request to Sell Assets from George Riley Estate - K
L. Isaac Riley’s Account for the George Riley Estate in 1830 - L
M. Celotex, Catalogue Information from the 1936 Edition of Sweet’s Catalogue File - M
N. The National Register Criteria - N
O. The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties - O
P. Preservation Brief: The Preservation and Repair of Log Buildings - P
Q. Description of Typical Log Cabin Construction in 1824 by Joseph Doddridge - Q

back to top - Last update: May 31, 2011