HI, Anne!
The Detroit Observatory here in Ann Arbor had surface-mounted wood conduit. Not to erase changes over time, we concealed new wiring as part of the restoration, but retained the wood conduit for a period look, even though it is surely from the 1890s, whereas the building was originally constructed in 1854. Rotary switches that worked were all retained as well, because they were on a ceramic base and were certainly as safe as knob-and-tube, although not grounded. The approach was a combination of preserving original and added construction, updating for safety and access and general aesthetics, and providing an interpretive experience of the historic observatory. The period of interpretation was not the date of construction, but the third "episode" which allowed the utility additions.
Check out the website!
QUINN EVANS | ARCHITECTS
Ilene R. Tyler, AIA
219 1/2 North Main Street
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48104
[log in to unmask]
v 734 663 5888
f 734 663 5044
-----Original Message-----
From: Automatic digest processor [SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Thursday, January 11, 2001 12:35 AM
To: Recipients of BULLAMANKA-PINHEADS digests
Subject: BULLAMANKA-PINHEADS Digest - 9 Jan 2001 to 10 Jan 2001 (#2001-10)
There are 14 messages totalling 399 lines in this issue.
Topics of the day:
2. Help! historic electric (7)
--------------------------------------------------
Date: Wed, 10 Jan 2001 10:17:01 EST
From: Anne Sullivan <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Help! historic electric
Help me friends,
I'm writing an Historic Structure Report, and am trying to date the various
electrification campaigns. Do you have any leads for where I can get
information about early electrical switches (i.e. dating them)? Or patent
information for light switches? I've got the knob and tube info, but can't
seem to find anything about switches. We also have surface applied wood
tracks in which the electrical wiring runs. I've never seen that before
either.
Thanks from Chicago,
Anne the Architect
------------------------------