A Lesson in Historic Preservation

Stephanie Lampkin
The Read House and Gardens
New Castle, DE

Maintaining a historic house takes a lot of time and money, both of which always seem to be in short supply. Restoration, repairs, and other construction work must occur regularly in order to keep the site intact. The last time construction occurred at the Read House was in the 1980s and it is due for repairs. For several years, the Read House staff have been planning and now, thanks to a grant from Save America's Treasures, that construction is finally taking place!

Prior to the start of the construction work on the exterior of the house to repair the masonry and 70+ windows, Michele asked me to gather information from images to determine the extent of some of the restoration work completed in the 1980s which would prove helpful for the current project. During the first week of construction, I also went around and photographed the architectural features of the interior and exterior of the house, which will be useful for the conservation easement.

I have also helped Michele to monitor the progress of the construction. As the painters stripped and washed the windows, dust and water began to make its way into the house. While most of the leakage was minor, it proves how important it is for staff members to monitor the construction work closely.

From the Collections Management point of view, objects in the Nursery, pictured left, and the Servant's Quarters, pictured right, had to be moved away from windows, and in some cases covered with sheets, so that they would not be damaged. More fragile objects have been packaged and moved to the attic or taken to the collections storage area in Wilmington. The ongoing construction, which is scheduled to be completed by the end of the year, has also caused the museum to temporarily change its hours. Inviting visitors while the construction work was in progress was proving to be difficult. The noise from the work as well as the hazards of walking through both entrances became problematic. As a result, Michele made the decision to open the house for one tour at the end of the day. I was more than happy to act as the Read House tour guide during that period.

Watching this entire process has been exciting and very valuable. I cannot wait to see the house once the construction is completed!