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From our "05 Winter Newsletter
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Americas First Cathedral
Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
- Restoring Benjamin Henry Latrobe's Perimeter Fence
Jack G. Waite, Principal Architect, John G. Waite Associates
No doubt this is true as both buildings had the same architect-Benjamin Henry Latrobe. Latrobe was born in Yorkshire, England in 1764. Latrobe came to America in 1796 and soon became noticed for his various projects and admired for his architectural sketches. President Jefferson asked him to serve as Surveyor of Public buildings and in that capacity he designed the south wing of the U. S. Capitol, a project that preoccupied him for the rest of his life
While working on the Capitol Latrobe volunteered his services to design the historic Baltimore Cathedral, the first major religious building to be constructed in America after the adoption of the Constitution. He had in mind a Gothic design in 1805 when he accepted the commission. He was soon persuaded however by Bishop Carroll to adopt the forward-looking neoclassical architecture of the new federal city in Washington. Its cornerstone was laid in 1806 and despite delays caused by the War of 1812, the Baltimore Cathedral was dedicated on May 31, 1821. Today it is considered one of the finest 19th century buildings in the world and Latrobe's masterpiece.
In April 1906, the 100th anniversary of the laying of the Cathedral's cornerstone was observed with a Pontifical Mass celebrated by James Cardinal Gibbons. Pope XI raised the Cathedral to the rank of a Minor Basilica in 1937; in 1972, it was also declared a National Landmark; and in 1993, the National Conference of Catholic Bishops designated the Cathedral a National Shrine.
An extraordinary piece of cast ironwork, the fence surrounding the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary is a remarkable historical structure. Standing almost six feet in height atop a granite knee wall and topped by large urn shaped finials the fence is braced at intervals by decorative scrolled brackets. The cumulative effects of the freeze/thaw cycle as well as corrosion due to salt and missing paint coatings lead to the removal of all the material and transport via Robinson trucks to our facilities in Alabama.
Working with noted historic preservation contractors Henry H. Lewis Contractors, LLC, Robinson Iron completely inventoried the site before carefully removing each tagged segment. As the material was received at our plant it was cleaned thoroughly to bare metal and coated with a zinc rich primer. Patterns had to be developed for missing or damaged ornamentation and replacement castings made. Fabrication of these pieces with the historic materials has proceeded and completed segments are being stored until finishing and installation later this year.
Photo Courtesy of Jeffery Howe, Boston College
