RESTORATION PROJECT
MANSION RESTORATION PROJECT CONTINUES.
Posted: 08/01/2011
At the end of 2011, work continues on Mansion interiors while the exterior of the building is almost finished. The project team of the State Preservation Board has worked on the paint colors of the historic rooms in the 1856 and 1914 sections of the Mansion, matching as closely as possible to the 1982 colors. The rugs, draperies and upholstery will be the same used since the 1982 restoration. Friends of the Governor's Mansion is assisting with the interior restoration of the historic areas and making a major donation to the garden renovation that will be the last phase of the project which is expected to finish in June 2012.
Mansion photo by Jane Karotkin, Friends of the Governor's Mansion.
Other photos courtsey of the State Preservation Board.
THE MANSION WILL HAVE A NEW GEOTHERMAL HEATING SYSTEM.
Posted: 08/01/2011
This Geothermal drilling truck is digging more than 40 wells on the Mansion grounds. The new ground source heat pump system, replacing equipment lost because of the fire, will contribute to the energy efficiency of the building's heating and cooling. Each well is 350 feet deep.
COLUMN RESTORATION COMPLETED IN SUMMER OF 2011
Posted: 08/01/2011
The magnificent columns, which are original to the 1856 Mansion building, were stripped of lead paint and charred areas removed. Workers removed debris from inside the columns. The capitols were removed, disassembeled, cleaned and repaired before replacement on the columns. Priming and painting were the final steps of the process.
HISTORIC PORCH RAILING RECREATED ON MANSION FRONT.
Posted: 08/01/2011
The distinctive X-and-Stick design of the porch railing was a style used by Abner Cook on many of the houses he built in Austin in the 1850s. Although few sections survived the intense fire which began on the front porch, the railing was well documented, making it easy to replicate. In many areas of the Mansion, woodwork not terribly damaged by the fire was salvaged for reuse and to serve as templates for replacement sections.
THE GOVERNOR'S MANSION SOUTHEAST CORNER ON 7-2-2008
Posted: 07/07/2008
This photo, taken 25 days after the fire, shows the columns on the front of the Mansion with banding around them to prevent splitting. These hollow wood columns filled with water from the fire hoses, causing the wood to swell and split. Fortunately, the water drained quickly and the columns are holding together well enough for eventual restoration. Most of the porch railing, a distinctive architectural detail of the 1856 building, did not survive the fire.