ARLINGTON HOUSE Historic Structures Report Phase II

The description of Existing Conditions at Arlington House will cover each space in the house individually, beginning in the basement and proceeding to the attics, roofs and exterior. The Existing Conditions presented here will include a documentation of work carried out by the National Park Service from November 1979 to July 1981 in the areas of structural stabilization and exterior repainting and will, for the first time, document work carried out by the quartermaster corps of the U.S. Army during its restoration of the late 1920s. There will also be a concurrent description of investigations into the historic fabric of the north wing, conclusions drawn from those presented in the section under structural history.

Immediately following the description of existing conditions for each room or area will be the corresponding "Proposed Treatment" section. Alternating between "Existing Conditions" and "Proposed Treatment" for a specific area rather than providing two separate sections was judged more appropriate for the user.

CELLAR STAIRWAY HALL (ROOM B01) — EXISTING CONDITIONS

This space in the cellar of the north wing was the site of a good deal of renovation work during 1980. In order to better understand the necessity for, and extent of, this work, the following short history of the house's heating system will precede the discussion of Existing Conditions.

This treatment of the history of the Arlington House's heating system will begin in 1906 with the installation of steam central heating. The 1906 steam system employed cast-iron radiators set a few inches out from the wall on small feet. The pipes disappeared into the floor beneath and were connected to the main steam lines. The boiler for this system was located in a brick pit area in the west half of B05. [17]

The congressional resolution [18] of 1925 to restore the house to the period of Lee occupancy, just prior to the Civil War, required a complete renovation. To lessen the danger of fire, it was decided to remove the boiler from the house itself into a small building ("Comfort Station") north of the summer kitchen dependency, which would also house restroom facilities for visitors to the new memorial to General Lee. [19] At the same time, all radiators were removed in the conversion of the building from a cemetery headquarters to a house museum.

The heating system installed by the United States Army in 1929 was almost entirely concealed in the basement of the Arlington House. [20] Hot water was piped into the house underground from the nearby comfort station. Water was taken from the main line into six cast-iron coil units and then returned to the boiler. Air taken from outside moving across the coils through ducts and thereby heated resulted in the heating of the first floor rooms. As a result of the installation of this hot-water-coil/hot-air system, however, much of the cellar was taken up with coil units and ductwork. This fact was of little concern as most of the cellar was not intended for public visitation. However, due to the presence of the winter kitchen (room B02) and the wine cellar (room B03) in the cellar of the north wing, and the intention to permit visitation to these rooms, it was necessary to devise a different heating system. It was decided to use a hot water connector system with the units semi-concealed under the windows as they are today in the school and sewing room and the Custis chamber. In order to heat the pantry, however, it was necessary to revert to cast-iron radiators which were concealed in the bottom of reproduction cupboards in the southeast and northwest corners. The idea was to place these radiators behind double doors in the base of the cabinet and the heat would escape through holes in a patterned tin panel in each door. While the room was minimally heated from these sources, they were never wholly satisfactory as the patterned tin barrier allowed very little heat to escape. The bath, as it was not to be presented to the public, was heated by an exposed radiator like that used in the B06 system. The basement of the north wing was not provided with any radiators or connectors, but received a minimal amount of heat off the exposed pipes running near the ceiling (see photograph #1). While the smaller heating pipes were exposed to public view near the ceiling, the main hot water line and return were concealed in a trench running near the north, east and west exterior walls of the north wing.

The present heating system, most of which was installed in 1929, underwent a modification during the late 1940s. [21] The original system of 1929 took air directly from the outside and conducted it over the coils before sending it up through ducts and diffusers into the first floor. During the 1930s it was found to be better to return the house air through the system by use of additional ductwork and motor-driven fans. Returns for the main block were provided in the floor of the center hall, near the mid-point, to the north and south; fans and the necessary ductwork were placed below in B06. A separate return system was provided in the south wing against the north wall of Mrs. R. E. Lee's morning room with the fan located below in B10 (see photograph #2). Also at this time three additional cast-iron coils were added to the system, bringing the total to nine, and providing additional heat to the family parlor, the white parlor, and the conservatory.

The decision in 1980 to renovate the heating system in the north wing and to conceal all pipes from public view did not result from purely aesthetic concerns or to improve the historic ambience of the scene. It was made primarily for structural reasons. An engineering study of floor load capacities conducted in 1979 showed the floor of the pantry to be rated at only 34 PSF. [22] In order to upgrade the load ratings for this floor, which experienced heavy visitation, it was decided to add joists between the existing members in many locations.

The new joists could be installed with minimal disturbance to historic fabric in the brick supporting walls only by first removing the reproduction tongue-and-groove, pine flooring. Taking up this flooring, which dates from this century, would also permit removal of the plywood subflooring. The latter was visible in the basement and detracted considerably from the historic ambience. To remove the flooring, however, would also necessitate removal of the reproduction corner cupboards and the radiators enclosed within. After consulting the Furnishings Plan for the Arlington House [23] which recommended removal of these cupboards it was determined that a structural renovation of the floor of the pantry would also include, by necessity, a renovation of the north wing heating system.

The loss of heat from the radiators and pipes in the cellar stairway hall and the pantry was compensated by the installation of a radiant electric ceiling in the pantry and a radiant hot water system in the floor of the cellar stairway hall. Radiant systems were chosen because they could be concealed from public view. (See photograph #3).

The first step in the installation of the radiant floor system in the cellar stairway hall was the removal of all brick, most of which was believed to have been installed by the army in 1929. It is recorded that prior to the War Department restoration, army personnel found "the winter kitchen and one other small room in the basement . . . paved with the original brick;" that "the wine cellar has a few bricks along one side," and that "the remainder of the rooms are not paved . . ." [24] It would seem by this report that the army probably did not find the cellar stairway hall paved, but found it necessary to do so to accommodate practically the traffic of public visitation.

Following removal of all existing brick from the floor, a complete archeological investigation was undertaken. Several abandoned sewage, and supply pipes were uncovered near the north end of the cellar stairway hall. From visual inspection, these pipes are believed to date from the latter part of the nineteenth century and are thought to have been installed by the U.S. Army during their renovations of the north wing as the cemetery superintendent's quarters. Also a number of post holes were uncovered running in a line parallel to, and several feet to the west of, the east wall of the cellar stairway hall. It is believed that these post holes may date from a wood porch predating construction of the north wing loggia.

After conclusion of the archeological investigation in the cellar stairway hall, the dirt floor was excavated to a depth of approximately 6 inches. Three inches of gravel were placed in the excavated area and covered by a heavy polyethylene vapor barrier and 1 inch thick slabs of styrofoam insulation. Over this insulation was poured 3 inches of 3000 PSI concrete, sloping slightly to the south.

The radiant heating system (see photograph #3) in the floor of the cellar stairway hall is a grid of copper piping having two parallel 1-1/4" headers running north-south and 3/4" perpendicular cross pipes occurring approximately every 2 feet on center. The radiant system begins in the trench at a junction with the 3-inch main hot-water heating pipe 10 feet from that point where the main enters the house in the northwest corner of the cellar stairway hall. The 1-1/4" pipe leaving the main rises out of the trench and becomes the west header. The east header begins near the north end of the cellar stairway hall and continues back into the trench on the east side of the pier between B01/W4 and B04/D1.

The floor heating system is controlled by a gate and a solenoid valve in the northeast corner of B04 where the floor return meets the beginning of the main system return. The solenoid valve, electrically operated, is controlled by a bulb-sensor thermostat which is located in the restored floor of the cellar stairway hall between brick at a point approximately 4' 8" from the south wall of cellar stairway hall and 5' 3" from the east wall. Following the installation of the system it was tested and found to give off very good heat. Prior to the replacement of the floor, the copper piping of the system was covered with asphalt paint to guard against corrosion. Sand was placed between the pipes and over them for a depth of several inches before replacement of the brick in its former pattern. Installation of the radiant floor system, and the corresponding radiant electric system in the ceiling of the pantry, allowed removal of all heating pipes running near the ceiling of the cellar stairway hall (photograph #1).

While the north wing benefits from removal of heating pipes from public view, it is not anticipated that heating itself will be improved in any north wing area (with the exception of the cellar stairway hall). Heating in other areas of the north wing has never been adequate. The only other heat sources on the main floor of the north wing are the convectors under the two windows in the school and sewing room and the one in the inner hall (north wing). The water closet, the innerhall (north wing) and the Custis guest chamber have never had heating elements and do not have them at present. In the cellar, the winter kitchen received some heat from exposed ceiling pipes, feeding convectors above in the school and sewing room and the Custis chamber, while the wine cellar remained completely unheated, as is also the case now.

The reason there will be no further attempt to upgrade north wing heating is due to the nature of visitation. As the public is not allowed in most of the rooms in the north wing, there is no particular reason that they be comfortably heated on an individual basis. Upstairs, the public will be primarily in the pantry, which will be served by the radiant ceiling as well as heat conducted through the floor by the warm ceiling below. They will also be in the school and sewing room and the inner hall (north wing), which should be adequately heated from the sources in the pantry, the school and sewing room, and the Custis chamber. In the basement, they will be only in the cellar stairway hall, which will be very well heated by the radiant floor system.

A balanced heat distribution in the north wing should not be a principal concern. The uninsulated nature of the house, repeated exterior door openings and closings, the prevalence of drafts from the forced-air system in the rest of the house, all create a situation impossible to control during public visitation. It is also to be remembered that the visiting public in winter is dressed to be outside while they are in the house. As a result, it was felt by those concerned in this project that the maintenance of an overall minimum temperature of 60°F in the north wing will be satisfactory and should be easily achievable by the renovated heating system on all but the very coldest days.

