As we celebrate Preservation Month, we are excited to highlight our company’s unwavering commitment to perfection in the field of historic preservation. With over 45 years of experience and a crew of highly-skilled craftspeople, our team has dedicated themselves to restoring and safeguarding the rich heritage of historic places across the country.
Preservation Month provides us with an invaluable opportunity to reflect on the importance of preserving our past for future generations. It is a time to celebrate the beauty, cultural significance, and architectural splendor of our nation’s historic treasures. At John Canning & Co., we understand that these landmarks are not mere structures; they are windows into our collective history, offering glimpses into the stories and experiences of those who came before us. In our 45+ years as a preservation business, we have had the honor to conserve and restore some remarkable places.
From one of our earliest projects at Battell Chapel to our more recent projects at the Henry Ford Estate, we have worked to restore historic woodwork, decorative paint, stone, plaster, and nearly every other historical material in between. We have also mastered our services in planning & design, conditions assessments, and historic paint analysis that have allowed us to produce the highest quality preservation work in all of our projects. Our work has ranged from civic buildings, like the Michigan State Capitol, to intricate sacred spaces, like the Cathedral of St. Patrick in Norwich, Connecticut, as well as projects in higher education, theaters, residential buildings, museums, and historic landmarks across the country. We have accomplished incredible feats and have truly embodied the spirit of this year’s preservation month theme of “People Saving Places.” We would not be able to do the work we do without our incredible team and we are continually grateful for their hard work and shared passion for saving historic places and Perfecting Preservation. To learn more about some of our work over the years, visit the links below.
|
|
|
Latest Articles & Announcements |
|
|
| What Are the Benefits of Preservation? |
In your town, state, and all around the country you will notice structures in need of preservation as well as those that have been lucky enough to benefit from preservation. In order to understand the benefits and importance of preservation of the country’s structures, you need know what preservation is and how it differs from restoration and conservation. Historic preservation helps us to understand and appreciate our heritage, connect with the past, and lean from our history. This blog discusses the benefits and importance of preservation as it relates to communities, cultures, and our collective history.
|
|
|
| How to Safely Clean Historic Stone |
Historic stone is a valuable part of our cultural heritage, and it is essential to preserve it for future generations. Cleaning historic stone requires care and attention to avoid damaging the stone's historic integrity. In order to safely clean historic stone without harming its unique qualities, there are several steps that must be taken. This blog discusses these key steps and delves into the intricacies of historic stone and its upkeep, highlighting common types, conditions, methods, and points to consider when cleaning and restoring historic stone.
|
|
|
|
With this month’s focus on preservation, our current company spotlight highlights a master in the preservation field, Renato Tavecchio. Renato is a master craftsman from Italy with over 30 years of experience in the conservation and restoration of architectural woodwork and furniture. His knowledge spans multiple historic architectural eras, including Renaissance, Baroque, Neoclassical, and Empire styles. Renato’s work has been an essential part of a number of Canning’s significant projects, including our restoration of the Lockwood Matthews Mansion, Boston Public Library, and the Cosmos Club in Washington D.C. To read more about Renato’s start in the woodworking world, including his beginnings in his father’s cabinet and furniture workshop, check out his spotlight on our website, linked here.
|
|
|
|
As discussed above, May is Preservation Month, a time dedicated to recognizing the people who have devoted their time, energy, and resources to preserving and protecting the places they care about. Preservation Month was first celebrated as National Preservation Week in 1973. In 2005, it was extended to a month-long celebration to provide more time to honor the heritage of our country’s cities and states. This year, the National Trust for Historic Preservation is showcasing projects and people across the country that are working to protect threatened places and support communities both big and small. The National Trust has published a list of America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places of 2023, which spotlights these places, the projects in place to preserve them, and what you can do to help. We are proud members and supporters of the National Trust for Historic Preservation and continue to celebrate alongside our fellow preservationists this month as we work on our own restoration, conservation, and preservation projects.
|
|
|
|
We are honored to have received an Award of Merit from Preservation Connecticut for our restoration project at New London City Hall. The Connecticut Preservation Awards are given annually to architectural firms, preservation project teams, property owners, local governments, or individuals for their efforts that have protected and preserved the archaeological and architectural heritage of Connecticut. We had a wonderful time celebrating with everyone at the award ceremony on May 4th. It was a great way to kick off Preservation Month, and we would like to thank the team at Preservation Connecticut for making it possible, and J. Fiereck Photography for the beautiful photos. To read more about our project at New London City Hall, head over to our website.
