Background: The Lawson Legacy buildings are structures including the Greenhouse, Boathouse, Tea House, towers, barns, walls and bridges constructed by Jessie and Victor Lawson, and mostly designed by architect William Merigold, between 1903 and 1916. They are of great architectural value and are central to what makes these grounds so special. In the Midwestern portion of the United States there is nothing else like it. The Lawson structures are owned by either Green Lake Conference Center (501c.3) or Lawsonia Inc. and Ben Mott is the President of both companies.
The structures are under threat because:
They are all over 100 years old.
They almost all do not produce revenue for the non-profit Christian conference center or Lawsonia Inc.
The Lawson Legacy initiative was sparked by the publication of the history book, “Just do it Jessie’s Way” by Kathleen Kleinpaste in 2003, detailing the vision, stories and dates behind the creation of the Lawson Estate. Momentum was also created by the restoration of the Lawson Greenhouse in 1999. The Lawson Legacy building stewardship program has taken off since 2016 with the renovation of the four barns by the front gates, the restoration of the metal gates themselves, the saving of the “Spanish Steps” above the Grape Arbor pergola, and new roofs on the Tea House, Spurgeon Chapel, the Idris Jones Building and the World Mission building of Lawson vintage.
The Vision: To be great stewards of these buildings so that they can be preserved and enjoyed for generations to come.
Stewardship Premises and Values:
We seek humble people looking to advance this mission in the area they are called and gifted. These areas can include volunteer labor, construction research and management, financial gifts, social events, communications, administration and more. It is amazing what can get done when no one has to take all of the credit. Jessie Lawson is the graceful model for letting quality work tell the story while not drawing attention to herself (as an English lady would do).
Excellence in classical architecture and craftsmanship is what Jessie Lawson demanded.
Final say in all projects goes to the owner management team of Ben Mott, President of GLCC and Lawsonia Inc., and Robert Staricka, Architect for GLCC.
Where might we go next?
Restoring the 1910 Boat House roof. This is the largest and most high impact of the top priority projects. This involves having Robert Staricka, architect, and a construction team, design a methodology in which the original tiles are all removed and mesh reinforced on the back side. All compromised decking and beams are repaired or replaced. A new underlay waterproof roofing system is installed and then the original tiles are put back. This creates a long-term solution so that the structure is protected even when tiles are damaged in the future. Cost estimate yet to be secured.
Restoring the roof on Judson Tower with carpentry repairs and new Ludowici tile (the same manufacturer and tile used on the original roof).
Restoring the Grape Arbor pergola steps and stone walkway.
Stone wall repairs all around the grounds. GLCC has already invested over $75,000 in restoring stone walls. Cost range varies from $1,000-$100,000 depending on how much work is being done and with many miles of 100+ year old stone walls, there are plenty of sections to address.
Renovating the stairs from the conference center up to the base of Judson Tower.
