In the summer of 2018, the Moon Randolph Homestead hosted it's first historic preservation intern. Tina McCarthy joined us for five weeks from Western Massachusetts. She braved the wilds of this Missoula summer through hail, downpours and heat, all while living in a wall tent on site. Tina conducted measured drawings of the homestead's iconic (and very detailed) barn.
About Tina:
I began studying the intersection of heritage and sustainability as an undergraduate at Hampshire College. My undergraduate thesis examined the contemporary housing crisis on Native American reservations, focusing on solutions that promoted heritage and self-determination, through traditional sustainable building techniques.
Inspired by the strength of these connections, I entered the MDS Historic Preservation program at Boston Architectural College, graduating in May of 2018. My Master's thesis explores building deconstruction as a preservation technique, pushing the boundaries of heritage practice and challenging sustainability to account for heritage values.
I hope to continue the interdisciplinary nature of my work through my business, Hilltown Homestead Services. Founded in 2017, our general contracting firm supports the cultural and environmental landscape of rural western Massachusetts, offering construction and restoration services for both residential and agricultural buildings, as well as organic land management consulting. In the future, we hope to add deconstruction to our building preservation services, providing full life-cycle support for the built environment that respects cultural and ecological values while promoting continued agricultural land use.
