Nearly 30 years ago, Korellis was called in to work on one of the most unique residential roofing projects in our company’s history. It was a historic home in Hammond that had once been part of the city’s “who’s who” neighborhood.
Built in 1900 and styled after a European manor, the house featured a rare, graduated slate roof, a system that uses larger, thicker slate tiles at the eaves and gradually shifts to smaller, thinner tiles toward the ridge. When a fire damaged the interior of the home but left the exterior roof intact, the real challenge began.

To replace the burned decking underneath, our team had to carefully remove and number thousands of slate tiles, ensuring each one could be returned to its exact original location. The entire home was scaffolded, and the slate was temporarily stored on small pallets, meticulously organized in rows. It was painstaking work, but it was the only way to preserve the roof’s historical integrity.

Longtime Foreman Dan Bishop led the project with support from a roofer out of Chicago who had experience with historic slate systems. Their precision and care helped ensure the original roof still stands strong today, 125 years later.
Earlier this year, Dan Bishop passed away. This project is just one of many that shows the depth of his talent and leadership in the field. As our CEO Pete Korellis put it: “Dan Bishop was the best tradesman that ever walked through our doors. He could do it all. He was a huge asset to Korellis, and we were lucky to have him.”

Here’s to Dan, and to a roof that continues to stand the test of time.