Pilgrim Lodge’s neighbor Roger Goodwin remembers when there were no fireplaces in the cabins at Pilgrim Lodge.  He tells us that they were built into the cabins in 1929.  Many a story has been told around fires in those cabins, many marshmallows toasted and many late night heart-to-heart conversations happened in the warm glow of the firelight.  Sadly, the time has come to say goodbye to the charming field stone fireplaces and chimneys.   Following last autumn’s fire, and another small fire that was thankfully caught in time, it was decided to look for alternatives to the aging stonework.  The chimneys were re-pointed several times, and the base of the fireplaces were recently reworked.  At the request of Bryan S. Breault, Director of Outdoor Ministries, the Outdoor Ministries Committee (OMC) looked into all the options for heating the cabins including, re-pointing and lining the existing fireplaces, tearing down and rebuilding them, putting woodstoves into the cabins, and installing propane heaters inside the existing fireplaces.  After much research, headed by OMC co-chair Peter Godfrey, the committee recommended installing woodstoves inside the existing fireplaces, with a lined chimney running up through the existing flues. 

Wisely, the committee recommended an engineering evaluation for each chimney before the process began.  Criterum-Mooney Engineers of Portland performed the evaluation.  It was this review that brought us the news that the chimneys were in worse condition than originally thought.  The mortar had in many places reverted to sand.  If we were to run the new woodstove chimneys through the old flues, we would be setting ourselves up for a constant and expensive maintenance problem.  In addition, there were stones in danger of falling and hurting people both inside and outside the cabins.  To quote the engineering report: “Based on our inspection we recommend demolishing the chimneys in the camper and staff cabins.  This recommendation based on their current structural condition and the amount of work necessary to refurbish them to a stable, safe operation condition”             The good news is that the two fireplaces in the lodge themselves are in reasonably good condition.  We will be putting work into repairing and maintaining them. 

            Each cabin is being fitted with a Lopi brand, Answer model woodstove.  Some have already been installed; the remainder will be installed in the fall.  Forester cabin is being fitted with a larger Endeavor model.  The lodge itself will boast two even larger Liberty models.  One has been installed in the dining room and the other inside the existing fireplace in the program room.  In the center room of the lodge will remain an open fireplace.  All woodstoves have a glass front so participants can enjoy the sight of the roaring fire.  These stoves are designed to cut down on pollution by seventy percent and will heat the cabins far more efficiently than the open fireplaces.   The “To Gather Into One” capital campaign makes this work possible.  The old chimneys have been removed from four cabins; the rest will be removed throughout the summer and fall.  The stones are being saved to face the new grill in the picnic field and for several other future projects.  If you would like a piece of PL history, we are allowing people to take a single stone for a donation, the size (of the stone and the donation) are of your choosing.