Barbara Butler Artist-Builder Inc.

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Fort Graham

Fort Graham is the story of a 7-year old play structure from California that found a new home in Texas and became a tree fort!

BACK STORY:

The kids were going off to college, so the owners wanted to pass on their adorable Robin Hood’s Fort with 3’ long bridge over disc swing to a new family.

After 7 years of play, the fort still looked great, mostly just faded from the sun. And with so many play features - rock climbing wall, firepole, rope net climb, turbo tube slide & pulley bucket - it would be a perfect fit for a family with younger, active kids.

At our client’s request, we posted their used Robin Hood’s Fort on our Play Bargains web page as “for sale by owner”. This free-of-charge service was established many years ago when we realized how many of our treehouses and play structures were still play-worthy after the kids have grown up. With regular care, they last for decades!

To everyone’s delight, a family from Texas purchased the fort. They hired us to remove the play structure & bring it to our shop where we made some dramatic changes, adding a 13’ long bridge, a 12’ x 14’ (168 SQ FT) Tree Deck, new play accessories & staining everything to match.

TODAY:

Fully assembled, it is impossible to tell the old from the new - it is all one elegant play structure, only now with the addition of a spider swing and 2-seater glider under the new bridge and with the turbo tube slide and angled rung ladder added to the new tree deck.

As seen here, the upper level of Fort Graham has become a crossroads - kids can scatter in different directions or stop and play Captain of the Universe while spinning the Ship’s Wheel.

We stain both the interior & exterior in colors of the client’s choice. We also grind smooth all redwood lumber to prevent splinters and soften edges that might otherwise cause an owie!

And in the middle of the railing on the Tree Deck, there is a double shooter Water Cannon, that is connected to the client’s outdoor water supply (with a special parent’s shut-off a bit away from the fort.)

Barbara loves to sprinkle creative play pieces throughout the play structure to keep kids running round and round.

The Water Cannon is a favorite Play Accessory on hot summer days in Texas - enjoyed by all the kids in the neighborhood!

Fort Graham is a great success, already well-loved by the new family.