North Wall: The north wall of the cellar stairway hall is stone up to a point 2' 6" off the brick floor. Some pipes were removed from this wall during the 1980 archeological work (none were thought to be historic but further study is recommended) and their through-holes patched with portland cement. Paint and mortar were removed from a small portion of the northeast corner; the north wall of the cellar stairway hall does not bond into the east wall, that is to say, the north wing loggia does not bond into the original west exterior wall of the north wing.

From the point 2' 6" above the brick floor the remainder of the north wall to the ceiling of the cellar stairway hall is brick in running bond. Window B01/W1 is a six-pane single sash window, hinged at the top, and opening in. The sash, the hardware, and the jambs, head and sill all appear to be twentieth-century replacements. This is documented in a drawing made by the army in 1929 which notes that all basement windows were to be replaced during the restoration. [25] The lintel above the window, however, is old and may be original. On the exterior the window once had vertical square bars which may have also been a feature of the army's work in 1929. These bars, however, have since been cut off flush with the sill and pulled out of the head. They are still in evidence, however, on B02/W1, B02/W3, and B03/W1.

West Wall: The west wall of the cellar stairway hall was also constructed of stone up to a point 3' 6" above the brick floor. From this wall rise the bases, also in stone and measuring approximately 3' 6" in length by 2' 0" in height, of the brick pillars (approximately 1' 6" x 1' 6") which support the loggia arches. These pillars were stuccoed, some of which remains.

The pillar located between B01/W2 and B01/W3 was examined. Paint was removed on its north face and it was found that the brick infill between arches is not bonded into the pillars. This infill was mortared with a harder and whiter mixture than that in the joints of the pillar which is a cream color with a low lime content. Stuccoing on the pillars is also of the same material as that in the joints. The lack of bonding between the pillars and the infill confirms the assumption that the original design of Arlington House as a Greek revival building had incorporated open loggias.

The stone west wall of the cellar stairway hall ends approximately 7' 0" south of the north wall, the remainder of the wall being in brick. The stone wall disappears at the south end of the west wall where it was evidently torn through to connect the main part of the cellar stairway hall with the basement of the north connecting flanker. Part of the west wall reappears again against the south wall in the presence of a small stone pier. Both the north and south jambs of this opening were then finished plumb by the use of brick infill.

Door B01/D1 is a four-panel door painted on both faces. It does not appear to have been cut-down or pieced and there are no ghosts of hardware which may have been removed. The lock stile has what appears to be a reproduction box lock, all hardware and keeper intact, a modern rim right "jimmy-proof" barrel bolt, and mortise bolt. The hinge stile shows no evidence of any hardware other than that now present, so it is assumed that the hinges are original to the door. There is also an automatic door closer which is twentieth century, as well as a twentieth century exit sign. The doorway was placed in this locale at the infilling of the arches. The present jambs appear to be replacements; they appear new and there is the further proof of a stretcher course between the head jamb and the lintel, which appears old. Threshold is worn but is in acceptable condition at this time.

Windows B01/W2 and B02/W3 are both like B01/W1 except that they have on the exterior four square protective wooden bars running horizontally. Lintels appear old.

Door B01/D2 is a four-panel door painted on both faces. This door presents the same situation as found in B01/D1, and probably also dates from the 1929 restoration. Hardware consists of a reproduction box lock missing its knobs, shank, and keeper, and a reproduction door handle and barrel bolt above the lock. Hinges appear original to the door and there is the remnant of a door closer on the top rail. There is a replacement threshold over the sill.

South Wall: This wall is a part of the 1817-19 main block, and is a common bond. A 3-inch hole located 6" below ceiling joist and 2'—6" west of B01/W4 was filled in 1980 when the hot water return was removed from the ceiling of B01. Window B01/W4 is an interior window between the cellar stairway hall and B05. Present sash, which is six panes hinged at the top and opening into B05, appears to be a modern replacement. The jambs, sill, and lintel appear old, however, and the head jamb shows mortises of former hinges. Extra wooden pieces have been added to the east and west jamb faces reducing the window size to accomodate the present sash. The lintel also has an extraneous wood member attached to its north face for no apparent purpose. Brickwork around window confirms that the feature was intentionally placed there where the main block was built and was not cut in later. The window may have been installed to admit some light into B05 prior to the enclosing of the north wing loggia.

East Wall: The brickwork on this wall, as well as that on the north and west walls, appears to be running bond. It is difficult to determine absolutely as the brickwork is highly irregular and in places covered with many layers of paint and/or remnants of stuccoing.

Door B01/D3 is composed of vertical tongue-and-groove beaded boards approximately 5" wide each with narrower boards on each side. They are held together by two chamfered battens of the north face; both faces are painted. On the lock stile there are the remains on both faces of a door latch and handle which was probably installed during the War Department restoration. The catch for the latch remains on the west jamb. A broken hook remains on the top west corner of the south face and has a corresponding eye on the west jamb. The hinges appear original to the door.

Door B01/D3 is the door of the stairway connecting the cellar stairway hall with the pantry. The treads of the stairway are in good condition due to the protection of a crosshatched rubber covering. The risers also have a rubber covering, but it has in many places worn through, resulting in significant riser board wear. There are also some worn places where the treads meet the risers on the east side of the stairway on treads #1 and #2 from the bottom, similar to mouseholes, which should be preserved. The skirt board of the stairs has a bead at the top and runs up the stairway, where it becomes the baseboard of the pantry. The stairway enclosure is constructed of vertical tongue-and-groove beaded boards, 5" in width, nailed to the north stair carriage stringer and to the log-joist header above. There is a handrail, round in shape, located on the east wall, and supported by brackets attached to a plain board. The handrail and its supporting features do not appear old. On the south face of the doorway to the east there is a trim of one beaded board which connects the baseboard above in the pantry with the beginning of the skirt board at the bottom of the stairs.

Above B01/D3 there is a wooden piece with trim dating from 1981 when it replaced a similar broken piece, which also was a product of the twentieth century.

This stairway was also stabilized during the renovation work of 1980. The bottom of the carriage is supported by a new wood plate which replaced one rotted by the damp ground with which it had been in contact. This plate is supported on two short brick pieces rising from the concrete pad under the radiant heating system. The set of wood posts to the south rest on similar brick piers rising from the concrete pad, while those midway along the carriage run rest on the brick floor alone. The south posts are necessary due to the very slight connection between the top of the stair carriage and the log joists. The age of both sets of posts is uncertain; however, it must be re-emphasized here that the continued use of at least the south posts, regardless of their historical authenticity, is necessary for the safe support of the stairway.

The major stabilization effort in the cellar stairway hall was reinforcement of the log ceiling joists. The problem in this area stemmed from the original placement of the log joists too far apart for a PSI rating of only 34, as has already been stated. Following removal of the flooring and underlying quarter-inch plywood in the pantry, hewn oak logs of similar dimension to those already in use were installed. Joist pockets for these new members were let into both the east and west walls of B01 and the joists were secured in place with portland cement and brick. The new joists, counting from north end of the cellar stairway hall, are: 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 15, 17, 21, and 23. Joists number 5, 14, and 15 replace original joists which were removed due to their poor condition. The floor of the pantry was replaced with boards similar to those removed; the flooring under rooms 102 and 103, and the north connecting flanker was not removed.

Also, during the work of floor stabilization, the lintels above B01/W2 and B01/W3 were strengthened. The lintels were removed and a 4" x 4" steel angle was concealed inside each (see photograph #4).

The framing of floor joists around the stairway connecting the cellar stairway hall to the pantry was also strengthened by the introduction of log bolts through the flanking joists into the log header which carries joists 14 and 15. The north end of the boxing where the header intersects joist number 13 was further supported by the installation of a 5/4" inch thick oak board between the 1" x 5-3/4" trim board and the north end of the stairway enclosure. The oak and trim boards were glued and screwed together and to the enclosure; in appearance they now seem as one board which butts up under the header intersection and rests on brick which extends down to the concrete flooring under the radiant heating system. Both the floor of the pantry and the connecting stairway are now believed to have a loading capacity of at least 75 PSI, which is the design goal of the 1980 stabilization at Arlington House.

There are no lights or electrical outlets in the cellar stairway hall.

Cellar Stairway Hall (Room B01) — Proposed Treatment

While it is not likely that the floor in the cellar stairway hall was bricked during the historic period, it is recommended for practical reasons that the present brick floor remain in place. The radiant heating system installed beneath the floor in the cellar stairway hall was designed to be used in conjunction with the brick floor above, which would capture, store, and radiate the heat from the hot water pipes below. Also all public visitation of the north wing basement takes place within the cellar stairway hall; it is important for the safety of the visiting public that they have a solid and uniform surface from which they can view the winter kitchen and the wine cellar. Once the recommendations of the Furnishings Plan are carried out, there will be no further necessity to make any change to the recently renovated condition of the cellar stairway hall.

The rubberized covering of the stair risers between the cellar stairway hall and the pantry should be replaced by material as compatible as possible with the wood in color. If there is a color change from the existing material, it will be necessary to replace the tread coverings as well. An effort should be made to preserve irregularities in the stairway such as the "mouseholes" to the east.

WINTER KITCHEN (ROOM B02) — EXISTING CONDITIONS

As in the cellar stairway hall, the brick floor of the winter kitchen was removed in 1980 for archeological investigation. While documentation has stated (see footnote 8) that the army found the winter kitchen paved with original brick in 1929, the brick covering the floor in 1980 did not appear at all different in color, texture, or size from that in any other portion of the north wing basement. It is, therefore, assumed that whatever "original" brick was in evidence in the winter kitchen in 1929 was replaced by brick acquired for the purpose of uniformly paving the north wing cellar.

