The Gatekeeper’s House, Photography & Videography by AM Creative
A Historic Community Restoration
BLB Design / Build is proud to have recently restored the exterior of Theater in the Open’s historic home, the Gatekeeper’s House at Maudslay State Park. Built in 1903 as part of the Moseley family estate, this house was not designed for its owners to live in, but rather for their employees. It stayed in the Moseley family for years, housing various staff, until it was eventually sold to the state for all to enjoy, and Theater in the Open moved in as part of the Arts in the Park initiative.
Because the people living here never owned it, the house was not properly cared for, and after over 100 years of significant wear and tear, it needed some extra help to get back to its original glory.
One of the standout features of the Gatekeeper’s House is its stucco siding. Stucco, however, is not meant for New England, and when initially installed back in the early 1900s, there was no water screen. This meant water could get in but not out, causing damage to the framing. In fact, when we began the exterior restoration, we discovered that some framing had been compromised, leaving the house unsupported. After fixing this, we installed insulation (a first for this building!) and the new stucco, matching it to the old as best as possible. To meet modern building standards, a new rain screen was installed.
The north side of the house was in particularly rough shape. We had to rebuild one of the windows entirely, replicating and rebuilding the trim, molding, and sill. We also installed a new roof with proper flashing to help prevent future water damage, and all new, natural red cedar siding to match the original design.
Another issue was that the home’s original gutters were all wooden, which, as you can imagine, did not hold up well after 100 years of New England weather. To replace these, we used the historical profile of the wood gutters and created new ones from fiberglass. Similarly, the crown molding around the fascia was also rotted. Again, we used the original’s historic profile and had our millworker carve a replica in mahogany. We then integrated the downspout of the new gutters into the molding, an original detail that we replicated.
We’re honored to have been part of this historic restoration and have the chance to give back to our community. Preserving local history and giving our children a safe place to express themselves for years to come is truly something we love doing. Thank you to everyone who made this restoration possible, including the Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC), the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), MassDevelopment, and the H. Patterson Hale Jr. Foundation. If you’d like more information about Theater in the Open or would like to make a donation, please visit their website.
