Walking through the old courthouse in Springfield and the trim work stopped me cold

I was checking out the restored 1890s building downtown and the crown molding in the main hall had these tiny, perfect returns at every inside corner, all done by hand. My buddy with me, who's a drywall guy, just said "they don't make 'em like that anymore" and it got me thinking about modern shortcuts. What's the most impressive old-school joinery you've seen in a public building?

3 comments

3 Comments

margaretc425d ago

My buddy who does trim saw hand-cut dovetails in a library built in 1910.

luna2615d ago

That's a cool skill, but I'd rather see the original work preserved when possible.

claire_ross614d ago

The original wood in that 1910 library is probably full of dry rot and insect damage. A perfect replica using modern, stable materials can last another century without constant repair. Sometimes preservation means replacing the failing parts entirely.