“ It was showing its 200 years of age . Now it ’ s the difference of night and day .”
Recent restoration work at the Boy Scout lodge in Oakdale should ensure that the members of Troop 248 can use it for years to come .
“ With a good solid foundation underneath , we are pretty confident it will last for a long time ,” says Tom Taylor , Scoutmaster of Troop 248 .
The lodge is a log cabin that dates back to the 1700s and was named after Killbuck , a leader of the Delaware Indians . Originally located near North Fayette , the Scouts razed and rebuilt it at the current location on Clinton Avenue in the early 1930s . However , some logs were installed incorrectly , which allowed water to seep into the joints and cause decay . The Scouts started to plan and raise money for a restoration in 2007 .
In 2015 , the project attracted the attention of the “ Barnwood Builders ” program on the DIY television network . The hosts are from West Virginia and restore historic log cabins and barns . The Scouts were very excited when the producers decided to help restore Killbuck Lodge and include the project in the show ’ s second season . “ It was pretty awesome !” Taylor exclaims . The work began in June 2015 when the experts from “ Barnwood Builders ” disassembled the cabin , reworked the logs and created new joints . Some of the logs were too damaged for reuse , so the Scouts purchased additional White Oak logs from a similar cabin built in Westmoreland County in the 1700s .
During the restoration , the show ’ s experts explained to the Scouts what they were doing and why . The film crew also taught the Scouts about the production process and explained how their equipment worked .
“ It was a great opportunity for the kids to learn and earn badges ,” Taylor notes . “ The Barnwood Builders are real craftsmen . They know what they ’ re doing .”
The Barnwood Builders did all the heavy labor , but the Scouts contributed by doing landscaping work , carrying building materials and painting the interior .
“ The boys were ‘ grunts ’ and ‘ go-fers ’ for everything else ,” Taylor says .
The restoration work also taught Taylor about his own family history . He ’ s been involved with Scouts for decades and many of his family members , including uncles ,
brothers and father-in-law , also joined the Oakdale troop . An uncle and some friends “ liberated ” a wagon wheel from his grandfather ’ s blacksmith shop . Now the wagon wheel serves as a light fixture in the lodge .
“ I don ’ t know if Grandpa knew about it until it was already up ,” Taylor jokes .
Originally measuring 18 feet by 36 feet , the cabin was reconfigured to measure 24 feet by 28 feet . Despite the changes , the cabin retained its original chimney and fireplace .
The majority of the work was completed in August 2015 and cost about $ 40,000 . The Scouts organized numerous fundraisers and collected donations to pay for the project . Supporters also donated materials and services .
Seeing the final log installed was a tremendous relief , according to Taylor : “ It was immensely gratifying to have our dreams come true .”
Since then , the Scouts have been putting the finishing touches on the cabin in an effort to make it more modern and accessible .
“ Before , it was pretty rough ,” Taylor
explains . “ It was showing its 200 years of age . Now it ’ s the difference of night and day .” The Scouts held meetings at the old Boys Industrial Home while the work was underway . They held their first meeting at the renovated lodge earlier this year . “ It ’ s good to be back home ,” Taylor says . The Scouts held a rededication ceremony in June that included a number of events , including Dutch oven cooking demonstrations , games , speeches by local officials and displays of Scouting artifacts . They also created a time capsule that includes the current Scouting handbook and special patches made for the rededication ceremony .
Numerous community groups have held meetings at Killbuck Lodge over the decades , including the local garden club . The lodge has also hosted boxing lessons and ballroom dancing classes . Taylor hopes other groups will continue to use it in the future .
“ It ’ s not just for the Scouts ; it ’ s for the entire community ,” he says . “ We look forward to other people in the community using it again .” n
West Allegheny | Fall 2017 | icmags . com 13