Deborah

In answer to your first question, I would guess that sleeves or caissons would be your only option, but even they require means to install and drop (i.e. head room and access).  I would make a comment about your second question, however.  Most attempts that I have seen to exhibit these types of features are less than satisfactory.  One of the main culprits in covering such a feature (containing water) in a damp basement is condensation.  Unless controlled, your see-through floor will look like your windshield on a misty morning.  Good luck.

Bob Genheimer
George Rieveschl Curator of Archaeology
Cincinnati Museum Center
1301 Western Avenue
Cincinnati, Ohio 45203
513-455-7161


-----Original Message-----
From: HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of
Rotman, Deborah L.
Sent: Tuesday, December 07, 2004 9:47 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Working in the well


Dear Colleagues in Historical Archaeology ~

        I recently received the following request and am seeking advice
on how to proceed:

The house was begun 1841 and completed in 1880, expanded and rebuilt
repeatedly (1812-1898). The house is not open yet. It's in a late stage
of rehab. Beneath the floor of what will be our modern kitchen (not open
to regular visitors) is a well, about 30 feet deep, lined with
limestone. The house sits on a limestone ridge. There is mucky water
visible in the bottom. We would like to preserve this well in some
state, have a see-through floor installed above it, some kind of
lighting, and be able to show it to special guests. 

        My questions are these ~

1- Given the constraints of working inside a building, how does one
excavate such a deep feature and still meet OSHA requirements?

2- What designs are recommended for preserving it as proposed?

My sincerest thanks for your guidance!


Deborah L. Rotman, Ph.D., RPA
Assistant Professor
Department of Sociology and Anthropology
Purdue University
700 W. State Street; 316 Stone Hall
West Lafayette IN  47907-2059
Phone (765) 494-4683
Fax (765) 496-1476
 


This fall, Cincinnati Museum Center invites you to plan your day around our weather. Prepare yourself for an awesome cinematic spectacle of rumbling earthquakes, monstrous volcanoes and massive tornadoes as FORCES OF NATURE storms into the Robert D. Lindner Family OMNIMAX Theater. Then delve into the science of these and other natural disasters as Time Warner Cable presents POWERS OF NATURE, a fascinating and fun interactive exhibit that explores the meteorological and geological phenomena that have shaped our planet. For information, tickets or to become a member of Cincinnati Museum Center, call (513) 287-7000 or (800) 733-2077 or visit www.cincymuseum.org.