with History Art and History Merge

Renowned additions or any changes to the look of the building, we weren’t to copy the existing style but use new material and designs that didn’t replicate the past.

What were the structural restrictions?

Glass-blower Robert DuGrenier and his wife Katherine purchased the Woods-Wheelock house (located at 1096 VT Route 30, Townsend, Vermont) in 1997. They have since transformed the property into a glass art palace. We spoke to the couple about this historic home and what it was like to purchase and renovate a house listed with the National Historic Places registry.

What was the process of purchasing a home listed with the National Historic Places Registry?

Because we were taking a residential building and turning it into our glass-blowing and design business with a retail gallery, we had to go through Vermont’s Act 250 permitting process. Since the house was on the National Historic Register, the Vermont Division of Historic Preservation had some control as to what and how we renovated it.

What restrictions did you face with converting the residential home into a place for business?

There were restrictions dictated by the archeology division as to putting up any new structures or additions. They marked areas of ground that couldn’t be disturbed. There was also a design mandate that if we were going to make

For instance, when we renovated the barn (which had few windows when we purchased the property), I had to show the historic preservation team where there had been existing windows; what my new window plan would be since they didn’t want us to put in many windows. The windows permitted had to be contemporary in design — not six-oversix window panes as in the main house but rather mullionless windows. Similarly, with the carriage shed attached to the main house, we weren’t allowed to mimic the window style used in the house, so large, double-hung contemporary windows with no mullions were used.

What year was the house built?

The original house was built circa 1780 and was a capestyle house with a kitchen wing and an attached carriage shed. In 1858, the main cape was taken down and doubled in size to a large center hall Federal-style home with 10’ ceilings and a grand staircase reaching the third floor. The building materials, i.e., the moldings, doors, carved fireplaces, floors, etc., were said to have been crafted with southern pine by enslaved people that the owner of the house had at their plantation in Mississippi; transported to Vermont by sea and then over land. The front porch was added with four grand columns in a southern style commonly seen in Natchez, Mississippi and also made from southern pine.

Who was the architect, and what was the architectural style of the home?

The house has been referred to as the Woods-Wheelock house. Dr. Woods was the husband of Ruth Hazeltine (whose father settled the town of Townshend). The home and farm originally encompassed 250 acres. Their sons moved to Mississippi and started a millinery business, which became quite successful. One of the sons moved back to Townshend with his new southern bride, her influence and the family’s money and enslaved people. The rebuilt house was more southern in style, with high ceilings, a wide front porch with carved columns, and an open staircase reaching the third floor.

What was the significance of the Red Gate Farm? Was it a gentleman’s farm or a full-working farm with livestock and farm fields?

The Red Gate Farm got its name in the later 1800s from a new owner of the farm who took in overnight guests in the 1920s and 1930s — this was when Vermont had become a tourist destination with a train arriving in town daily.

What is the connection between the American Impressionist painter Theodore Robinson and the Red Gate Farm?

Theodore Robinson rented the house in 1894 from spring through fall. He had cousins living in town who helped arrange the rental. And his parents were from Jamaica, VT, although he was raised in Wisconsin. He had lived in Giverny, France, for 10 years and became friends with Claude Monet. He eventually moved back to NYC and wanted to see if the Vermont landscape would provide inspiration for a different-looking impressionist style. Through the Arts Students League in NYC, he invited a group of female artists interested in studying with him to join him in Vermont. In addition to the classes held in the house, they painted in plein air around the Townshend area.

What are the benefits and drawbacks of owning a historic registered home?

The benefits include working in a beautiful space that has a long and interesting history; that serves as a fitting backdrop to my glass art. I love history and serve as the vice president of the Townshend Historical Society, whose office and collection are also housed here. The drawbacks were the limitations mandated by VDHP and the fact that I had to get approval for any renovations I wanted to make. There were also extra costs involved in those approval processes.

What are your favorite features of the property?

I love the gracious lines of the house, the front porch with its columns, the high ceilings inside, and the old maple trees surrounding the house. We purchased the property after years of driving by and admiring this stately home. When the rent for our NYC studio increased tenfold in 1997, we checked to see if the property fit our glass studio and design business needs. It did, and so we moved to Vermont full-time.

Do You Have a Historic Place Worth Preserving?

According to the National Parks Department website, “The National Register of Historic Places protects America’s historical and archaeological resources.” While we think of historical as buildings from the Colonial Era or the Victorian Age, the place only needs to have been created a minimum of 50 years ago. This means that any structure or place built before 1971 could qualify for the historic preservation register if it retains its original character and integrity. The best place to start is the National Park Department website, https://www.nps.gov/subjects/nationalregister/how-to-list-a-property.htm. Did you know that more than 96,000 properties listed (by the end of 2020) in the National Register represent 1.8 million contributing resources: buildings, sites, districts, structures, and objects (as mentioned on the NPD website)? These places range from tribal to archaeological to bridges, entire towns or town blocks, farms, homesteads, houses, churches, and other structures. They are designated by a plaque that appears on the property’s location. “Almost every county in the United States has at least one place listed in the National Register,” according to the NPD website. Research other historic registered properties on the website and read through the guidelines and publications before filling out a nomination form for your property. Owning a historic registered place comes with restrictions and expenses mentioned in the guidelines and regulations. It’s best to start with your state’s historic preservation program or with your local historical society.