18th Century Fireplaces/Chimneys

[Isaac D.]

Any one have experience with 18th century chimneys/fireplaces. I’m about to acquire a New England Colonial one year older than America. It has a huge center center chimney that sits on an extremely large fieldstone foundation that takes up most of the basement. It’s got 5 fireplaces include a rather large one in the kitchen with an old beehive oven attached to it.

Removing this chimney is not an option. What are you guys doing with these chimneys and fireplaces to get the best bang for your buck. Are you historically rehabbing them, covering them all up, painting them all, veneering/tiling over them? Worth the effort and money to make them a focal point or cover them all up?