Rebuilding History
On the afternoon of Aug. 23, 2011, Jim Shepherd was in a meeting at his Washington, D.C., architectural firm when the building started to vibrate and shake.
“We all looked at each other and thought it was odd,” Shepherd says. “Then we looked out the windows and saw all the cars stopped in the street and realized something big had happened.”
That something was a magnitude 5.8 earthquake felt by more people than by any other earthquake in U.S. history.
“First I ran home to check my house,” he recalls, “and then I ran across the street to the cathedral.” The historic Washington National Cathedral had suffered major damage.
Eight months later Shepherd started work there as director of preservation and facilities, overseeing earthquake repairs. He brings to the job 20 years of experience, directing preservation projects of national significance for the National Park Service, the U.S. State Department, the Smithsonian, and the Architect of the Capitol. He also has contributed to the restoration of Grand Central Terminal and Ellis Island.
“We had $26 million worth of damage and only have $6 million on hand for repairs,” he says of his current project. “The priority is to return the worship space to its original appearance and then start on the east end, the oldest and most historic part of the structure.”
As a child Shepherd traveled to England and visited many of the great cathedrals there. He says that perhaps he was preprogrammed for this job.
“To be here and to be a good steward of this fabulous historic building is so rewarding,” he says. “I want to make sure it’s taken care of for future generations.”
—CINDY THOMSEN