About Us
THINK. BUILD. LIVE.
Shelter is committed to working with our clients to create effective homes. We offer fine woodworking tools, Design Build services, real estate, and accredited classes in homebuilding.
At Shelter, we have been evolving durable, adaptable, energy-conscious building techniques since 1974.
History
- 1974 Pat and Patsy Hennin move to Bath, Me. with their two young sons Raoul and Gaius to start Shelter Institute. First Classes offered in 2nd floor space; rent $50.00/month utilities included.
- 1975 New York Times feature story brings students from around the world.
- 1976 Yankee Magazine reminds readers of Shelter Institute's exciting program.
- 1978 Popular Science writes of Shelter Institute's classes in energy efficiency
- 1979 Move to new location: turn of the century brick building in downtown Bath with multiple classrooms, workshops, cabinetry shop and store space. Opened Woodbutcher Tools - fine woodworking tool shop. Arrival of a daughter - Blueberry Hennin
- 1979 Time Magazine writes " graduates leave knowing how to do something that most Americans only dream about doing: build a house."
- 1980 Hennin family sells their small post and beam frame homestead and begin building their super insulated dream house.
- 1980 Hennin Post and Beam begins production of reasonably priced efficient timber frame houses engineered for super-insulation and passive solar design.
- 1981 Hennins sell dream house and move to 1860 Farm, expand courses to include renovations and restoration.
- 1982 Pat gets his pilot's license and flies near and far to do house inspections
- 1986 AP article appears in every hometown newspaper throughout the year. Hennins buy their first crane and truck for timber frames. Frames are now being delivered and constructed all over New England and beyond.
- 1988 Hennin's buy 68 acre wooded waterfront property For a new Shelter Institute campus.
- 1990 Hennin's first son Raoul graduates as a physics major from Harvard University and returns to work with family
- 1991 Raoul pioneers Cad+ design for timber frames and adds stresskin pre-cut panels
- 1992 Gaius graduates from Tufts University as civil engineer and joins the family business
- 1993 Hennins begin development for new 68-acre wooded campus in Woolwich on the water and on US Rte. 1 just north of Bath by pouring 60X80 foot slab with infloor heating.
- 1993 "Made in Maine" TV feature. Gaius creates hip roofed western red cedar post and beam frame sent to Caribbean island of Saba, complete with a hot tub.
- 1994 20th anniversary celebration and reunion. Festivities included a dinner with renowned educator and speaker John Gatto who calls Shelter Institute the golden standard for education teaching people to use their minds and their hands. Downeast Magazine attends and writes feature story: Affordable Dream Houses. Raoul and Vicki marry and build their own house.
- 1995 Good Morning America story on Shelter Institute. Gaius and Amy marry and build their own house. 100th post and beam frame is produced.
- 1996 Raoul tries his own business. Blueberry starts at Dickinson College in Pa. Patsy opens century 21 Real Estate Office at Shelter Institute.
- 1997 Gaius and Amy's first son Clayton Douglas born making Patsy and Pat grandparents!!!!
- 1998 Enclosure of our first new-campus building- our timberframing workshop
- 1998 New mac 10-wheeler and super remote crane for timberframing
- 1999-Shelter Institute celebrates its 25th birthday party with Groundbreaking for new timberframe facility on 68 acre campus on US Rte 1 in Woolwich
Raoul moves to LLBean in the e-commerce division - Jan 2000 Millennium Move to Woolwich facility--new timberframe shop, classroom, workshops-
- 02/02/2000 Nicholas Patrice Hennin-- Gaius and Amy's second son arrived.
- 09/2000 Blueberry graduated from Dickinson College joins the job market and is hired by HANDY magazine in Minneapolis Minnesota as Associate Editor. What a great combination of her growing up skills and her love of photography and writing.
- 2000 HGTV story on new facility and post and beam class aired .
- 2001 Patsy starts MIDCOAST REALTY at Shelter Institute.
- November 2001 Hennin Post & Beam builds it's 350th frame.
- 2002 Raoul designs and builds our new website.
- Winter 2002 Maine Boats and Harbors article " Not Your-Run-of-the-Mill Retirement Home-building your home the Shelter Institute Way".
- Summer 2002 Raoul rejoins Shelter Institute full time to help with business development, teaching, and maintaining the web site.
- October 2002 Blueberry returns from Minneapolis' Handy Magazine to join the family business - taking charge of the retail store!
- October, 2002 - Gaius sits for Professional Engineer Exam...and passes with high marks to become certified P.E.
- November 2002 Patsy diagnosed with breast cancer stage three; undergoes full mastectomy and begins chemotherapy treatment to be followed by radiation in the summer.
- January1, 2003: New Year's Baby, Oscar Prescott Hennin, joins Raoul and Vicki's household.
- May 21, 2003 Tanner MacDonald Hennin is born, third son to Gaius and Amy.
- 2003 Blueberry marries College sweetheart Kyle Beeton at the Hennin Farm
- January 1, 2004 Shelter Institute turns 30.
- February13, 2004 Iris Patricia Hennin born to Raoul and Vicki - first grand-daughter to Pat and Patsy.
- July 4, 2004 Shelter Institute takes delivery (6 months late) of assembled boom truck. The new Volvo is lighter, stronger, and more comfortable than the old Mack. Just in time for the July4 parade in Bath, Maine!
- November 2004 Blueberry earns her Real Estate Sales Agent License
- November 2004 Shelter Crew completes expansion of Shelter Shop Timber Framing Facility, adding 3,200 more s.f. to the shop.
- December 2004 - Hennins celebrate Shelter Institute's 30th birthday with over 100 guests at the retail store Christmas party.
- February 2005 Hennin Post and Beam ships it's fourth house in a box to the Caribbean; Pat and Patsy's retirement home. 30 x 40 western red cedar timber frame cape with saltbox. Gaius and Pat and Clayton and Patsy raise it in 7-days.
- May 2005 First Small Housebuilding Class held. Number of Students:12 Duration 5 Days
- June 2005 First Concrete Counter Tops Class held. Number of students:6 Duration 3 days.
- May 25, 2006 Olive Mae Beeton Joins Kyle and Blueberry's household -- Pat and Patsy's second grand-daughter
- November 3, 2006 After a three year battle with metastic breast cancer, Patsy dies in her sleep.
- December 2006 Blueberry earns her Associate Broker's License
- July 2007 Crew builds two open shed additions to house the ever-growing Hennin Post and Beam inventory and equipment
- August 28, 2007 Patricia Kane Hennin Pure Cancer Research Foundation is established and our first annual fund raiser is held. We raised $64,000!
- October 2007 October Two Week Design Build Class gets out on site and helps to pour a foundation and raise a 24x36 timber frame barn.
The Shelter Team
Shelter is committed to working with our clients to create effective homes. We have been evolving durable, adaptable, energy-conscious building techniques since 1974. We continue to pursue our philosophy of thinking, building, and living well by engaging a talented and skilled staff.
The staff at Shelter are a unique group of people with a plethora of skills. They each bring their own strengths to our organization, and we are excited to tell you about them.
At Shelter, we have been evolving durable, adaptable, energy-conscious building techniques since 1974.
Meet our Instructors and Staff
Employment Opportunities at Shelter
Shelter offers employment opportunities in a workplace that is committed to thinking, building, and living well. We promote a working environment that values professionalism and personal growth.
Shelter is a widely recognized and respected organization with over 30 years of experience in education, building, and quality living.
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