The area beneath the winter kitchen proved exceptionally rich in archeological finds. Remains of a wide foundation wall and bases for possible fireplaces or relieving arches, as well as a narrower foundation wall running under the south wall to the south wall of the wine cellar, were all located near the surface of the south half of the room (see photographs 5 and 6). In the north half of the winter kitchen, several brick and brick depressions were located in front of the fireplace, which might prove the presence of a cast-iron stove in that location during the historic period. This archeological investigation in the winter kitchen was discussed in the section on structural history and will be fully presented in the Archeological Data Section by John Pousson.

Just as in the cellar stairway hall, the 1980 renovation of the heating system in the north wing removed the supply pipes installed in 1929 which ran horizontally about 6 inches from the bottom of the ceiling joists, from which they were suspended. This supply pipe, which continued through the wine cellar, was cut in B05 near the northeast corner and removed. New copper pipe was installed to run behind the wine band rack in the wine cellar out of the public view and enter the utility trench in the northeast corner of the wine cellar. It continued its run in the trench around the exterior perimeter of the winter kitchen against the east and north walls. Fortunately, the return pipe was already in the trench and had been placed there in 1929 as the 3-inch pipe was too large to be put on public view. From the trench new supply and return pipes were run up the walls of the winter kitchen to connect with the convectors in the school and sewing room and the Custis chamber above. All pipes were run at locations where they would be out of public view, either concealed permanently behind architectural features (fireplace block, B02/D1) or large furniture according to the 1978 Furnishings Plan (see footnote 23). Both supply and return were furnished with new gate valves just above the level of the brick floor. The winter kitchen should receive minimal heating from these pipes as it did previously from those that were suspended from the ceiling joists.

At the conclusion of archeological and heating renovation work, the brick floor was replaced in the north half of winter kitchen in the original (1929) pattern. The elevation of the floor was raised approximately 2 inches from the 1929 level to be even with the sill/threshold of B02/D1 to reduce that element as a hazard to public visitation.

North Wall: The north wall of the winter kitchen is a mixture of old and new brick. It is difficult to ascertain its evolution due to the many layers of white paint over the brick. There is a distinct bulge to the east of B02/W1 which covers most of the lower 2/3 of that wall. This bulge may be a patch, or at the least, a parging.

The twin copper pipes in the northwest corner which rise vertically from the utility trench are the supply and return for the connector under 104/W1. They are a product of the 1980 north wing heating renovation and were placed so as to be concealed from public view by B02/D1.

From all appearance B02/W1 was totally replaced in the 1929 restoration. As in the windows in the cellar stairway hall, it is a six-pane sash hinged at the top; all hardware, the sill, the jambs, and the sash are reproductions. It appears that the lintel above the window may have been replaced during the installation of the connector in the school and sewing room above. Window B02/W1 has wooden vertical square protective bars on the exterior, which are modern. The brick rowlock sill is in modern material as are the brick corners of the opening. It is assumed that all replacement work on and around B02/W1 was effected during the War Department restoration.

West Wall: The west wall has a great number of patches, areas of parging, and heavy painting which obscure any determination of its historical evolution (see photograph #7). Its distinguishing features are a ledger wall and a chimney corbel. The ledger wall is one brick thick and reaches a height of 2' 1-1/2" above the 1981 brick floor level. The ledger stops approximately 6 inches from either side of B02/D1. It thus appears that a hole was broken through the west wall for B02/D1 and then rebuilt in masonry to the door jambs. This patchwork is particularly apparent on the south side of the south jamb.

The corbelling begins on the west wall 4' 0" below the first floor boards. From its point of beginning, the wall steps out 5 inches in 2' 0" of rise. Once out 5 inches, the wall remains out these 5 inches for another 2' 0". The brickwork of this corbel is highly irregular and the 4' 0" x 7' 9" area in question contains several small areas in its center which are little more than rubble. As with the remainder of the basement walls, all is covered by so many layers of paint that little detail is apparent.

The archeological remains of the 1'—8" wide brick foundation wall running perpendicular to the west of the winter kitchen suggest that the corbelled chimney breast was bisected by a thick brick wall at some point in its history. The intersection of this now vanished wall with the west wall would explain the areas of rubble toward the center, and also the fact that the brick coursing on either side of the rubble is not wholly symmetrical. On close examination, it is found that the coursing on the south half of the corbel is quite regular with headers and stretchers arranged in the following pattern, beginning at the base of the corbel: HSSHSSH. The coursing on the north side of the rubble in the center, however, follows an irregular pattern: HSSSHSH. This evident mistake in carrying through an intended rhythm could have happened much more easily if the two areas in question had been separated by a wall rather than have been visually connected as they are now. The ledger wall below the corbelled area has been rebuilt to make it level. A brick header was removed from this ledger wall during investigations and it was found to bond into the main wall behind, making both walls integral and original to the structure of the north wing.

The foundation of the west wall is made up of a row of headers resting on a row of stretchers vertically flush. Protruding 3/4 inches out from the headers and stretchers is a sailor course. As sailor courses were originally and traditionally used to fill a gap quickly between two masonry areas, such as in a patch, their presence in this circumstance is unexplained and remains both an idiosyncrasy and a mystery. Below the sailor course is another header course which protrudes 4 inches more to the east and west. This header course rests directly on the ground and forms the bottom of the base of the foundation wall.

The top 1'—4" of the west wall was totally rebuilt by the army in 1929 when the ceiling joists of the winter kitchen were reworked.

Door B02/D1 is a six-panel door stained on west face and painted on the east face. The door has been cut down at the top, bottom, lock stile, and particularly the hinge stile. The door is very old in appearance and has been very poorly maintained. There is a ghost of a strap hinge on the rail between the lock rail and the top rail and the ghost of one or more large box locks on the east face. Hardware presently on the lock stile consists of a crudely-fashioned tin handle; there is no keeper on the jamb, and no signs of there ever having been one. Hinges were not mortised, but rather placed on the face of the door and the east face of the jamb. There are a variety of hinges present on the door, none of which seem to pre-date the twentieth century. There is a strap hinge at the top of the door and a broken half of a strap hinge at the bottom. Just above the broken strap is a large butt hinge; there is a spring-loaded screen door hinge near the center of the hinge stile.

There is also no sign of hinges on the face of the north jamb. The fact that the jambs are devoid of signs of any hardware indicates that the jamb may not predate the hanging of this door, which may have been done toward the end of the nineteenth century or even in 1929, although the army would seemingly have used better quality and more consistent hardware. It can be said with certainty that the present door is not original to the opening and the jambs are not original, in all probability, either.

Door B02/D1 has a lintel facing the cellar stairway hall, which is believed to be original. The lintel facing the winter kitchen, however, was replaced in the mid-1970s; following that work, however, the door frame began falling away to the east. This condition was repaired in 1981 when the frame was pulled back tight against the old lintel, which is lower than the new lintel above the door frame. The frame was secured in place by the driving and gluing of two oak dowels through existing holes in the old lintel into the door frame's top jamb. Also in 1981 the sill was reset on a concrete base added to the concrete pad beneath the radiant heating system.

South Wall: This brick wall, two stretchers wide, separating the winter kitchen from the wine cellar, is neither original to the north wing nor bonded into the walls it abuts. The archeological investigations in the winter kitchen showed that the wall had no real foundation, resting directly on the ground at a depth of only three courses. The wall is constructed in a very irregular pattern incorporating a good deal of headers or bride bats randomly placed within the stretcher courses. This absence of rhythm in the wall suggests it was built with unskilled labor. The patch just below the ceiling joists and 3'—6" from the east wall was the location of the heating supply pipe prior to the 1980 renovation.

East Wall: This wall appears to have been laid up in a fairly regular running bond. In the area approximately to the point 3'—0" above the floor there is evidence of extensive water penetration, a problem which has hopefully been cured by the 1980 waterproofing. There is a high irregularity of brickwork between the northeast corner of the room and B02/W2. The entire wall appears largely rebuilt in the first 1'—0" down from the ceiling, due to the replacing and reworking of the joists in 1929. As in most other basement walls in the north wing, there is some brick determination, some patching, and large areas obscured by many layers of white paint.

Window B02/W2 is a six-pane sash window hinged at the top as already seen in the cellar stairway hall and the winter kitchen. Like all windows in the basement were thought to be, it was replaced in 1929 (see footnote #25) with all hardware, etc., being reproductions. It also appears that the brickwork around the window was relaid, and samples of the mortar indicate that it was not as recently rebuilt as B02/W1. It would appear that a hole was broken through the wall during the early history of the house and that the brick was relaid to a frame. The lintel above the window is the only element which appears original; the brick bat sill and a stretcher course below were apparently rebuilt during the War Department restoration.

Window B02/W3 offers the same characteristics and situation as B02/W1 and B02/W2. In this instance, however, the window frame was removed in 1981 for renovation when it was found that the sill and bottoms of jambs were rotten. It appeared that this frame was older than the War Department restoration. After removal of this frame, what was initially believed to be red-coated plaster was found behind both side jambs. On closer inspection, however, the red coloration appeared more as a stain on some very hard concrete, probably portland. There is a strong indication that the opening for this window was knocked through the east wall as a number of bricks behind both jambs are broken off. As in other windows in the winter kitchen the sill was redone, and a stretcher course below, in modern brick and materials, was built in the War Department restoration. This rebuilding on all windows in the winter kitchen, and also in B03/W1, may indicate that the original windows were taller than the present. However, as there is no real evidence to support such a theory, the windows will remain as they now are, particularly as longer windows would put their sills below present ground level, opening the basement for further problems with water entry. The lintel above B02/W2 appears old.

