Blockhouse finds home in nature reserve

If you follow the old path of Forbes Road through Latrobe as it runs past St. Vincent College, you can just barely make out the outline of an old log house hiding near the creek in the valley.

For decades, no one gave the abandoned building any thought at all until Floyd "Hode" Eiseman, a member of the Latrobe Area Historical Society and a resident of Latrobe, was doing some research on the original Forbes Road and ran across a friend at St. Vincent College whose relatives were the last owners. His friend pointed out the location of the log house.

Though covered in clapboard on the outside and remade on the inside to serve as a dwelling, Eiseman discovered through a title search that the structure originally served as the Lochry Blockhouse. Eiseman said Karen Kirkpatrick, of the Westmoreland Historical Society, was instrumental in the title search.

"No one knew the history of the building; it was just an old log cabin, and now, how wonderful that we have another little piece of history to show what it was like then," Eiseman said.

The large fireplace in what was the dining room had been removed, the roof of the original 1.5-story building that allowed for a loft had been raised to permit a second floor, and blocks and bricks were added to the top layer of logs to enable the roof raising. New floors, plumbing, wallboard and a cellar with a coal-fired furnace also were added, Eiseman said.

Built in 1780, the Lochry Blockhouse originally was owned by Archibald Lochry, serving as a safe haven from Indians and to provide an armory for powder, shot and firearms for use by the inhabitants in the years following the American Revolution.

"Archibald Lochry, a Revolutionary War veteran and frontier Indian fighter, was killed in 1781 by a band of Indians led by Mohawk Chief Joseph Brant while campaigning on the Ohio River with George Rogers Clark," Eiseman said. "While nothing more is known about Lochry, the land was sold and the blockhouse traded hands, eventually serving as a home until the early 1950s."

An accounting of the Lochry expedition and background on the Lochry Blockhouse is recounted in Chris McHenry's "The Best Men of Westmoreland."

The Latrobe Area Historical Society originally planned to tear down the blockhouse and reconstruct it on Greater Latrobe School District property. However, the Winnie Palmer Nature Reserve was organized and the Palmer Group directors expressed an interest in restoring the blockhouse as part of the nature reserve at the original site. The nonprofit organization since has assumed the financial responsibility for the restoration of the blockhouse.

When the building was taken over as a dwelling, the owners cut out sections of the logs where the musket notches had been to create windows, something that Eiseman thought takes a bit away from the original structure. However, windows with shutters were installed in keeping with the Revolutionary-era style.

Bob Reintgen, a social studies teacher at Derry Area High School and coordinator of the school's community service program, led the effort to restore the blockhouse as closely as possible to its original condition. Because the blockhouse will serve as a living history lesson, Reintgen, of Latrobe, spearheaded an effort to enlist high school student volunteers from Derry Area and Greater Latrobe school districts to provide some of the manpower for the construction.

"I wanted to get students involved in historical rehab projects in the area, and this was the perfect project," Reintgen said, noting that one of his many hobbies is restoring historical buildings using period carpentry techniques. "I've rehabbed 16 buildings in Westmoreland County, including a 1909 schoolhouse that was reconstructed on Derry's school grounds and still serves as a classroom today."

Reintgen also rehabbed the Fulton House (circa 1817) in New Derry. In addition, his horse breeding farm, Stonehaus Farm in Latrobe, includes several reconstructed historical log buildings. His home is the 1803 farmhouse of John Michael Schall, the son of a German immigrant who used the land for diversified farming with vineyards, an ice pond, vegetables and livestock.

Today, the Stonehaus Farm is an organic farm for growing vegetables and flowers. However, the raising of Percheron-Thorobred American Warmblood Performance horses (dressage, hunting-jumping, eventing) is the farm's main focus.

Reintgen also has begun a new project: making dining tables ranging from 8 to 14 feet long using historical wood planks. They are available for sale by contacting Reintgen at 724-537-9488.

The restoration of the Lochry Blockhouse included painstakingly indexing each log as the structure was disassembled so that it could be rebuilt as closely as possible to the original. Updates inside included the installation of electricity and a security system. The original fireplace also was rebuilt.

"The whole building was a disaster when we first looked at it," Reintgen said. "However, we only had to replace five logs, which is pretty amazing considering the age of the building. I mean, we're talking about a historical building that was built a year before the Revolutionary War was over. This is the oldest building I've worked on to date. This project was an attempt to save and bring to grandeur a beautiful piece of history. Now, the interior is breathtaking. The blockhouse will serve as the hub of the walking tour of the Winnie Palmer Nature Reserve once the reserve is open to the public."

The Lochry Blockhouse project began about three years ago. With Reintgen serving as project coordinator, teachers and students from Greater Latrobe, Derry Area and Eastern Westmoreland Career and Technological schools joined together to serve as work crews. The project also was tied into eighth- through 10th-grade American history lessons in both school districts by highlighting the importance of the Lochry Blockhouse in early American history and using it as a hands-on tool for students to better understand and connect with their classroom studies.

Latrobe attorney Richmond Ferguson, who sits on the board of trustees for the nature reserve, said that he hired Reintgen to complete the restoration because of his reputation as a historical rehabilitator. He added that the entire nature reserve project stemmed from the passions of Winnie Palmer, the late wife of Arnold Palmer.

Winnie loved the property the nature reserve stands on and was loath to see it fall to developers. After her death in 1999, when the property went up for sale, it was offered to Arnold Palmer, who chose to create the nature reserve to honor her memory. The nature reserve serves as an educational area to increase awareness and understanding of ecological concerns and challenges facing the natural environment, including conservation and environmental educational activities organized through adjacent St. Vincent College.

Donald Griffin, of the Palmer Group and the nature reserve, said Arnold Palmer and friends of the family thought the best way to honor Winnie Palmer was to create a park of sorts and that having the blockhouse stand on those grounds would further the educational opportunities there. In all, the reserve will include 50 acres of land for public use.

Restoration is complete on the blockhouse, but it will not be available to the public until the roads and other construction are completed for the nature reserve.

PennDOT's plans to relocate Old Frazier Road, now referred to as St. Vincent Road, have been delayed by ecological and logistical concerns. Original plans included an entry into the nature reserve from that new road.

Meanwhile, the Palmer Group has determined it will build its own road coming from the opposite side of the reserve to expedite the opening of the facility.

In addition to the blockhouse, Griffin noted, a large old barn is being reassembled to serve as the main building for the nature reserve, housing educational facilities, restrooms and administrative offices.

"We hope that before winter the barn can be completed or at least certainly under way," he said. "Construction is already under way for a private road off Route 981 into the facility that will include a large parking lot for school buses so that educational field trips can be accommodated from area schools."

There are no concrete dates set for a grand opening, but an announcement is expected next spring or early summer.