Wabashiki Woodworks
We at FGHD, Inc. love our old houses and the beautiful craftsmanship that they exhibit inside and out. Unfortunately, much of this skill has been lost to history. As our houses age and elements get damaged or lost, it becomes a challenge to find people with the expertise to restore and recreate them. Imagine our delight when we learned of Wabashiki Woodworks, a workshop in our very own Terre Haute that specializes in designing and producing Victorian and Art Nouveau fretwork. Owner and artisan Rob Bennett graciously invited FGHD to tour his cozy, well-stocked shop in the Collett Park neighborhood.
A Terre Haute resident for decades, Rob started Wabashiki Woodworks only a couple of years ago when woodworking went from being his side hobby to a full-time occupation during the pandemic. He now regularly ships projects all over the United States and Canada.
There are always works in progress on display in the shop: elegant interior spandrels, exterior gingerbread, and even rooftop finials. All of the patterns are hand-drawn, and the final pieces are cut, assembled and stained by hand. The level of detail that goes into each one is truly remarkable. And a warm welcome is guaranteed from Autumn the cat!
