Rebuilt Temple Foundation

The Sharon Temple

The Sharon Temple, built by Ebenezer Doan and the Children of Peace, was completed in 1832. Over the years, time has resulted in the need for reconstruction. Working for Historic Restorations Inc. I have been responsible for the dismantling, rebuilding, and pointing of the original stone foundation.

The Sharon temple is 60 feet square. The original foundation was built by digging a three foot deep by two feet wide trench. Then filling the first course with large field stones comprising predominantly of precambrian stones brought down by the glaciers. The second and third courses were made up of random field spar, also precambrian, with about 5 percent made up of fossil hill formation chert/limestone indigenous to the area. The stones were back filled and bedded with earth, there were limited mortar remnants.

The final top two courses were laid in a Coursed Ashlar design. This provided a level horizontal finish upon which the temple rests.

Although the foundation was above the frost line, the design allows the bottom three courses to move with the heaving and settling of the seasons, while maintaining a level but dynamic platform for the temples hand hewn timbers.

There were numerous signs of former repairs utilizing different mortar mixtures. Particularly noticeable was the repairs done in the early 1970's. The mortar for these repairs was used in excess, filling voids in place of former stones.

Once the foundation was excavated the former earthen lateral support was gone, and gravity took affect on the round field stones with several sliding out of there former resting place. This lack of earthen support made restoration of the first three courses difficult, as most had a front facing slope greater then 45 degrees. Utilizing a river stone style combined with a dry stack wall structure we were able to restore the original design incorporating a tie-in stone every two feet.