There are two pairs of vertical copper pipes along the east wall which were installed during the 1980 renovation of the heating system. Those to the north of B02/W2 feed the connector beneath 104/W2 and will be largely concealed by a kitchen dresser (#2—11 in the Furnishings Plan, see footnote 23). The pair to the north of B02/W3 feed the connector beneath 106/W1 and will be concealed from the sight lines of visitors examining the winter kitchen from the doorway of B02/D1 by the masonry block of the fireplace. Both pairs have new gate valves, all of which should be left in the full-open position at all times unless leaks develop between them and the connectors above.

Fireplace Block: The fireplace block dates from the early history of the north wing and is largely original. It sits directly on the ground several courses below the present floor level.

The north face of the block contains the opening served by a flue, which can be seen to exit up the chimney. The flue is plastered, beginning just above the level of the opening, and this plaster surface is coated with soot. The area below the flue, the fireplace box itself, was extensively rebuilt during the War Department restoration.

The rebuilt fireplace box (photograph 8) presents a problem. Although furnished by the army with an iron crane and hooks to simulate a cooking fireplace, [26] it is obviously too small to have served this function. Assuming that the army duplicated the original construction, it is quite possible that this represents a niche for a cast-iron cookstove. This hypothesis is supported to some extent by the fact that the interior side walls are not splayed, as they almost surely would have been near a fireplace.

It has long been presumed that the hand-hewn lintel (5-1/2" x 7-1/2") across the opening of the "fireplace" box was installed during the War Department restoration, primarily because it showed no signs of soot or burn marks. However, if the fireplace box held a stove instead of a true fireplace there would have been no reason for burn marks to have appeared on the lintel. One piece of evidence which points strongly to the lintel being original to the fireplace block is the presence of old brick in the first two courses just above the lintel (see photograph #8). The fact that the lintel is not placed symmetrically on the block, extending to the west edge but falls about 4 inches short of the east, also contributes to the theory that the lintel may be historic.

It can also be clearly seen (photograph #8) that most of the third through the fifth courses above the lintel are replacement brick and mortar from the War Department restoration. Toward the center of the north face of the fireplace there are several more new brick in a square area which may be infill from a stove pipe which once entered the flue. While some of the early cast-iron stoves, which existed in the Washington area from the early nineteenth century on, exhausted directly up the chimney from the back of the stove, a stove also may have been located further into the room and connected to the flue by a pipe.

The last several courses of the fireplace block on all faces were rebuilt during the War Department restoration when the joists in the ceiling were reworked. The sandbox above the north face supporting the hearth of the fireplace in 104 appears original. The strips of wood supporting the sandbox appear to be from a single board broken with the grain a number of times to have it conform to the necessary arc.

The west face, except for the very top, is original brickwork covered with many layers of paint. Most of the courses are in simple running bond; partial header courses exist at the eighth, fifteenth, and twenty-fourth levels above the brick floor.

The south face has a relieving arch, of the same depth as the 'fireplace' on the north face, which supports the fireplace above in 106. The arch is original, covered with many layers of paint, and in excellent structural condition except for a slight vertical crack on the back wall of the niche. The sandbox may be a replacement, and the top of the face is rebuilt.

The east face is largely the same as the west. Partial header courses are found at the eighth, fifteenth, and twenty-third levels above the brick floor.

Ceiling Joists: Counting from the north face of the winter kitchen, the first five joists were installed during the 1929 restoration. These members show circular-saw markings on their sides, while the bottom edge has been hewn to appear old. The third and fifth joists hold a header across B02/W2 which holds the east end of joists #3 and #4. All connections are mortise and tenon and the tenons of the header are pinned, with the pair of the north tenon missing. Joist #6 is interrupted by the sandbox of room 104 and is supported by the fireplace block. The two middle ends of joist #6 abut headers, the south ends of which rest on the fireplace block with the north ends mortise and tenoned into joist #5. The sandbox of room 104 falls between these headers.

The 1979 engineering report on first floor load ratings (see footnote #22) judged these first five joists to be overspanned in their ability to adequately support the sewing room (104) above for public visitation, and gave the system between the north wall of the winter kitchen and the fireplace block a rating of 30 PSF. As the public only visits the first 6 feet of 104 out from the west wall in order to view the school and sewing room, and as the joists #1 through #5 appear in excellent condition after over fifty years of use, it was decided that no stabilization work would be effected in this area. The theory governing this decision is that if the entire sewing room rates 30 PSF overall, then the area only 6 feet from the west end of the joists must be at least 70 PSF. Also, on further inspection, it was judged that the header above B02/W2 had no need for angle clips as the connections were tight and the presence of the modern additions would only detract from the historic ambience, as they would be in full public view.

Joists #6, 7, and 8 are also interrupted by the fireplace block; they all show lath nail holes and indicate that the ceiling of the winter kitchen may have once been plaster. All joists in the winter kitchen are painted white, some have many coats. The seventh and eighth joists to the west of the fireplace block are notched one-half-inch deep and one-inch wide in their bottom edges (2' 3/4" from the block on #7 and 1' 8" on #8). Also to the west the eighth joist has been reinforced, probably during the War Department restoration, by a modern timber bolted on its north face.

Joist #9 is also interrupted by the fireplace block. To the east, #9 runs from the header atop the block, running between joists #8 and #10, over to the east wall at a slight angle. On the west, #9 runs from another header, also between #8 and #10, over to the east header of the framing box around an area which once may have held a stairway to the inner hall (north wing). Joist #9 is not mortise-and-tenoned at any point, but connects to the headers by having its top portion form a tongue which is let into the other member.

Joist #10 runs from the east wall over to the east header of the framing box. The two headers which rest on the fireplace block and carry the sandbox in 106 are connected to joist #10 by having their top portion form a tongue which is let into the top of the joist, as was the condition with joist #9 in connection with the other end of the headers. This method of connection, also a type of mortise and tenon in a general sense, occurs on what are believed to be historic members and may be therefore more representative of the true construction characteristics of the house than reproduction techniques such as the pure mortise and tenon with pines as used by the army in 1929.

Joists #11, 12, and 13 also run from pockets in the east wall over to the east header of the framing box. These joists are believed to be old, showing no modern saw marks; their bottom edges are also rough hewn, but they preserve no lath nail holes. Unlike the framing condition over B02/W2, which dates only from 1929, joist #12 is not headed off over B02/W3 but rests directly on the window lintel. The condition over B02/W2 may be a reconstruction of the historic condition as preserved until the War Department restoration; the header is more necessary there than it would have been over B02/W3 because it was needed to support two joists which spanned the whole space, rather than one which ran only two-thirds of the way.

The framing box in the southwest quadrant of the winter kitchen measures 2'—6" x 7'—9" on the interior. It has become narrower as of 1980 due to an extra member bolted on the west side of the east header (see photograph #9). Three short joists infill the box; they connect to the headers by a top-edge tongue, already described as being characteristic of traditional construction practices at Arlington House. The short joists issuing from the west wall which correspond to #10, 11, 12, and 13 are headed off by the west header of the framing box. These short joists may be older than their counterparts as they show lath nail holes. On close examination, it is difficult to say absolutely whether #13 actually has the lath holes or not. This joist also differs from #10, 11, and 12 in that it extends across the south end of the framing box and is connected to the east header as well as the west. The short joists within the framing box and those abutting it on the exterior were strengthened by the addition in 1980 of bolted angle clips. Joist #12 has a 3/4" deep by 1-1/2" wide notch, which is its bottom edge approximately 1' 0" from the west wall.

Joists #14 and #15 span the whole width of the winter kitchen and are modern with circular-saw marks clearly in evidence. The engineering report of 1979 (footnote #22) gave the joist configuration below 106 a rating of only 18 PSF the lowest rating in the whole house. The load rating was brought up to an approximate 70 PSF by the addition in 1980 of a 10 x 30 steel channel let into the masonry walls 6 inches on both the east and west (see photograph #10). The channel was jacked tightly into place and rests on steel bearing plates now concealed within the new brick patches surrounding either end of the beam. During the installation of this large member, it was necessary to break a substantial hole all the way through the west wall of the winter kitchen; a patch can now be detected, therefore, on the east wall of the cellar stairway hall in the stairway as well as the west wall of the winter kitchen.

The steel channel was placed beside joist #14 and, often jacking tight against the floor of the inner hall (north wing) and Custis Chamber above, was bolted to the joist every 12 inches alternating top and bottom. The south end of the east double header of the framing box was bolted through steel clips to the channel. As joist #14 intervened, steel sleeves were placed within the joist to prevent its being crushed between the two steel surfaces.

The winter kitchen contains no lights, but does have a duplex receptacle on both the east and west ends of joist #2 on the north side.

Winter Kitchen (Room B02) — Proposed Treatment

Due to the extent of change in the fabric of the winter kitchen over the years, and to the lack of written documents concerning house history, it is difficult to make definite recommendations to ensure that the winter kitchen is interpreted to the public as it existed c. 1861. It is evident that the windows are reproductions and that they must be left as they now are (as is also the case in the cellar stairway hall) because we have no way of knowing what they were like in 1861. While they do not appear in the historic photographs, it is assumed that the army in 1929 simply reproduced windows similar to what they found.

The issue of whether or not the winter kitchen had a plaster ceiling in 1861 presents a difficult problem. What appear to be the older joists show lath nail holes; however, there are also old members in evidence which show no lath nail holes. The latter may have been brought from elsewhere in the house and placed in the winter kitchen in 1929. In view of the inconclusive nature of the present evidence no restoration of a plaster ceiling as recommended at this time.

It is possible that the fireplace block was built originally to hold a cast-iron stove and was operating as such c. 1861. It is also possible that the army rebuilt the "firebox" as they had found it in 1929, although we have no evidence of this. The fireplace in the winter kitchen is too small to have served for cooking.

