The Pinchbeck project took place on the lot beside the Hope General Store on the corner of Church Street and Rt 105. Chris and Lindsay Pinchbeck acquired the lot in March of 2011 with the intent to build both an Art Center and Bagpipe workshop. After closely assessing the existing building, it was deemed too far in disrepair with extensive structural issues. The home was one of Hope's earlier residences, built by Wade Sweetland, circa 1822. It acted as a town meeting place as well as an inn and tavern. In its day, the home was an elegant residence, a grand cape with two ells, a barn, two stories and two large central chimneys. A fire burned the roof and ells in 1947 and the barn was demolished in the 70's.

Upon dismantling the original portion of the structure, Pinchbeck saw that the original timber frame remained viable. He resurrected it as part of one of two new buildings on the lot. The original timber frame was reconstructed exactly as the frame existed and is now the bagpipe workshop portion of the project. A new timber frame was built for the second building, the Art Center. Many of the photographs show details of constrution methods used at the time.

Listen to the talk given by Chris Pinchbeck on Nov. 27, 2012 at the Hope Historical by returning to the index. Click on "Oral History" and choose number 24. Photographs that were shown at the talk can be found here.