Crystal Montgomery unveils NASA
Glenn’s Ohio Historical Marker in 2016.
Photo: Ohio Historic Preservation Office
54 SPRING 2021 | WWW.SHAKER.LIFE
Do’s and Don’ts
of Repairing Your Older Home
Here are Crystal Montgomery’s top tips for keeping your
Shaker home in good condition for years to come:
n Maintenance is the key to longevity in any home. Hire a
contractor who understands old homes. They will be more
sensitive to protecting the charm of the house and will make
better suggestions when it comes to conservation issues.
n Be careful not to over-insulate your old home. Making
an old house air tight is not good. Our brick homes were
designed the way they are to dry out once building materials
get wet. If you over-insulate, it can prevent necessary air
circulation. Water is the enemy of old homes; air is the savior.
n If you have wood clapboard, try to keep it, rather than
replacing with vinyl. Paint has improved over the years.
n Don’t paint the natural woodwork in the house – once
you do it, you’ll always have to keep painting it. It’s better to
keep the original character of the house.
n Knowing the history of your house is beneficial to
make informed decisions that fit the era of construction of
your house. Meghan Hays, the Local History Librarian at the
Shaker Heights Public Library, is a great resource for this.
n If additional space is needed, construct an addition to
the rear of the house to preserve the original view of the
front façade.
n There’s a whole world out there of businesses that
specialize in historic preservation. Salvage places can be a
saving grace for locating replacement parts. Try Habitat for
Humanity, and check online.
n YouTube is a treasure trove of “how to” videos, as well
as magazines such as This Old House, Period Homes and
Traditional Building.
More Resources…
n Sustainability Resources:
shakeronline.com/635/resources-for-residents
n Contractors List:
shakeronline.com/565/resources
n Ohio Historic Preservation Office offers a list of historic
architectural and archaeology consultants:
ohiohistory.org/preserve/state-historic-preservation-office/
hpforms/consultants
n Architectural Salvage:
preservationdirectory.com
Shaker is nationally known for the charm
of its housing stock and curb appeal. As a
historic preservationist, what do you appreciate
most about our homes? Do you have a favorite
architectural style?
I am amazed at how stylish Shaker houses are, the
unique and spacious floor plans and elevations, how
well kept they are, and how they retain all these
characteristic features and still look beautiful through
time. The care and craftsmanship that was taken to
design and construct these houses are unmatched.
My personal favorite is the English Tudor style.
There’s one on Aldersyde Road that I used to walk
by all the time when I was in high school. I loved it
then, and I love it now. The difference is that now
I know why I love it — it’s a great mix of materials,
the slate roof, half-timber, brick, and stone.
What are your other interests
or pastimes?
I like to play tennis at the Shaker Heights High
School courts where I learned to play in junior high.
I also enjoy attending house tours and art festivals,
as well as being creative at the sewing machine.
During the pandemic, I made masks for Cleveland
Clinic, University Hospitals, and the City of Shaker
Heights to give to people who did not have masks.
Of course, my favorite pastime is taking a walk
within the community to look at the beautiful
architecture. SL
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