We concur with the recommendations in the approved furnishing plan and recommend that archeological evidence be considered when selecting the period cook stove. In view of the lack of evidence concerning the original appearance of the "fire box" and the inability to date the stove pipe hole, it is recommended that the hole be used in installation of a period stove. Care should be taken to protect and preserve the physical fabric.

WINE CELLAR (B03) — EXISTING CONDITIONS

Based on the testimony of former slaves who grew up at Arlington, Room B03 was restored as the wine cellar in 1929. [27] Archeological work in 1980 found that the room had had a clay floor prior to the 1929 work and had once served as a coal storage area. The 1906 steam boiler furnace had been located in the west end of B05, just adjacent to the wine cellar.

The quartermaster corps found a line of brick near the south wall in 1929. They were left in place when the brick floor was added at a higher level during the restoration and were discovered in 1980.

North Wall: The War Department restoration of 1929 placed a rowlock pattern of brick on the floor approximately 1'—4" wide along two-thirds of the north wall. On this base, they constructed a reproduction wine rack which they stabilized by attaching it into four holes 5 inches down from the bottom of the ceiling joists. From the west wall, these holes occur at 8", 6'5", 9'9", and 15'5-1/2". There are four roughly corresponding holes in the wall near the bottom of the rack which have no connection with the present structure. They are spaced from the west wall at 3", 5'11-1/2"; 9'4", and 14'11-1/2" measuring from the ledger wall. The north wall, as well as the others in the wine cellar, was covered with a rough parging of portland cement of recent vintage. This parging was removed in 1981 to reveal an irregular pattern of brick already described on the other side of the wall, that is, the south wall on the winter kitchen. Approximately the top 6 inches of the north wall have been either rebuilt or repointed used portland cement. Some of the wall preserves a covering of very low-lime brown coat, which is soft in nature and has little ability to stick successfully on the wall. There were also seen traces of whitewash on some brick beneath this plaster coating. Patches in brick on the east end of the north wall were areas where heating pipes once passed.

West Wall: As in the winter kitchen, the west wall has a short ledger wall which may once have supported floor joists in a different arrangement of the north wing. This wall also shows traces of whitewash, with brick in an advanced state of deterioration, particularly to the north of B03/D1. It is probable that the portland parging was an attempt to preserve the brick; unfortunately, the hard and highly-adherent cement, in being removed, resulted in even more of the brick face being destroyed. The top 1' 6" of the wall was rebuilt in modern brick and portland cement in the War Department restoration when the ceiling joists were replaced. Further brick replacement occurred in 1980 when the old lintel above B03/D1 was removed during the ceiling joist reinforcement in the cellar stairway hall. At that time, the interior of the lintel was reinforced with a steel angle before being replaced. This work was necessary due to the bearing of one joist in the cellar stairway hall and two in the wine cellar on the lintel above B03/D1 (see photograph #11).

Door B03/D1 is made up of four tongue-and-groove boards, both faces beaded and painted, with three chamfered battens across the east face. The door is swung from the casing by two large strap hinges of uncertain age; no other hardware, or its traces, is found on the door. The door frame itself appears old and may be original to the opening. It appears that the masonry was laid-up to the door frame on the south; on the north, however, there are unfilled brick from the level of the top of the ledger wall to the top of the door frame, indicating that a larger opening arc existed but was made smaller. As the condition begins at the top of the ledger wall, it may indicate that the opening did not originally come down to the present floor level. This condition may point to the presence of a window or a door when ground floor joists were supported by the ledger wall This wall to the north is in a rough state of partial collapse, and to the south it has been rebuilt.

The door frame of B03/D1 has mortises for two butt hinges on the south jamb, showing that the present arrangement is not original to the frame. The threshold is worn but not enough to require replacement at this time. This threshold is probably not original to the frame. The door casing exhibits cut as well as wire nails.

South Wall: The central portion of this wall is the north wall of the main block constructed between 1817 and 1819. Brickwork in this portion is regular, laid in the common bond characteristic of the main block with a header row every sixth course. There are a number of holes near the top of this wall which were punched through in the twentieth century to allow the passage of electrical conduit from the north wing to the service box in B05. Much of the surface of this wall is covered by remains of the low-lime brown coat over traces of whitewash.

The wall described above is flanked on either side by cheek walls of the original south wall of the north wing. The main block was built right against this original wall, and the major part of the original wall was presumably torn away to give maximum space in the wine cellar (and the inner hall (north wing) and the Custis guest chamber above). The two remaining pieces of the original wall, each approximately 3 feet in length, remained for support of the south corners of the north wing. These cheeks are two bricks wide, laid up in running bond like the rest of the north wing, and touch the wall of the main block without being bonded to it.

On the middle of the west cheek wall there is a soot-blackened flue hole 8 inches down from the bottom of the ceiling joists, which extends into a flue in the fireplace block on the west side of B05 (see photograph #12). On the east cheek wall there is a ledger wall 2'—6" high and two bricks thick which is not bonded into the cheek and which has no obvious purpose. Above this ledger wall on the north face of the cheek are found, just below the ceiling joists, some of the best examples of the brown coat which remain. At this location the plaster coat was covered with a red pigment similar to that found in the north wing rooms above and which apparently dates from the earliest occupancy of the house. Over the red pigment are seen a number of layers of white and off-white paint. The edges of the cheek walls facing east and west are rough and show that the remainder of the south wall of the north wing was once torn out when it was no longer needed.

East Wall: The red pigment and subsequent paint layers on plaster can be detected again on the north section of the east wall of B03 where they can be seen to extend behind the north wall. The latter has already been shown to have been added later. This information says that the whitewash, brown coat plaster, red pigment and subsequent coats of paint were all on the walls of the wine cellar prior to the construction of the north wall dividing the winter kitchen from the wine cellar. The top of the wall on the east was rebuilt around the new ceiling joists during the War Department restoration and again partially in 1980 when the reinforcing channels were added. To the south of B03/W1 are found more evidence of paint over plaster; there is only little evidence, however, of whitewash beneath the plaster layer.

As with other basement windows examined in the north wing, B03/W1 appears to have a modern frame and hardware. This is the only case, however, where the six-pane sash may predate 1929. Vertical wood bars are found as the exterior; they are modern. The irregularity of the brickwork on the north and south jambs of the masonry opening suggest that the window may have been broken through an existing wall. The sill was rebuilt with new rowlock bats and three stretcher courses below it. This rebuilding, also detected in the winter kitchen, may mean the windows were once longer. This would have been obtained when the ground level outside was lower, prior to the building of the main block (see Archeological Data Section). The area above the window was also completely redone in modern material in 1929. There is no lintel above the window and the masonry rests directly as the head of the window frame.

The War Department constructed a rack to carry wine barrels, etc., across the east wall during its restoration. This rack was built with the additional purpose of concealing the hot water heating system return pipe just before it disappears into the utility trench in the northeast corner of the wine cellar. The rack now also conceals the hot water heating system supply pipe, which was rerouted from the ceiling in 1980 during the heating system renovation.

Ceiling Joists: All the ceiling joists in the wine cellar, with the exception of #10 (counting from the north), show circular-saw marks and date from the War Department restoration. Joist #1 has its bottom edge hand-hewn in imitation of an old joist as found in #1 through #5 in the ceiling of the winter kitchen. Joist #2, which lies right beside #1 through #9 is not hand-hewn and has their full depth. It is apparent that the first joist was hewn prior to the decision to give the wine cellar a board ceiling to cover a network of conduits, thereby making hewn joists unnecessary. The ceiling which was installed was made up of all manner of discarded trim, flooring, etc. Being totally without authenticity or precedent at Arlington House, this board ceiling was removed in 1980 and will not be replaced.

Joist #10 is old and dates from the period after the main block was constructed and the major portion of the south wall torn away. It exhibits lath nail holes and stains from fresh plaster between the lath ghosts. In a number of instances, whitewash can be seen over the plaster stains, as well as on the side of the joist. This evidence indicates that the joist was whitewashed after the plaster and lath were removed.

The other old member in the ceiling of the wine cellar is the header over B03/W1 which is mortise-and-tenoned between joists #3 and #6 and which carries joists #4 and #5. Steel angle chips were bolted between these joists and the header in 1980. Joists #3 and #6, showing signs of longitudinal splitting near their west ends, were reinforced also in 1980 by the addition of a 9 x 15 steel channel lit into the east and west masonry walls on bearing plates and bolted every foot alternately near the top and bottom on each joist.

All conduit which was once concealed by the inappropriate board ceiling was either removed or rerouted in 1981. Three conduits were brought through the center of the south wall of the wine cellar, through the tops of the joists, and distributed as necessary. As they now are routed, the conduits cannot be detected from the doorway of the wine cellar, which is where the public stops to view the wine cellar. It will be noted here that all wiring and receptacles in the north wing were replaced in 1981 using copper wire when the conduits were reworked in the wine cellar.

At present there are no lights in the wine cellar and one duplex receptacle near the ceiling between the north wall and joist #1 near the east wall.

Wine Cellar — (Room B03) — Proposed Treatment

The testimony of ex-slaves identifies room B03 as the wine cellar.

The four pockets in the north wall at the base of the reproduction wine rack may mean that some kind of rack, which predated the present one and depended on these pockets for support, was once in place in that location. The present rack against the east wall served the additional purpose of concealing large pipes and cannot be removed unless the pipes are moved elsewhere.

As has been noted, the walls of the wine cellar show many treatments and give little indication of a date for any of them. In the ceiling there is evidence of both plaster and simple whitewashed joists, while the great majority of the material dates only from this century. There is at present insufficient detailed evidence to recommend change.

