Logan-Whitley DAR to conduct a dendrochronology study

Published 9:40 am Thursday, October 10, 2019

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Logan-Whitley Chapter, NSDAR
Press release

DAR to conduct a dendrochronology study of the region

The Logan-Whitley Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) has received permission from Regina Williams, the landlord of the property at 125 Hustonville Road, Stanford, to include the logs from the log cabin discovered on the property in its dendrochronology study of this region.

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Dr. Darrin Rubino, a botanist and Professor of Biology at Hanover College, Indiana, and Christopher Baas, Associate Professor of Landscape Architecture at Ball State University have been selected to conduct the study. Dr. Rubino and his research partner Christopher Baas have released a book entitled “Dating Buildings and Landscapes with Tree-Ring Analysis.”

Dendrochronology is the technique of dating buildings using the science of tree rings. There has been virtually no tree rings analysis in this region. The oldest trees that can still be studied locally are found in the buildings that dot the region. These trees, which are now timbers, contain a wealth of scientific and cultural information. There is great potential for better understanding forest composition and dynamics in the region using tree-ring analysis of historically constructed buildings. Dr. Rubino and Mr. Baas are very interested in working in this region.

Dr. Rubino’s study will include studying other historic buildings in the area for a complete study of this region of Kentucky. Citizens who own old buildings (houses, cabins, barns, etc.) that date from early to the mid-nineteenth century who would like to be considered for participating in this study can contact the DAR at LoganWhitleyChapter@gmail.com. They will need your name, address, and phone number and a brief description of your historic building with the approximate year it was built, so they may contact you.

Once the study is completed the DAR will sponsor a lecture in the spring by Dr. Rubino and Christopher Baas, which will be open to the public.

“This is going to be a huge service to our community and this region of Kentucky and the chapter plans to use this community service as an entry in the Service to America project upon its completion,” said Lynda Closson of the Logan-Whitley Chapter.

The cost of the study will be $2,500. Anyone who would like to make a donation to help defray the expenses of this project can give a check to Joyce Cummins at First Southern National Bank, downtown Stanford. Make checks payable to Logan-Whitley Chapter, DAR. Donations are tax deductible. Make sure that a name and mailing address are provided in order to receive a charitable receipt from the DAR Chapter. For further information, please contact Lynda Closson at the chapter website.

Anyone interested in learning more about this service project may attend the Chapter Meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 15, at 5:30 p.m. at the Kentucky Depot Restaurant. The chapter will be presenting a program with the assistance of Dr. Rubino and Christopher Baas on Dendrochronology. The public is welcome.