Clay Cleanup and Local Masonry Relics

In this post from November, we showed an arboretum eyesore. Recent service-work on a water leak resulted in major dirtwork. The excavator destroyed the topsoil, tore roots, and covered a gravel path. With work on the underlying infrastructure *possibly* completed, we can start restoring the landscape. The photos below show the clean-up operation in progress.

This photo is from our November 12th blog post. We see the aftermath of the service work. Large mounds of muddy clay were left on the surface of the ground after a large root ball was extracted from a clogged drain. It was a substantial water leak so the soil was saturated.

As the soil slowly dried, clods of clay were broken up and distributed. In this photo, we see that the ground is still an uneven, rough mess with tripping hazards.

Thankfully most of the clay clods have dried and can be picked up and moved. This was impossible a week ago.

The excavator timbers used to create a terrace and protect our path were run over and their structural rebar supports were bent out of shape. This whole area had to be dug up and rebuilt by hand.

After reshaping the path, the landscape looks much more inviting.

After several hours of work, the path is more-or-less clear and somewhat level.

 

Restructuring the path brought our attention to a collection of vintage bricks used to line the lower portion of the path. J. E. Whiteselle opened a construction business in 1875. This was carried on until its eventual closure some time in the 1980s. During the course of its existence, tens of millions of bricks like the one below were produced in Corsicana, Texas. Today many of them rest beneath the asphalt of small Texas towns' streets, in fields, in old homes, and yes, even in the Centenary College arboretum. This is made of a red clay mined in Corsicana, and many people find this brick evocative and attractive.

This photo was taken before the major clean-up operation. We see that bricks line the lower portion of the path.

Upon closer examination, we see an example of the Corsicana 'cherry red', a piece of east Texas history.

There are a few online sources regarding the Whiteselle 'cherry red':

https://txnavarr.genealogyvillage.com/transportation/saving_transportation_history.htm

https://www.facebook.com/corsicanapreservationfoundation/posts/pfbid02XkS6NhywUDWuDBFCXSovtR12rG1WZUuoFFUAZSVdQTPtgBvsRtGJpULBERPqY2dzl

https://www.newspapers.com/article/corsicana-daily-sun-whiteselle-brick-l/34251027/?locale=en-US

Cleaning the Arboretum Shed

Sometimes we take indispensable things for granted. So it is with the Arboretum shed: used every day and rarely acknowledged. The shed sits on the top of a hill in a nook formed by the tall brick retaining wall as it juts out from the western wall of Mickle Hall. Anyone who has worked in the arboretum has felt the burden of this hilltop location.

Daily use results in wear and tear and an accumulation of dirt, dust, debris, leaf mulch, grass clippings, mold, spiderwebs, wasp nests, and oil leakages. This substance on the ceiling appears to be black mold. It covers all the inside surfaces of the shed to a greater or lesser degree. In addition to be being ugly, it may be unhealthy.

Everything must be moved out in order to clean the shed.

Wow! Look at all that stuff.

A very modest pressure-washer, electricity, and water are all that is necessary

A final view of the emptied-out shed before beginning the cleaning work.

One pass with the pressure-washing wand strips away the largest portion of grime.

As the strip on the bottom of the wall shows, a second pass is necessary after the dirt has absorbed water. The entire shed had to be cleaned with three passes. No soap or chemicals were used in this operation, simply water.

After several hours, the shed is significantly less grimey. It will also be a healthier environment to store tools and other necessary items for arboretum maintenance.