The interpretation of room B03 as the wine cellar must stand. Both wine racks should remain.

Based on the archeological evidence, it is recommended that the floor be shown as a hard clay with the brick under the wine rack remaining in place for needed support. There are also a few bricks on the floor against the south wall which should remain. The walls should remain as they are, showing a composite of all their treatments, until additional evidence is established. Patch all holes in the walls with the old brick and matching mortar before the space is reopened to public view. The wall texture as it now stands exhibits evidence of historic treatments.

With all conduit now rerouted out of public view, it is recommended that the existing circular-sawn joists in the ceiling be whitewashed (as well as the underside of the floor boards above). As to the evidence of a former plaster ceiling found on the sole surviving original joist, without further corroborating evidence, no reconstruction of a plaster ceiling is recommended.

As was noted earlier, both the winter kitchen and the wine cellar should be included in the appropriate lighting plan for the entire house.

NORTH CELLAR HALLWAY (MAIN BLOCK) (ROOM B04) — EXISTING CONDITIONS

This area beneath the north stairhall is the only main block basement space to have a floor in 4" x 8" brick as found in the north wing basement rooms. This room was most likely bricked during the War Department restoration like the others.

All four walls of the north cellar hallway show many successive coats of paint and/or whitewash. Out of the north wall protrudes the end, very irregular in form, of the stone wall which is the major part of the west wall in the cellar stairway hall. This wall may have been torn away at this point, or simply not finished plumb and smooth in brick, as were similar end walls in the cellar stairway hall.

The doorway B04/D1 does not appear in the army house plans of the early-twentieth century now preserved in the graphic section of the National Capital Region. These drawings, however, are not to be trusted entirely as they also do not show the opening in B04's east wall, noted as B05/D1, which may have been in existence since the building of the main block in 1817-19.

Door B04/D1 is a four-panel door, painted on both faces. It is difficult to properly examine the door as the whole south face is covered in masonite as fireproofing and the south side of the frame in galvanized metal. The lock stile, however, does have a box lock of uncertain age on the south face. There are also ghosts on the north face of some former lock or knob and an escutcheon plate exists there in connection with the box lock. The hinges are not mortised into the jamb and edge of door as usual, but are attached flat to the south face of the door and frame. It is difficult to estimate the age of either the door or the opening.

Two switches which control ceiling lights under the main block and south wing are located just to the east of B04/D1. Both the supply and return pipes for the hot water heating system rise out of the utility trench in the northeast corner of the north cellar hallway. Interrupting the return pipe is an electrically-operated solenoid valve and a manually-operated gate valve, both of which control the radiant floor system in the cellar stairway hall. The thermostat for the floor system is located on the north wall of the north cellar hallway; it is activated by a bulb sensor, the location of which has already been described in the brick floor of the cellar stairway hall.

Near the northwest corner of the west wall are located all the telephone hook-ups for the main house. Both the telephone and electricity main wires enter the house near the floor level on the west wall several feet from the northwest corner. The electric cable runs up the west wall and across the ceiling of the north cellar hallway to service boxes in B05. The fire detection system, installed in 1976, is located on the west wall of north cellar hallway near the southwest corner.

Window B04/W1 is an eight-pane single-sash window all of whose elements are War Department restoration replacements. The masonry opening was also extensively rebuilt with new materials on the north and south jambs, the rowlock sill, and four courses beneath it. The window may have been longer at one time, or it was extensively repaired due to deterioration which took place prior to 1929. Window B04/W1 has four square horizontal wood bars on the exterior as a barrier, which also dates from the War Department restoration. The lintel above the window is old.

One of the original hot water coil units dating from the 1929 installation of the hot water heating system is located in the center of the north cellar hallway. A duct from this unit leads to a diffuser above B04/W1 in the floor below 110/W1.

The ceiling joist system is old and original to the building of the main block. The replacement floor of the north stair hall above rests on a thin layer of plywood, as was the case in the cellar stairway hall before the floor of the pantry was replaced. All old joists are whitewashed on the bottom edge and sides, and show evidence of lath nail holes indicating that there was once a plaster ceiling. Whitewash is also seen on some flooring, believed to be original, near the northeast corner of the ceiling of the north cellar hallway.

Counting from the north wall, joists #, 4, and 5 were cut near the east wall and headed off to accommodate an apparent stairway which once ran down into the north cellar hallway from 110A above. This stairway was removed, however, at some point in time and boards were placed over the hole. This removal must have occurred prior to the general whitewashing of the room as the undersides of the boards show remains of old whitewash.

In 1978 some shoring work was done in the north cellar hallway to strengthen the floor above and to give added support to the bottom of the servants' stair in the north stair hall. In order to go above to remove this shoring, it would be necessary to strengthen each ceiling joist, for which it would be further necessary to remove the replacement floor in the north stair hall. While this operation was recommended in the preceding report on structural stabilization in 1979, it was later decided to leave the present shoring in place and to do no further work in the north cellar hallway. The object of the structural stabilization work at Arlington House in 1980 was to bring all floor systems up to a load rating of 70 PSG, which was judged to be an acceptable rating for the visitation of a historic edifice not built as a public place. The engineering report of 1979 (see footnote #6), rated the shored-up ceiling of the north cellar hallway as 100 PSF. As the north cellar hallway was never to be seen by the public, and the 1979 shoring was not in the way of movement through the basement, it was decided that the work necessary to strengthen the ceiling joist system independently of the shoring was not worthwhile considering the many other, more serious structural problems to be addressed in the house as a whole.

There are no electrical outlets in the north cellar hallway. The space is lit by the single bulb in a porcelain fixture near the center of the room.

North Cellar Hallway (Room B04) — Proposed Treatment

The temporary shoring erected in 1978 should be left undisturbed unless it is decided to strengthen ceiling joists individually.

CELLAR UNDER FAMILY PARLOR AND DINING ROOM (ROOM B05) — EXISTING CONDITIONS

Cellar space B05 has a dirt floor throughout and presents no sign of ever having had anything else.

The north wall contains the lower portions of the two chimneys on the north side of the main block. The chimney base to the east is a relieving arch for the fireplace above the family parlor. The arch was rebuilt in the War Department restoration after ductwork from a hot water coil unit was carried through the top of the arch to a diffuser in the floor of the fire box parlor fireplace.

While the base of the east chimney was always a relieving arch much as it remains today, the lower portion of the west chimney was originally, and probably historically, a work fireplace Today the base has been transformed into another relieving arch, over which the ductwork form a hot water unit passes into the floor of the fireplace fire box in the family dining room. Not only is the arch of new brick and mortar as in the east relieving arch, but the infill of the original fireplace forming the arch jambs is also of modern material. The existence of this fireplace is documented in drawings for the renovation of the heating system carried out in the late 1940s. [28]

Door B05/D1 appears to be an old hollow-core firedoor. The door is painted gray on both bases; its only significant hardware is a modern rim right latch on the south face and the two hinges. The door frame is wood covered with metal and has above it a heavy cast-iron angle which served as a lintel. It is difficult to determine whether or not the opening for B05/D1 was cut through the wall of the main block or built as an opening in 1817-19. The presence of the cast-iron lintel would suggest that the opening is original is that it would have been the only connection between the north wing cellar and the main block prior to the enclosing of the north wing loggia. The limited examination of the brick jambs, which are covered by a hand plaster, seem to support the assertion that the opening is original.

All electric service boxes for the house are located on the west wall to the north of B05/D2. The opening B05/D2 contains a frame of unfinished wood, jambs only, with no casings, and an old wood lintel which supports the east end of several joists in the north cellar hallway and the west end of several other joists in B05. This lintel was examined in 1980 and found not to need steel reinforcement.

The south wall is covered with a number of heavy coats of paint and/or whitewash. Two major openings, each 4'0" wide, and corresponding to the other basement opening in the main block, were infilled with brick and mortar prior to the coats of paint/whitewash. There is a third, smaller opening measuring approximately 2'0" x 2'0" located several feet below the ceiling joists. It appears that this opening was infilled during the War Department restoration work; also, the bottom of the west opening was redone at the same time. The lintel of the west opening remains in place between courses of brick, while the lintel of the east opening is covered by a patch of portland cement.

The east wall is uniform, having no openings, and laid up in a common bond having a header row every sixth course. The only patching is that of some areas at the top of the wall between joists. Supply and return pipes for the hot was heating system run north-south close to this wall at an elevation for several feet above the ground.

The ceiling joists are all original, having whitewash on their sides and bottom edges, and lath nail holes. The joist system overlaps in the center of the space atop a beam running north-south, which is supported at its center by a brick post. The 1979 engineering report questioned the support provided by this system; the combined spaces 108 and 109 were given a low rating of only 20 PSF. The structural stabilization effort of 1980 gave the post a more solid bearing surface with a cast-in-place reinforced concrete cap that replaced a pile of loose brick. The beam itself, which was simply two 3 x 12's nailed together, was significantly strengthened by the addition of 3/8" flitch plates attached to its south side by through-bolts, washers, and taps, alternating at the top and bottom every 6 inches. The flitch plates meet over the post and bear on two large pieces of close-grained pine. On the north the plates extend into the masonry wall, but they do not on the south. As neither the family parlor nor the family dining room are visited by the public, it is felt that the addition of the flitch plates brings the beam load rating up to a greater-than-acceptable level, which ensures the safety of furnishings in the rooms as well as any group of visitors which might be allowed access in the future on an occasional basis.

The joists supporting the two sandboxes on the north side of the room were reinforced by the addition of a wood member placed beside each and bolted through. Further stabilization was achieved by the use of solid plywood bridging between the new members of the next joist to the south. The headers holding the sandboxes, and the joists they carry, were all reinforced by steel angle chips bolted into place. Both sandboxes appear old.

