"Splitting a Shake"

In our small town, we have a historic home and on the same property is a Wagon Shop. The Wagon shop is in the process of replacing the roof, and they are using the same procedures that were used when the building was originally constructed.

Based on knowledge of the area at the time of the original construction of the Wagon Shop, the historical society knows that the owner did not purchase the shakes (wooden shingles) in the area because there was no where that made and sold them. So the owner would have had to make them himself or hire someone in the area to get them made.

The historical society is letting people on Saturday and Sunday afternoons to help "split a shake" just like they would have done in the 1800s, So, I joined in on the fun and "split a shake" on Saturday and Sunday. I went 2 days because on Saturday the man that took my picture cut my head off... so on Sunday I had a different man take several picture so I would have some good ones. After the shake is made they let you sign it and the signed part will be underneath other shakes.