Raising a timber frame: Celebrating family legacy and traditional building

For John Robinson and his family, the decision to build a new timber frame structure on their Grand Marais property was steeped in tradition. He and his daughter Anna Robinson cut the frame in a class at North House Folk School, and in October, the pair were joined by timber framers Mike Loeffler and Andrew Albertson to raise it.

Albertson taught the class in which the Robinsons cut their frame, and Loeffler has done some work on the existing home, a timber framed cabin designed by Edwin Lundie in the 1950s. The new frame, which will become a bunkhouse, is the first new structure on the property since John Robinson’s grandparents had the original house built.

Timber framing is by no means the fastest or least expensive building method, but the North Shore is home to many timber frames, both old and new. While in many parts of the country timber frames are rarer, both Albertson and Loeffler have said they are a part of the aesthetic and culture in Cook County.

Loeffler compared timber frames to log cabins, saying, “When you think about an iconic log cabin, it’s got a certain vibe. And you know that it means a lot. There’s a big story. There’s a narrative there. And I think these structures kind of have that similar narrative.”

Albertson also attributed some of their popularity to a rise in interest in sustainable building, with more homeowners looking to use renewable materials. “We’ve come a long way in sustainable forestry,” he said. “They are a pretty sustainable way to build a structure. And then, you know, they’re all so beautiful at the same point in time.”

When the Robinsons decided to build a new structure on the property, they considered the style established generations ago.

“The aesthetic of the timbers is just so, sort of soothing, and by building this structure, doing the the timber frame class, and building this, you sort of appreciate the existing structure, and you start looking at joinery and finishes in a way that you wouldn’t have probably looked at otherwise,” John Robinson said. “I think it fits, and I think we’re going to try to finish it out in a way that looks not matching, per se, but sort of compatible with the existing stuff.”

For Anna Robinson, as the fourth generation of their family to spend time on the property, this build was a chance to leave her mark. “It’s definitely meaningful. It connects me to my great-grandparents,” she said.

(see a time lapse of the frame raising – photos by Sydney Robinson)

Timber framing also lends itself well to property owners who want to be involved beyond just the planning of a build. Both Loeffler and Albertson said that, in their experience, the way clients and homeowners are able to engage in cutting a frame and raising it is unique to timber framing.

John Robinson said that being so involved in the building process has meant becoming part of the timber framing community on the North Shore, connecting both to this project and to frames across the area.

For the timber framers guiding the projects, Loeffler said there are benefits to building new connections. “Obviously, it’s really helpful to have some experienced people on the site for raising, but working with homeowners is really kind of a thrill too,” he said. “It’s an exciting process. When you see it, it’s substantial, it’s big, and it’s exciting. And so when you kind of see it through somebody’s like, fresh excitement, it’s kind of inspiring.”

To hear more about the project and timber framing on the North Shore, an audio version of this story is below.

Kirsten Wisniewski November 11, 2025