There are two porcelain fixture lights, one in the center of each half of the B05, and two duplex receptacles on the service box panels against the west wall.

CELLAR UNDER CENTER HALL (ROOM B06) — EXISTING CONDITIONS

The floor of the cellar under the center hall is laid in square paving brick measuring 8" x 8" over sand, all of which probably dates from the War Department restoration or later. There is no indication why there was a change of material size in the paving of this space.

The 1980 archeological investigation located the foundation remains of the coal-fired furnace installed by the Lee family in 1855. [29] It was found toward the center of the space, and north of an east-west centerline. Cast-iron remains of the furnace still extant at the Arlington House are located in B08.

The three form openings along the north wall, already described from the B05 side, exhibit brick and mortar which all seem to date from 1929. It is believed that the two large openings were originally infilled with only one width of brick that was flush with the south wall in B05. Later, during the 1929 work when the small opening was also closed, another width of brick was perhaps added to the previously infilled openings to bring them out flush with the north wall of B06.

The firedoor at B06/D1 was added in 1981. The old wood lintel above the opening, which dates from the building of the main block, was left in place and reinforced on its north and south face by the introduction of two 4" x 4" steel angles. Brick jambs were laid up on either side of the metal door frame to fill in the rest of the 4 foot opening. The large air duct passing above the doorway was enclosed with masonry.

The west wall exhibits large areas of repointed masonry which may have resulted from water entering the wall over the years and deteriorating the original mortar. Window B06/W1 is a three-pane single sash window dating from 1949 when the exterior heating system air intake was replaced by an air interior return system. The lintel is circular-sawn, and may date from the War Department restoration work when the masonry opening was opened into the west wall for the air intake. It is probable that no opening existed earlier than 1929 as none is shown in the army drawings of the house which preceded the restoration. The brick sills, jambs, and head were rebuilt in portland cement. There are two horizontal bars on the exterior.

The southwest and middle openings along the south wall were infilled with a width of modern brick and mortar in 1980 to provide a fire stop. The wood lintels were removed and replaced with steel 4 x 4 angles, and the brick above the lintels was replaced up to the level of the first floor. There is also a small opening to the east of the middle 4' 0" opening and just below the level of the ceiling joist, which was infilled during the War Department restoration.

The east wall is a uniform surface in the common bond characteristic of the main block. Heating return and supply pipes run several feet off the floor near the wall, as they do also at the other wall, or north end of B06.

All ceiling joists are original and unpainted. Many are hand-hewn on one side, the sash-sawn on the other; some are sash-sawn on both sides. Counting from the east, joists #14 and #15 are notched near their north ends in sections measuring 1-1/2" x 1'—0" which face each other (see photograph #13). It was through this opening that the heating duct from the historic furnace passed to the upper floors.

Almost all ceiling joists show some powder post beetle activity; but in no joist is it extensive enough to require additional members at this time. The center hall (111) floor received a low 38 PSF rating in the engineering report of 1979 due to the danger presented by the old wood lintels over the openings. As all openings off B06 have not been either infilled or provided with steel lintels, there should be no further problems with load ratings in the future as the existing joists have such a short span. There is no evidence of any current powder post beetle activity.

Prior to the structural stabilization work in 1980, most of the cellar at Arlington House was open and highly susceptible to the rapid spread of fire. The only doors with any possible fire rating over one hour were B04/D1 and B05/D1, which separated the north wing from the rest of the house. It was felt upon examination of the cellar that the space B06 was a potential fire hazard area due to the presence of the two electric motors which handle most of the house heating air return. Other areas of potential trouble were the electric service boxes in B05 and the other return air motor in B10. As a result of these concerns for the retardation of fire, three modern fire doors (B06/D1, B08/D1, B10/D1) were installed to divide the basement into five fire zones: #1-B01, B02, B03, #2-B04, B05; #3-B06; #4-B07, B08; and #5-B09, B10.

There are no duplex receptacles in B06; the space is lit by bulbs in two porcelain fixtures, one near each extremity of the room.

SOUTH CELLAR HALLWAY (MAIN BLOCK) (ROOM B07) — EXISTING CONDITIONS

This cellar space mirrors B04 in the symmetrical plan of the house. The floor is dirt and probably was never different. One of the six original hot water coil units was installed in the center of this space in the War Department restoration and feeds the diffuser above in the south stair hail. At the time some shoring was added near this unit to compensate for the weakening of the joist system by the introduction of the diffuser and ductwork.

Window B07/W1 is an eight-pane single sash window and all modern. The rowlock sill and six courses below it were also redone in modern materials in the War Department restoration. The wood lintel over the window is the only old element. There are four horizontal bars on the exterior.

All joists are original; counting from the north, joists #1, 2, and 3 had a modern member added beside each for strength in 1980, just as joists #4 and #6 were strengthened in the War Department restoration. Differing from B04, there are no remains of stairways to the room above.

There is one porcelain bulb fixture in the center of the space and no receptacles.

CELLAR UNDER WHITE PARLOR (ROOM B08) — EXISTING CONDITIONS

Cellar room B08 has a dirt floor, with no signs of ever having had anything different, except for a 3'—0" wide walkway of square brick pavers leading from B08/D1 to B10/D1.

Door B08/D2 is the only instance in the house where a k-brace was used to strengthen a wood lintel (see photograph #15). The two legs of the brace extend out and down from the center of the lintel and are let into the jamb brickwork approximately 2'—0" from the top on either side. This brace is believe to have been added in the War Department restoration and gives very strong support for a weakened condition.

Both of the chimneys on the south side of the main block begin in B08 on the south wall. There are no fireplace remains in B08; rather the chimney bases both were fixed with relieving arches to carry the two fireplaces above in the white parlor. The arch to the east serves as a connecting passage to the south wing basement. The arch was originally 1'—6" higher, but was lowered in 1929 to permit passage of the heat duct to the diffuser in the floor of the east fireplace fire box. The west arch was similarly lowered in 1949 when the original six coil units were increased to nine, necessitating the installation of a floor diffuser in the west fireplace as well. The sandbox above this arch appears original, but the east one has been replaced in modern materials.

The joist system of the ceiling of B08 mirrors that of B05 with the difference that the joists in B08 are unpainted and show much of the same milling characteristics as those found in B06. Problems with this joist system were compounded by the fact that the public does visit the space above and actually moves through it when passing from the south wing to the center hall. In order to increase the loading rating of 25PSF assigned to the white parlor in the 1979 engineering report, the existing center beam and post (see photograph #16) were treated in the same manner as in B05, except that the flitch-plated beam rests on oak plates rather than pine (see photograph #17). The flitch plates extend into the masonry both on the north and south. Some of the plates extend into the masonry both on the north and south. Some of the joists show powder post beetle damage, but none to the extent to require reinforcement. Joists #7, 8, and 9 from the north wall on the west half of the space show circular saw marks and are believed to have been installed during the War Department restoration.

Joists and headers surrounding the two sandboxes on the south portion of B08 were reinforced in like manner to those in B05.

There is one porcelain bulb fixture in each half of B08 as bisected by the center beam, and no receptacles.

CELLAR UNDER STORE ROOM (ROOM B09) — EXISTING CONDITIONS

There is only a dirt floor in this space, and it slopes from B09/D1 to B10/D2. There is no evidence of any other floor material.

The north wall appears to be largely original brickwork. There is a brick post west of center engaged into the north wall which carries the north arch of the south wing loggia. This post shows some plaster on its west face, with which the whole post may have once been covered.

The west wall has been largely rebuilt in new materials from a point approximately 2'—6" above the dirt floor. B09/D1 is a four panel door painted on both faces, which probably is no older than the 1929 restoration. There are no ghosts on the door. The lock stile has a supposed reproduction box lock and keeper, with a barrel bolt above missing its keeper. The hinges are not mortised, but applied directly on the surface of the east face of door and jamb. It is believed that the door, frame, and sill all date from the War Department restoration.

The lower half of the south wall is in stone and rises toward the east. The west half of the south wall was entirely rebuilt in 1929; the other half is mostly original brick work except for the southeast corner of B09; there is also a valve and fire hose accordion in this corner to serve the cellar.

The east wall has an opening (B10/D2) into B10 which is spanned by the only example of a segmental arch at Arlington House. The arch, however, is not believed to the original as it is constructed entirely in modern materials, as are portions of both jambs. It is probable that the arch replaced a wood lintel in 1929; it is also possible that the segmental arch may have replaced a similar one found in disrepair and reconstructed during the War Department restoration.

The ceiling joists in B09 are the split-log variety as seen in B01, but using timbers of even less section. This floor system received a low rating of 25 PSF in 1979. This rating posted a particular problem as the store room (Room 114) is the point at which the public passes through. Counting from the east, #3 and #5 were added in 1980 to supplement areas where the original joists had been placed too far apart. Joist #4 was also reset in portland cement at this time, as were the new joists. It is now believed that the small store room above can safely support any normal loads from visitation.

There is one porcelain bulb fixture near the center of the room and a duplex receptacle above the fire hose rack attached to the south side of a ceiling joist.

CELLAR UNDER MORNING ROOM & OFFICE (ROOM B10) — EXISTING CONDITIONS

This room has a dirt floor throughout except for a 2'—1" wide walkway of square brick pavers leading from B10/D1 to the south wall. Archeological investigation in 1980 discovered a herringbone pattern floor preserved approximately 10 inches beneath the present dirt floor. Portions of this floor were uncovered in front of the east face of B10/D2 and in the northeast corner of the room; the full extent of the herringbone brick floor is not known at this time but is presumed to cover all of B10.

