Explore the unique “post-in-sill” construction of the Fort’s 1850 Granary, one of the few surviving American examples of this style. With just a handful of tools, the laborers of Fort Nisqually constructed substantial buildings in the wilderness, without the benefit of sawn boards. Long-time Fort Nisqually clerk Edward Huggins remarked that the result was, “a good piece of work done with the axe.”
Fascinating examples of 19th century woodworking tools, such as axes, adzes, hand saws, augers, froes and mallets, are featured in the exhibit. The men of the Fort used this small assortment to shape square timbers and build the Granary.
“Post-in-Sill” was the favored construction method of the men of the Hudson’s Bay Company. The finished product was more weather-tight and finished-looking than a traditional log cabin. The exhibit illustrates how post-in-sill differed from the other construction styles of the mid-19th century.
The Fort’s Granary is one of oldest standing buildings in the Puget Sound area, and is a National Historic Landmark. The exhibit serves to kick off a restoration project of the Granary scheduled for later this year. For more on the restoration, visit www.fortnisquallyfoundation.org/capital-campaign.
Daily 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
