Preserve Montana is hosting a hands-on window restoration workshop at the Baxendale Schoolhouse Preservation Center on Saturday, September 12, for anyone interested in learning how to repair and maintain historic wood windows. Tickets run $65 to $75.
Participants will work through the full process of restoring a wood window sash — from assessing condition to finishing — and will also learn about options for weatherization that preserve a window's historic character while improving energy performance. The workshop is part of Preserve Montana's ongoing effort to build local capacity for historic preservation trades, which have become harder to find as older craftspeople retire and new construction dominates the building industry.
The Baxendale Schoolhouse Preservation Center has become a recurring venue for the organization's practical skills workshops. Properly maintained wood windows, instructors note, can outlast modern replacement windows by generations — a point that resonates in a city with as much historic residential and commercial stock as Helena. Registration information is available through Preserve Montana.