AUTHENTICITY
Rosendale 12M Mortar Used for Restoration of the American Museum of Natural History

Custom color-matched Rosendale 12M natural cement masonry mortar has been used for repointing of the historic south range of the American Museum of Natural History in New York. Mortar analyses of the 1892 landmark facade confirmed historic documentation of the use of natural cement in the building’s original construction. The reintroduction in 2003 of authentic Rosendale Natural Cement Products® created an opportunity to maintain this unique architectural treasure’s historic integrity.

Contractor: Nicholson & Galloway, Glen Head, NY
Architect: WJE Associates, Inc., New York, NY

Dietrich Werner
1942-2009

Dietrich Werner, Director of the Century House Historical Society of Rosendale, NY, died suddenly on Tuesday, December 15, 2009.

A noted historian and community activist, Dietrich made his living as a plumber and electrician for many years. In the 1970s, he worked with sculptor Hans Van de Bovenkamp, designing plumbing systems for water sculptures. From 1980-1995, he was the owner of Huguenot Plumbing & Electric of Rosendale, after which he retired to devote himself full-time to the preservation of the Snyder Estate and development of The Century House Historical Society.

He became the heart and soul of the Society, devoting himself tirelessly to preserving and promoting the history of Rosendale and its contributions to the building of the nation, and guiding groups around the estate. No visitors to the property, from school groups to industrial archeologists could forget his enthusiasm or depth of knowledge about history. Dietrich shared his unique knowledge of the cement industry in the Rosendale region in a series of publications, including articles in Natural News (the CHHS quarterly publication), and in the Journal of ASTM International.

Dietrich played an invaluable role in the reintroduction of Rosendale natural cement in 2004, providing a wealth of knowledge and historical resources. Pictured here, in 2004, he is proudly holding a Rosendale cement rock from the first load to be mined in over 30 years.

A CELEBRATION of Dietrich's life, attended by hundreds, was held on Saturday afternoon, January 23, 2010, at the Rosendale Community Center. Donations may be sent to The Century House Historical Society, The Snyder Estate, PO Box 150, Rosendale, NY 12472-0150.

ASTM Issues Revised Standard C10

ASTM C10, Standard Specification for Natural Cement,  reinstated in 2006, and updated and republished in 2007 has again been updated in 2009. The new C10/C10M-09 version of one of ASTM’s oldest standards was modified to include parallel metric standards for performance requirements. The standard is available online at www.astm.org.

The standard connects contemporary natural cement to its historic roots. Conservators, engineers and architects specifying “natural cement meeting the requirements of ASTM C10”, can be assured they will get the authentic, traditional material used in thousands of 19th Century buildings and structures, and that it will meet the same structural performance requirements it was designed to meet over a century ago

ASTM STP 1494 - Natural Cement

A valuable book is available from ASTM. Entitled “STP 1494 Natural Cement”, the book incorporates new and historical materials, including:

• 10 original papers presented at the First and Second American Natural Cement Conferences
• Copies of the reinstated 2006 ASTM C10 Standard Specification for Natural Cement and the original 1904 cement standard
• Reprinted excerpts of rare historical materials, including Young (1817) on canal construction materials, Totten (1838) on tests of lime and natural cement for use in fortifications, Vose (1857) on masonry materials for railroad construction and Cummings (1898) on buildings and structures built using natural cement.

The volume may be ordered from ASTM International online at stp1494.htm

Fort Jefferson, Dry Tortugas National Park

Photos were taken during 2004 test applications of Rosendale Natural Cement Products® at Fort Jefferson, 70 miles off Key West in the Gulf of Mexico. Rosendale natural cement was used in the original construction of the fort, over 150 years ago. In 2005, work continued under the first major restoration phase, and Phase 3 began in late 2008.

Natural cement has proven far superior to lime-based restoration products in these demanding exposures. As a result, Rosendale Natural Cement Products® ^{were also recently used at Fort Sumter, Fort Moultrie and Fort Pulaski.}

Rosendale Natural Cement Products® are the authentic materials of construction used for large masonry and early concrete structures in the 19th and early 20th Centuries. It is prized for its fast set, allowing much more rapid construction than lime putty masonry mortars. It is also recognized for its exceptional durability under severe exposures.

At Fort Jefferson, much of the 150 year-old Rosendale cement mortar remains in excellent condition, in spite of the severe ocean exposure and over 100 years of neglect. Although its circumference is a quarter mile and there is a total lack of expansion joints, the structure shows no signs of thermal expansion related cracking or stress.