O'Brien Tech Plumbing and Heating Seniors have been working on a unique project in Oxford, Connecticut this winter. In many production jobs, they have to install hot water heaters and well pumps. This job has been very different. They were actually putting in modern plumbing into a home that was built before the United States existed. The Twitchell-Rowland house is a salt box colonial structure that was built in 1755 and is now going to be the home of the Oxford Historical Society.

The house was recently moved from a location up the road and now overlooks a dairy farm. Caretaker Edward Rowland said that the house has been a part of his family's history for over a hundred years. Rowland is himself a 1975 graduate of O'Brien Tech's Carpentry program. "We looked around at several possibilities to put in the plumbing in the house and we decided with O'Brien's Plumbing and Heating program. The students are doing a great job."

Plumbing and Heating Department Jim Frank said that the job has been very challenging and interesting for his students. "We are putting in the latest technology in plumbing in this house. We are using Pex tubing which is state-of-the-art," said Frank. Essentially, the students are taking the house from the 18th century when modern plumbing conveniences still didn't exist to having a modern, efficient system which all contemporary homes now have.

Frank said that he is very happy that his students got the chance to work on the project. "How many times can I have my students learn about American History and Plumbing at the same time."