African American History Resources

The Government Documents Library at the University of Illinois at Urbana - Champagne hosts a useful source of information on tracking African American History:

http://www.library.uiuc.edu/doc/exhibits/africanamericanhistory/africanamericanhistorylinks.htm

Mapping it Out

The Texas General Land Office has a vast collection of historic maps of Texas, dating back hundreds of years. They have a program where plots of historic maps can be purchased, and the proceeds go towards the preservation and digitizing of the collection. There are maps covering all corners and eras of the state's history. Many are suitable for framing and could make a great gift, as well as being informative for research. More information about their collection can be found at:

http://www.glo.state.tx.us/archives/mapscol.html

Patterns in Wood, Stone and Metal

The Victorians loved to cover the surfaces of their buildings and interiors with patterns of all types. Photos from the 19th and early 20th centuries show roofs of slate, wood shakes or pressed metal shingles. Craftsmen seemed to show off their skills by making their designs even more intricate than their competitors. Even the gables of roofs and sides of dormers were adorned with patterns and textures. This decoration is being rediscovered and restored, after being hidden for years under vinyl and asbestos siding and aluminum storm shutters.

We at GHF recently moved a house when a church wanted to expand its parking lot. The house was just outside the East End National Historic Landmark District, and had no protection. It was built in 1891, and insurance records from the time show the original roof was slate shingles. A photograph of the adjacent church from 1894 shows the roof of this house had bands of slate in contrasting colors. We asked our roofer to provide a mock-up so we could see what it would look like, and decided that it added much to the overall design of the house. We had proof of the original design intent and wanted to showcase that. We encourage you to play the sleuth with your historic building and find pictures or drawings of original features before trying to add or restore details. The Preservation Resource Center at 502 20th Street and the Galveston and Texas History Center at the Rosenberg Library are both great places to start.

Patterns in wood shingles:
http://www.coastalcontractor.net/cgi-bin/article.pl?id=13

Colors of Vermont roofing slate:
http://www.evergreenslate.com/slate-colors-roofing.html

Metal roofing shingles:
http://www.follansbeeroofing.com/products/DiamondShingles.aspx

Cedar shingles and decorative styles:
http://www.premierforestproducts.com/pages/shingle_products.html

Diamond pattern metal roof shingles:
http://www.atas.com/Products/Roof/Shingle/CastleTop/tabid/92/Default.aspx