The County Fair is approaching its 100 birthday, and at the core is the Pioneer Building, built in October 1924. To build it, island families came together to donate logs.

“Ninety-four people responded to the request, and 59 logs were donated,” said Kevin Loftus, Executive Director of the San Juan Historical Society and Museum. Old island family names connected to the logs include the Guards, Roslers, Kings, and others, whose members are still in the community.

Uses of the cabin over the years have been as a rest station for women and children during the fair, a caretakers living quarters, exhibits during the fair and numerous youth programs.

After a century of use, the building is in dire need of some tender loving care. Last summer the museum took part in the San Juan Island Community Foundation’s Fair Giving Campaign and received a grant, which went towards restoration of the roof.

A San Juan County Lodging Tax Grant and additional private donations, a number from descendants of the original log donors, will go towards improved drainage, and replacement of assorted logs that were rotting out. Loftus and HistoriCorps worked to find logs from the island to replace the rotten ones, meaning that they will retain that authenticity.

HistoriCorps is a nonprofit organization that not only works to restore special places across the country but in doing so, teaches the skill sets necessary to do so authentically.

“The organization started in 2009 in Colorado after seeing some [historic buildings] falling into disrepair,” Juliana Glassco, HistoriCorps Director of Development, explained, adding the non-profit saw the need to step in knowing the buildings would likely fall in if they did not.

The organization jumped at the opportunity to assist with restoring the Pioneer Building.

“The story of the cabin is inspiring,” Glassco said. “A community coming together to honor their own story, and the community coming tougher again to restore it.

The volunteers come from all over, although for this project, mostly from Washington State. The first group of volunteers arrived on the third of July, just in time for the holiday celebrations.

“We saw the parade, pig war picnic and walked through the museum, made homemade ice cream and saw the fireworks,” volunteer Kris Redmond said. She and her husband have been regular volunteers of HistoriCorp. “We love the community, they have been very nice.”

Volunteering for HistoriCorps has become an annual event for the Redmond couple. “It has been six years now, we meet new people and have become close friends. It’s about the connection with dear people who care about some of the same things,” Redmond said.

Barrett Kennedy moved to the island in 2017 and has volunteered several times for HistoriCorps. He was thrilled to discover they had a project in his neighborhood.

“I have a background in historic preservation. I grew up in New Orleans, and it’s something you are immersed in there,” Kennedy said. “In New Orleans, you take it for granted. It’s all around you. When you travel around you realize how tenuous and important that history is.”

Restoring historical buildings not only teaches history, he explained, but it brings history alive. “I appreciate buildings more as living functional structures rather than in museums. These structures show what people did that contribute to where we are today,” Kennedy said.

The Pioneer Building, for example, and the idea of families coming together to donate a log is a testament to what they viewed as important. “For us to have an opportunity to work in it and maintain that thread of continuity is an honor,” explained Kennedy.

“It’s important to be here with volunteers in the next generation so they know how to take care of it. So not only are we restoring the building but teaching the skills to maintain it” Glassco said. “Most people don’t know what is involved in restoration. One of the reasons I feel passion for HistoiCoprs’ work is that they teach the skills. We [as a society] have not done a great job at teaching and elevating trades.”

The Pioneer Building volunteers, for example, will walk away knowing how to shingle, replace windows and cut logs in a similar way as the original pioneers.

Not only does teaching volunteers the skill set help with maintaining the building, but also assures quality restoration work that keeps the structures authentic.

“One of the ten commandments of restoration is the authenticity of material,” Jim Redmond, Kris Redmond’s husband, said. “We have scrapped up rocks from streams to make cement in order to keep projects authentic.”

This concept was why it was so important that the logs used for replacement be island cedars.

Speaking of trees, according to Glassco, one challenge has been the large firs beside the building. In 1924 they were saplings. A century later, the trees are mature and their roots have grown close to the foundation. The volunteers are working around that situation, however, and come fair time the building will have a new roof, an improved drainage area, rotten logs will have been replaced, windows restored to original condition, and the stone chimney will be restored.

“There is still a lot of work to do, but it will have renewed life. People will be able to access the building safely.” Glassco said.

For those interested in being part of the restoration of the Pioneer Cabin, HistoriCorps has a few spaces available for the two-week-long sessions remaining in July. There are also opportunities to volunteer on projects in stunning, historic locations across the country every spring through fall. To learn more and sign up, visit http://www.historicorps.org or email info@historicorps.org.