Progress
Phase I: Purchase of the House.
Preservation Longview purchased the home on February 28, 2008.
The Rucker-Campbell house had been through many remodels when purchased by Preservation Longview. A very interesting observation was that the original 1872 house had survived the elements better than additions during the housing shortage of the early 1940s. These rooms that had been added, in order to create multi-family housing, had to be removed.
Phase II: Foundation repair and stregthening, structural stabilization and restoration of the chimneys.
A 1950's dirt-filled porch had deteriorated and cracked due to decades of extreme Texas weather. This crack funneled water under the front of the house which severely damaged the original foundation. The original sill plate had completely rotted requiring the foundation to be rebuilt from the ground up. Brick and concrete piers were rebuilt and new ones added to prepare the house for its new life. Rotten floor joists and support beans were replaced.
The house has three chimneys; one in the front parlor, a dual chimney in the gentleman's parlor and dining room, and the kitchen chimney. All three chimneys were repointed, repaired, painted and period appropriate chimney caps added.
Phase III: Restoration of the roof.
The original roof was a green shake roof. New roofing materials had been put on top of this original roof and over time, everything had deteriorated. All of the roofing materials have been removed and replaced with a completely new roof of approved shingles for historically recognized homes.
