Firmitas

05/06/2026

Love the hardware we find when we restore buildings!

Having restored thousands of timber structures around the country we have seen so much variation that expresses the ingenuity and craft of the 19th century. At Firmitas we take the time to save this old hardware and repurpose it into our restoration of historic barns.

04/23/2026

The purr-fect Firmitas timber framing supervisors.
These historic buildings really are the cat’s meow!

04/10/2026

Leaders in structural timber, restoration and creativity in solving complex problems.

03/16/2026

Our structural timber expert, Rick Collins, had an amazing weekend in Michigan presenting at the Michigan Barn Preservation Network Conference as the Keynote Speaker on Round and Multi-Faceted Barns in the Midwest. Thank you MBPN for inviting Firmitas to be a part of your conference!

If you were there at the conference, and got to listen in to Rick's presentation, let us know in the comments below!

03/15/2026

We had a great time at the Michigan barn preservation meeting yesterday!

If you missed the MBPN 2026 annual conference there is always next year! In the meantime, please consider joining the MBPN then you will get newsletters and email blasts to verify you of events and news regarding barns. Sign up on our website.

03/15/2026

Firmitas will be presenting again this year on barn restoration

4 days! Which workshops are you planning to attend?

As you can see from this list, we have a wide variety of subjects, from specific model workshops like the John Deere G panel to general maintenance and restoration to toys and memorabilia to basket weaving and beekeeping.

We appreciate our presenters sharing their expertise with us, and we are looking forward to learning from them!

03/11/2026

A Landmark Reborn: The Historic Manhattan Round Barn! ✨

We have been honored to contribute to the Manhattan Park District’s visionary goal to utilize and re-invent the iconic Baker-Koren Round Barn in Illinois. This isn't just any 20-sided, 100ft (30.5m) diameter historic barn– it's a landmark that will serve the community for at least another century!

A Glimpse into its Past: Built in 1898 by John C. Baker, this magnificent polygonal building is one of the largest and most unique round barns in the Midwest. Its timbers carry a piece of history themselves, having been salvaged from the 1893 Chicago World's Columbian Exposition! Originally designed with an astonishing 100ft (30.5m) span, a timber frame featuring 18"x18" beams, and well-executed mortise and tenon joinery. It also housed one of Illinois's oldest continually operable grain elevators, capable of holding 50,000 bushels. For over 160 years, it's been a distinctive part of the Manhattan community.

The Manhattan Park District acquired this treasure in 2006, dedicating themselves to its reutilization after it faced potential demolition. Members of our team have consulted with the park district in the years since to define the best strategy for this building. Our specialized expertise helped to shape the plan to increase the frame’s structural integrity, preserve its unique geometry, and ensure this grand structure stands strong for generations to come. Years of dedicated effort by so many people have led to the work completed last year!

The Manhattan Round Barn will now serve as a vibrant hub for community events, weddings, and educational programs– a keystone for the greater developing Round Barn Farm Park. It's a true beacon, linking Manhattan's past to its bright future.

03/04/2026

Engineering Meets Artistry

Wood joinery is strong, beautiful, and enduring. It's flexible from a sustainability point of view too: buildings can be taken apart, re-erected, reconfigured– all indefinitely.

Skilled timber framers use a variety of traditional, specialized joints ensuring unparalleled stability and longevity. It's fascinating and worth a deep dive.

Mortise and Tenon: A "tenon" (projection) fits perfectly into a "mortise" (hole), secured with a peg.

Dovetail: Known for exceptional resistance to being pulled apart, this wedge-shaped iconic joint is both strong and aesthetically pleasing.

Scarf Joints: Interlocking angled cuts interconnect two timbers, end-to-end, creating a longer run. We use these for repairs as well.

These sophisticated, centuries old building traditions have a place in all of our work... in new buildings on the leading edge of architectural design and those with historic significance in the communities around us.

02/25/2026

Working our way through this favorite new addition to our eclectic building library. What a book! Thank you to the author James Mitchell... and our source– Autumn at Summer Beam Books.

02/18/2026

The Pop Collins Cabin holds memories of Columbia’s earliest days. 🌲🕰️

Originally built around 1818 by Captain David Gordon, this "single pen and loft" structure is one of the oldest permanent dwellings in the region. It served as the Gordon family’s first home while they established their estate, later witnessing the complex and difficult history of those enslaved on the property—including figures like Jim Williams, who once recalled "learning to walk and talk" within these very walls.

The cabin earned its name in 1935 when Enoch Arthur “Pop” Collins, a Stephens College administrator, oversaw its first major restoration. Over the centuries, it has traveled from its original site at Stephens Lake Park to its current home at Boone Junction in Nifong Park, where it stands today as a gateway to the past.

Rick Collins' work on this landmark many years ago, was about more than just structural integrity; it was about honoring two centuries of Missouri history. By aiding in its preservation, the stories of the Gordon family, Pop Collins, and the enslaved people who lived here continue to be told.

We protect the witnesses of our history.