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wingfield Building large photo

Wingfield Building: The Wingfield Merchantile is one of the oldest buildings in Camp Verde, Arizona; built in 1871 of unstabilized adobes.

cement stucco has been covering up the adobe for atleast the last fifty years

Adobe's Enemy: Unfortunately, cement stucco has been covering up the adobe for at least the last fifty years, causing significant damage. All the stucco was removed and some walls had to be dismantled and rebuilt.

The cement stucco wicks water and "melts" the adobe resulting in significant errosion.

The cement stucco wicks water and "melts" the adobe, resulting in significant errosion.

The reminants of a previous doorway, since infilled and closed off.

Years of Altering: The remnants of a previous doorway, since infilled and closed off.

Notice the old window and door ways and the bond beam or attempt of bond beam from yesteryears. The first step will be to dig out the base and construct a new footing along side, underneath and connected to the interior concrete slab.

South Wall: Notice the old window and doorways and the bond beam (or attempt of bond beam) from yesteryear. The first step will be to dig out the base and construct a new footing along the side, underneath and to connect to the interior concrete slab.

Mike, our trusty concrete man, questions the design while Josh and Adam ponder burying him in the concrete.

Questioning Our Plan! Mike, our trusty concrete man, questions the design while Josh and Adam ponder burying him in the concrete.

The rebar proves to be a difficult procedure as it had to be connected to both sides of the wall.

All Tiled Up: The rebar proves to be a difficult procedure as it had to be connected to both sides of the wall.

The exterior concrete will be tied through the adobe wall to the interior footing for additional support.

Interior Side: The exterior concrete will be tied through the adobe wall to the interior footing for additional support.

We built the form to the half way point to allow room to pour the concrete in first. Then as we poured up the form, we built up the final planks of the form and shoveled in the concrete by hand to the form's top.

Ready For the Pour: We built the form to the halfway point in order to allow room to pour the concrete in first. Then as we poured up the form, we built up the final planks of the form and shoveled in the concrete by hand to the form's top.

The pour begins. We will pour up to the top of the form as it is now. Then Mike will pour the inside and Adam will complete the form work to allow the final pour.

You Think This Form Will Hold? The pour begins. We will pour up to the top of the form as it is now. Then Mike will pour the inside and Adam will complete the form work to allow the final pour.

With the top of the form built, rest of the concrete had to be hand filled and then tamped to insure proper fill.

Filling the Top of the Form: With the top of the form built, the rest of the concrete had to be hand filled and then tamped to insure proper fill.

The east wall of the structure had to be deconstructed and rebuilt to provide for proper structural and safety concerns. The old adobe was placed directly on the ground with no footing. Here the new footing is dug and formed out to receive concrete.

East Wall: The east wall of the structure had to be deconstructed and rebuilt to provide for proper structural and safety concerns. The old adobe was placed directly on the ground with no footing. Here the new footing is dug and formed out to receive concrete.

The concrete footing has been poured, the forms stripped and the course work is configured.

Poured and Stripped: The concrete footing has been poured, the forms stripped and the course work is configured.

Josh watches Adam dance the adobe jig as the door knock-outs are are set and plumbed.

Check Out This Jig: Josh watches Adam dance the adobe jig as the door knock-outs are set and plumbed.

Andy says "Can we "Raise the Wall" already?"

Andy says "Can we 'raise the wall' already?"

The initial base and complete exterior of the wall are pressed adobes, ready to be load bearing.

Risind Adobe: The initial base and complete exterior of the wall are pressed adobes, ready to be load bearing.

The wall quickly takes shape. Mike forms and ties up the lintel form work over one of the windows.

Lintel Height: The wall quickly takes shape. Mike forms and ties up the lintel form work over one of the windows.

The interior side of the double wall consists of the original adobe from the deconstructed original wall; thereby creating a new wall with old adobes! We also had to make new traditional adobes out of the old adobe dirt to finish. The newer adobes were randomly mixed in to the wall.

The "New" Old Wall: The interior side of the double wall consists of the original adobe from the deconstructed original wall, thereby creating a new wall with old adobes! We also had to make new traditional adobes out of the old adobe dirt to finish. The newer adobes were randomly mixed into the wall.

The original adobe is on the far left and the new adobe, on the right, is bonded in to the old.

Old and New: The original adobe is on the far left and the new adobe, on the right, is bonded into the old.

The window and door ways have completed lintel forms ready to accept concrete.

The Lintel is Complete: The window and doorways have completed lintel forms ready to accept concrete.

Josh emptys one of many buckets of concrete to complete the lintels.

Pouring the Concrete: Josh empties one of many buckets of concrete to complete the lintels.

The lintels are completely filled with concrete.

Poured Lintels: The lintels are completely filled with concrete.

Mike, along with all of the crew, is tired and we usually call it quits early after handeling buckets of concrete all day. Mike calls it quits early every chance he can get, actually.

Is It Over?? Mike, along with all of the crew, is tired and we usually call it quits early after handeling buckets of concrete all day. Mike calls it quits early every chance he can get, actually.

Josh adds new adobe to the old wall to level out the course work before the bond beam is formed.

Adding to the Old Wall: Josh adds new adobe to the old wall in order to level out the course work before the bond beam is formed.

Taken from the buildings interior, the new bond beam over the new wall.

Bond Beam: Taken from the building's interior, the photo shows the new bond beam over the new wall.

The bond beam on the east wall is complete and ready to accept concrete.

Bond Beam Taking Shape: The bond beam on the east wall is complete and ready to accept concrete.