Exterior reconstruction of the Keyser-Swain Farmhouse is officially underway!
Phase 1 is complete
Exterior reconstruction of the Keyser-Swain Farmhouse is officially underway! Preservation professionals call projects such as this a 'scene setter' since the focus is only on the outside. A. Caspersen Inc. of Cuyahoga Falls has taken on the project. The project is expected to be done in 2 Phases. Budget, material costs, weather, and other unforeseen circumstances may affect the anticipated timeline. Phase I of reconstruction has been completed as follows:Asbestos siding and aluminum siding has been removed.Deconstruction of the 1950’s additions- kitchen, garage, & breezeway on the back of the house is complete.Interior has had asbestos and mold remediation done, and has been stripped of all drywall and plaster. The original staircase, baseboards, moldings, and interior doors remain.Exterior wall studs and sill plates have been repaired or installed where necessary.Original siding on the back and sides of the farmhouse have been removed and replaced with cedar lap siding. The original 1877 siding still remains on the front of the farmhouse.The 2nd floor windows on the back of the farmhouse have been replaced. The non-original picture windows have been covered over with cedar lap siding.The original front door is being restored, and the original French doors on the front of the house will remain intact. An access door was installed on the back of the house.The bracketed cornices from the front porch have been removed and replicas are being made. Many of the originals were damaged and will be donated the Historical Society.Three trees were removed and several were trimmed in preparation for the roof replacement.
Phase II- 2023:
The roof will be replaced with a metal roof.The front facade will be restored, The first floor porch level original siding is in good overall condition, but it has not been determined if the 2nd story siding will be restored.Side porch will be reconstructed with wood, if time and budget allows, the front porch will also be reconstructed with wood.The farmhouse will be painted a shade of white.Original shutters will be repaired, painted, and hung.
2024:
Front porch reconstruction (if not completed in 2023)Landscaping and groundsInstallation of historic signageCompletion of Swain Sugar Maple Trail to include trees that were not apart of the first phase of the Trail.
FOKSF is providing the historic signage for the farmhouse!
At the Center: A History of the Keyser-Swain Farm
Author John Perkins wrote a college paper on the history of the Keyser-Swain Farm in 1992. This is the same year the Center Schoolhouse was restored on the Keyser Farm property. Mr. Perkins writes on how Northampton Township had changed from the early 1800’s to today. It emphasizes how the Keyser Farm was at the center of the changes starting in the 1820’s through the 1840’s when it was the Best Farm, all the way through the mid-20th century and shaped the land as we know it today. We encourage you to read the paper for a little more on the history of the area here.
Cuyahoga Falls Parks & Rec has asked FOKSF to spearhead the task of creating a story board sign detailing the history of the Keyser-Swain Farmhouse that will be installed outside of the farmhouse once the exterior reconstruction is complete. With the assistance of Progress of Preservation of Greater Akron acting as fiscal agent, in November 2022 FOKSF launched their historic signage fundraiser with a goal of $2,000. The goal was quickly achieved by the beginning of 2023. We are working with Bright Ideas Shops LLC of Akron on the custom design sign for the farmhouse history and we are very excited to assist with this project! It is with sincere gratitude we thank PTP, and our generous donors and supporters for helping us make this happen.
Our Mission
We are a citizen’s committee dedicated to the advocacy of the historical significance, preservation, and selective restoration of the Keyser-Swain Farmhouse. To encourage and achieve historic preservation, while promoting civic progress and partnership for community enrichment.
“Northampton Township has changed considerably since it was established in the early 1800’s and the Keyser-Swain farm has been at the center of this transformation literally and figuratively.”
— John Perkins (1992), “At the Center: The Keyser-Swain Farm”
Meet Carrie Swain and what she meant to the Northampton Township community.
Carrie moved to this area when she was very young and devoted her life to her family, farm, and community. Even though Carrie and her husband, Fred, never had children, it never stopped her from wanting to leave her legacy for the generations which were to come. This is why we call her our “SHEro”.
Picture taken circa 1935
Picture taken March 2021
Have you signed the petition?
We have over 700 signatures! Let’s take it to 1000!!!
We have an online petition to save the farmhouse from demolition and we just hit 742 signatures! The community support is gaining momentum and we want you to join our ever-growing voice to show the city and the county that it’s important to preserve our history especially during these changing times. The Keyser-Swain farmhouse represents all that was and is good about this community and that Carrie Keyser-Swain thought enough about it to leave it for the people still living now and in the future. Her intentions were to allow the community as a whole to benefit from all her land could offer. Knowing this, we feel we owe it to her memory to honor the best way we know how. Click on this link and sign the petition to strengthen our voice.