Are you looking to hone your forging and blacksmithing techniques? Open Studio sessions at the Carrie Blast Furnaces provide flexible, self-guided time to build on your skills, test out new ideas, or put those final touches on a previously made piece. Anvils, forges and necessary tooling will be provided, and Rivers of Steel staff will […]
Brick, Earth, Stone, and Timber (BEST) Preservation Workshops with the National Park Service Location: Saguaro National Park Dates: March 3 - 6, 2025 Description: Are you interested in passing on your trades skills or specialized knowledge but haven’t had the opportunity to hone your teaching skills? During this interactive workshop, participants will take […]
Brick, Earth, Stone, and Timber (BEST) Preservation Workshops with the National Park Service Location: Yosemite National Park Dates: March 17 - 21, 2025 Description: Through discussions and hands-on experimentation, trainees will gain insights into the importance of preserving historical plaster, understand plaster’s role in protecting different building materials and systems, and practice mixing and […]
Brick, Earth, Stone, and Timber (BEST) Preservation Workshops with the National Park Service Location: Frederick, MD Dates: April 7 - 11, 2025 Description: Participants will learn the woodworking skills necessary to practice advanced and intensive repairs for rails, stiles, and muntins. This workshop is the required pre-requisite workshop for Advanced Wood Window Repair […]
Brick, Earth, Stone, and Timber (BEST) Preservation Workshops with the National Park Service Location: Alaska Regional Office Dates: April 15 - 17, 2025 Guiding Principles for Field-Based Historic Preservation is ideal for field personnel who work directly on historic structures and/or cultural landscapes and seek to feel more empowered when making historic preservation treatment […]
Brick, Earth, Stone, and Timber (BEST) Preservation Workshops with the National Park Service Location: Wupatki National Monument Dates: April 28 - May 2, 2025 Description: Masonry structures require careful understanding of their materials, construction methods, conditions, and environment before any intervention is performed. Students in Pre-contact Masonry Preservation and Repair will explore these concepts, […]
Brick, Earth, Stone, and Timber (BEST) Preservation Workshops with the National Park Service Location: National Mall and Memorial Parks Dates: April 29 - May 1, 2025 Description: Guiding Principles for Field-Based Historic Preservation is ideal for field personnel who work directly on historic structures and/or cultural landscapes and seek to feel more empowered when […]
Brick, Earth, Stone, and Timber (BEST) Preservation Workshops with the National Park Service Location: Zion National Park Dates: May 5 - 9, 2025 Description: Dry-stone masonry—where stones are stacked on one another without the use of mortar—is one of the earliest building skills developed by humans and used for building shelters, fortifications, burials, structures, […]
Brick, Earth, Stone, and Timber (BEST) Preservation Workshops with the National Park Service Location: Fort Vancouver National Historic Site Dates: July 14 - 17, 2025 Description: In Basic Wood Window Preservation and Repair, participants practice the basics of window maintenance and repair, including documenting condition, stripping paint, preparing weathered wood, backbedding and glazing, […]
We know our historic structures are in a constant state of entropy, so how do we make preservation decisions and manage this change? How do you assess a building or its components’ condition and identify the cause of deterioration? Answering these questions is a crucial early stage in the preservation process. In this Conservation Assessment […]
Brick, Earth, Stone, and Timber (BEST) Preservation Workshops with the National Park Service Location: Frederick, MD Dates: September 8 - 12, 2025 Description: Historic brick masonry buildings are relatively simple construction systems, but their preservation requires a sound understanding of stone, brick, and mortars; their weathering; and how they function together as a […]
Brick, Earth, Stone, and Timber (BEST) Preservation Workshops with the National Park Service Location: Grand Canyon National Park Dates: September 23 - 25, 2025 Description: Guiding Principles for Field-Based Historic Preservation is ideal for field personnel who work directly on historic structures and/or cultural landscapes and seek to feel more empowered when making […]
Overview Join us for a two-day hands-on masonry workshop focused on repointing the foundation of a historic barn. Under the guidance of Master Craftsman David Gibney and experienced masonry facilitator Mike Logan, participants will learn and practice traditional repointing techniques using both real-world conditions and controlled training environments. Participants will have the opportunity to: Repoint a historic barn foundation […]
Join us for this hands-on, one-day workshop designed to equip professionals and enthusiasts with the skills and knowledge needed to preserve the beauty and integrity of historic homes through proper paint systems and techniques. Led by Scott Sidler, a third-generation painter and preservation expert, this course offers a detailed overview of historic paint systems, effective […]
Overview Dates: October 17-18, 2025 Time: 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM each day Location: Arthurdale Heritage, 18 Q Road, Arthurdale, WV 26520 Class Size Limit: 15 participants Workshop Details Join us for a two-day hands-on masonry repointing workshop. Under the guidance of David Gibney and Sarah Polzin, participants will learn and practice traditional repointing techniques using both real-world conditions and controlled training […]
This hands-on, 8-hour Workshop in Traditional Finishes, taught by Natalie Henshaw, introduces participants to the principles and practices of refinishing historic architectural woodwork. Focusing on doors, trim, paneling, and other wood features commonly found in historic buildings, the session covers how to assess wood conditions identify original finishes select appropriate methods to remove, restore, and reapply different […]
Brick, Earth, Stone, and Timber (BEST) Preservation Workshops with the National Park Service Location: Fort Davis National Historic Site Dates: October 20 - 24, 2025 Description: Construction of architecture using earthen building materials is one of the oldest surviving building traditions in the world for many reasons. Adaptable, sustainable, and sophisticated, earthen architectural […]
In this class, each student will complete a 5-gallon pin keg made with white oak. This class moves students from straight-stave to tapered stave coopering. Water-tight coopering is the most difficult form of coopering. Students learn to make bent staves and assemble them into traditional barrels. In this class, each student will complete a 5 […]
Brick, Earth, Stone, and Timber (BEST) Preservation Workshops with the National Park Service Location: San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park Dates: October 28 - 30, 2025 Description: Guiding Principles for Field-Based Historic Preservation is ideal for field personnel who work directly on historic structures and/or cultural landscapes and seek to feel more empowered […]
Brick, Earth, Stone, and Timber (BEST) Preservation Workshops with the National Park Service Location: Frederick, MD Dates: November 3 - 7 2025 Description: Open only to students who have completed Wood Windows: Fundamentals of Woodworking. In Advanced Wood Window Preservation and Repair, students will both implement and hone the skills learned in Fundamentals […]
Workshop Objective: To provide a firm grounding in the basic principles of dry stone walling and a basic understanding of how to build a double-faced wall. Learning Outcomes: You can state the five basic rules of dry stone walling. You can describe batter and the use of frames & lines. You can explain how to […]
This two-day class builds on skills learned in Blacksmithing I. Students will work through several hands-on projects, improving their manual skills and expanding their techniques. Helpful coaching speeds the learning progress. Students are welcome to bring their own idea and projects to work on! Click here for more information and registration!
Workshop Objective: To provide a firm grounding in the basic principles of dry stone walling and a basic understanding of how to build a double-faced wall. Learning Outcomes: You can state the five basic rules of dry stone walling. You can describe batter and the use of frames & lines. You can explain how to […]
Designed for students who have taken Blacksmithing I & II, this two-day class teaches new skills such as forge brazing and ornate punch & chisel work. Supervised time in the shop with a myriad of tools will provide students the space to create additional projects. Click here for more information and registration!