|
|
|
|
This month we are celebrating architect Edward Townsend Mix’s birthday. Edward Townsend Mix was born on May 13th in New Haven, Connecticut. His career as an architect was centered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with notable projects in the midewestern states such as the Kansas State Capitol in Topeka, Kansas. As part of an extensive renovation and restoration project, our team conducted a plaster conditions survey of the existing plaster finishes throughout the south wing of the building. We then repaired and restored the ornamental and flat plaster using mold fabrication, plaster casting, and other plaster repair techniques. Finally, we fabricated and installed beams and capitals to match the existing ones in the rotunda. Check out our website to read more about our plaster restoration project at the Kansas State Capitol.
|
|
|
|
The League of Historic American Theatres (LHAT) is hosting their 47th National Conference this year on July 16th-19th in Kansas City, Missouri. LHAT’s annual conference is the largest gathering of historic theatre professionals across the U.S. and Canada, and is an excellent opportunity for networking with other professionals in the field. Aside from networking, there will be tools & techniques sessions that cover best practices for historic theatre programming, marketing, operations, fundraising, and more. We are a continued supporter of LHAT and are proud to once again be a sponsor of this conference, and will be attending and taking part in the annual expo. We look forward to seeing everyone this summer and meeting professionals who share a passion for historic theatre restoration. To learn more about the conference, including how to register, head to the conference website linked here.
|
|
|
|
The American Institute of Architects (AIA) is hosting their 2023 Conference on Architecture on June 7th-10th in San Francisco, California. The conference will cover a wide variety of topics related to architecture, including climate action, equity, diversity, and inclusion, firm prosperity and profitability, innovation, global and local perspectives on architecture, and career enhancement for future leaders. Opportunities for learning will be available through seminars, keynotes, and practicums. There will also be chances to get to know your fellow members through events, parties, and the architecture expo, which will run from the 8th-9th. As a sponsor of the AIA Historic Resources Committee, we highly recommend attending AIA events to learn and connect with other preservation professionals. To learn more about this conference, including how to register, visit the website liked here.
|
|
|
|
Connecticut Landmarks is hosting a historic walking tour through Hartford as part of the Connecticut Forest & Park Association’s CT Trails Day. The tour will begin at the Butler-McCook House & Garden and end at the G. Fox building, discussing the ways the city has evolved through its significant structures. These structures include the Wadsworth Atheneum and the Old State House, both of which our team has worked at. At the Wadsworth, we performed plaster restoration, stabilization, repair, reattachment, and ornamental plaster casting in the Grand Hall Gallery. At the Old State House, our team applied traditional gold leaf to the exterior dome and Lady Justice statue atop the building, as well as paint analysis & replication, wood conservation & cleaning, and plaster repair inside of the House Chamber, Senate Chamber, and the Supreme Court rooms. This tour is an excellent opportunity to learn more about our capitol city and the buildings that define its history. To learn more about the tour, including how to register, check out the Connecticut Landmarks website.
|
|
|
Interested in seeing more of our work? Follow us on TikTok! |
Have you followed our TikTok yet? Come see our work in motion on our TikTok account. We post new videos every week and feature several of our different trades in action. Follow along at the link below. |
|
|
We understand the importance in sharing our expertise and knowledge in our field. Besides the monthly newsletter and blogs we post, we also develop and share downloadable resources to help guide you in your conservation, preservation and restoration projects. Check out the Resources page and see if any of the resources can help answer some of your questions and provide a better understanding of some of the intricacies in the preservation field.
Check out our Featured Downloadable Resource below.
|
|
|
When it comes to people saving places, it is essential to ensure that the people saving the places are qualified and experienced preservation professionals. Part of this process includes making sure your restoration contractor not only has the skills and reputation for innovation in solving difficult design & restoration problems but they also have a commitment that will ensure the success for your projects. With our Contractor Checklist you will be able to evaluate and compare qualifications and certifications, understand key areas to consider when selecting a contractor, and obtain a clear understanding of the experience and skill that each contractor holds.
|
|
|
If you think others would be interested in our content, please forward!
SUBSCRIBE |
|
|
APT 2023 Annual Conference October 9-14th Seattle, WA |
|
As a national nonprofit preservation organization, the National Trust for Historic Preservation works to save America's historic places and is a great resource for anyone looking to learn more or get involved. |
| LHAT National Conference July, 16-19th Kansas City, MO |
|
The American Institute for Conservation and the Foundation for Advancement in Conservation work together to promote the preservation and protection of cultural heritage. Partner with us to further that mission. |
|
|
JOIN THE CONVERSATION #PerfectingPreservation #jcanningcrew |
|
|
|