The north wall of B10, which is the juncture of the south wing and main block is almost entirely original brickwork dating from construction of the main block in 1817-19. The original south wing wall is represented by two small cheek walls at the east and west extremities. They were laid up smooth and exhibit not broken bricks. Archeological investigations in 1980 uncovered a brick foundation which connects the cheeks. The occurrence of the cheeks and foundation led to the hypothesis, stated in the previous section, that when the south wing was built in 1804 construction of the main block had already been envisioned and a temporary wall built here.

The edges of the south wing cheek walls have been so extensively rebuilt that no ghosts which might suggest the nature of the temporary wall have survived. Wood frame seems the most likely material for it, however.

The modern firedoor B10/D1 (see photograph #18) was installed in 1980. Due to its closing off an arch in masonry, it was necessary to construct a new set of jabs in modern materials to the south of the passageway to hold the rectangular metal frame. Frame, jambs, and original brickwork are all connected by pins.

On the west wall, the opening B10/D2 shows modern brickwork on the B10 side of the segmental arch as well. There was also some rebuilding of the arch jambs as well. There was also some rebuilding of the arch jambs on the B10 side. Two 8" x 1' 0" brick posts were constructed in 1980 on either side of B10/D2 and rest on the herringbone pattern floor discovered beneath. Pins connect these posts to the original brickwork. These modern posts carry a beam (see photograph #19) composed of four 2 x 12's nailed together and bolted into the masonry wall to the west. This beam strengthens the carrying capacity of the joist header beneath 115/D2 upstairs where the public moves from the store room into the morning room and congregates in the northwest corner of Mrs. R. E. Lee's morning room.

It is believed that the present relieving arch in the base of the south wing chimney (see photograph #2), also on the west wall of B10, was once a fireplace serving B10. The present relieving arch and the brickwork on the arch jambs and in the back of the fire box were probably effected during the War Department restoration when the heat coil unit and ductwork were installed to serve the diffuser in the fireplace fire box floor in Mrs. R.E. Lee's morning room above. One of the best places of evidence for its having been a fireplace is that the back of the fire box has been rebuilt by a new brick wall; this rebuilding wood have been necessary if it had been a working fireplace due to the usual and rapid deterioration of brick when exposed to repeated fires. There is also a clear line of demarcation between the old and new brickwork on the face of the north leg of the fireplace showing where the fireplace fire box was infilled when the arch was built. There is not such line on the south leg as it has been entirely rebuilt.

The majority of the rest of the west wall of the south of the fireplace block also appears to have been rebuilt during this century except for the portion directly beneath the duct serving 116. This coil unit, duct, and diffuser were added in 1949. It is believed that the diffuser in 116 served by this heat coil unit was placed in a small opening, perhaps a window, which found a connection between B10 and 116 prior to this heating installation. A lintel presently seen over this duct on the west wall of B10 is whitewashed like the original joists in B10 and the lintel over B10/W1.

The south wall of B10 was largely rebuilt in modern brick, mortar, and mortar repointing during the War Department restoration. The opening B10/D3 was cut through at the time, and the area in B10A partially excavated to accommodate one of the original six heating coil units which served 117 from a diffuser in the floor under 117/W2. Opening B10/D3 has a lintel made of two heavy steel channels placed side by side.

The east wall of B10 was also mostly rebuilt during the War Department restoration. It is evident from the original brick remaining and their present condition that the problem of water entering the basement through the exterior walls has largely been at fault in causing the degeneration of the soft brick used in the construction of the house. It is thought that the waterproofing carried out in 1980 has alleviated the problem of water entering from the exterior through the brick foundation walls.

A six-pane sash hinged at the top (B10/W1) is also found in the north wing of the cellar. The sash, hardware, and frame all appear to date from the War Department. Due to its poor condition, the sash was renovated in 1981. The lintel is whitewashed and appears original as do the sailor courses which form the joists. The sill has been rebuilt in brick. The presence of the rebuilt sill and the sailor courses may all indicate that the window has been made small since the south wing was constructed c. 1804.

With regard to the ceiling joists in B10, counting from the north, #1 seems original. Numbers 2 through 8 and 14, however, show circular-saw marks and were installed during the War Department restoration. The original joists were once whitewashed, but show no lath nail holes. Joists 3 through 5 were headed-off over opening B10/D2 and their west ends attached to the header by heavy steel angles and lag bolts, as well as a rough mortise-and-tenon. The header is also roughly mortise and tenoned into joists 2 and 6. Because of the inability to accurately evaluate the strength of these connection, the brick piers and composition beam were installed, as has been described.

The engineering report of 1979 gave the morning room (115) a low PSF rating of 20. Much of the weakness found in that floor system was attributable to the high load carried by certain header joists, header joists 2 and 6 were relieved of a large burden by the piers and composition beam above B10/D2. A good deal of floor load of 115, however, was also being carried by joists 7 and 12, which support the sandbox header carrying the west ends of joists 8 through 11. In order to strengthen these critical members and bring the floor load rating up to an acceptable level, a flitch plate was bolted to each joist, alternately near the top and bottom, every 6 inches (see photograph #2). Those plates were not continued into either the east or west walls, however, due to their length and the necessity to bring them into the constrained space in one piece. Additional strength was provided by clipping all header and joist connections with steel angles and bolts. The sandbox enclosed by the header was apparently rebuilt in the twentieth century.

Space B10 is lit by one porcelain bulb fixture toward the center of the room; there are no receptacles present.

Space B10A was partially excavated during the War Department restoration contain the heat coil unit as has already been noted. In order to be better able to move in the space to inspect conditions on the south exterior wall of the south wing, more of the area was excavated in 1980 and a low brick retaining wall of modern material was constructed. In order to better provide access to the adjacent, unexcavated crawl space to the east notated as B10B, an opening was cut through the east wall of B10A in 1981 and fitted with an appropriate frame in salt-treated, wood. This opening replaces one in the south wall of B10, which was largely blocked by heating supply and return pipes along that wall and finally infilled with modern brick and mortar in 1981.

Space B10A has a large mass of unmortared brick in the northwest corner; its purpose remains unknown. The brickwork of the south wall shows the worth overall deterioration of anywhere in the Arlington House cellar (see photograph #20). This condition was noted in the 1979 structural stabilization report; B10B also shows similar problems on south and east walls. The joists in the ceiling of B10A and B10B are all replacements and were reused from other places in the house during the War Department restoration. As these joists did not have to span a great distance, the ones used may have been the good portions of longer joists which were cut down for this purpose. Some of these joists show lath nail holes and were used one at some location to support a plaster ceiling; all the joists used in both B10A and B10B are whitewashed.

There is no light in B10A, but there is a single bulb porcelain fixture in the center of B10B. There are no receptacles present in either space.

Cellar — General Recommendations

Further recommendations for the cellar area at Arlington House are the identification of and the monitoring of any water coming through walls from the exterior, in any of the spaces, and, in particular, those of the south wing cellar. It is also felt that fire dampers should be installed in all ductwork passing through the walls of B06. It is recommended that all structural stabilization work carried out in 1980-81 be monitored for correct performance as anticipated by the residence exhibit specialist. Space B10A should also have its own porcelain light fixture connected into the basement lighting system for proper monitoring of the south foundation wall. Also, the standpipe and firehose accordion should be removed from B09.

PANTRY (ROOM 101) — EXISTING CONDITIONS

The flooring of the pantry is random-width, tongue-and groove pine running north-south. This floor was put down in 1980 following renovation of this support system; the floor it replaced was also twentieth-century flooring formerly used elsewhere.

The baseboard in the pantry is continuous and intact. The board is characteristic of the north wing in being of simple design with a single bead running at the top. This baseboard dates from the enclosing of the north wing loggia sometime between 1820 and 1850.

As was noted earlier, both B02 and B03 are much in need of historic house lighting, particularly an accentuating of notable features.

North Wall: This south wall of the bathroom (room 102) is plaster on sawn lath with only one series of pilaster. The east corner of this main portion of the north wall of the pantry is done in a curve and is the only historic instance of such a usage at Arlington House. The curved portion is fashioned out of two pieces of board, 1-1/2" thick, each of which completes 450 of the total 900. The whole is beaded on the west edge. Some of this beading is cut off at the bottom and mitred in to a 45° angle which suggests it once may have been intended to intersect with a baseboard.

Moving more to the north, to the minor portion of the north wall of the pantry, the area between 101/D3 and 104/D1 is made up of a board 5" wide amid a thin section of sawn lath and plaster (see photograph #21). From the presence of a sawn lath, it can be speculated that this wall was added later than the last partitioning of the north wing. The minor portion of the north wall is covered by two finish layers of plaster; the first layer is a plaster series on the lath ending with a finish coat which is hacked to provide a rough surface for the bonding of the second finish coat, which is a simple one-layer skim coat only.

The doorway 101/D3 leads into the water closet off the pantry. It is being considered under the pantry, because it swings into that space. It is a six-panel door painted on both faces. The door has been radically cut down to fit the opening and was certainly not original to it. There is a transom light on the panes above it, fixed into place. The door has a reproduction box lock and keeper with an escutcheon plate on the exterior which does not fit the keyhole. The hinges appear old but are not original to the door frame as can be seen from examining the overly-large mortises on the jamb. The only ghost present is that of a transom bar lying between the sash and the head of the door; it is just above the present bar, on the south wall of the water closet.

West Wall: This west wall of the pantry is also divided into two parts, the major part in the pantry and the lesser part further west in the connecting flanker. Beginning of the north side of the wall, 101/W1 is a double-sash six-over-six pane window with no counterweights. The lower sash was reconstructed in 1981.

The four-panel door (101/D1) is painted on both faces. The door has not been cut down on either side, but a 1/2" piece has been added to the top rail and a 5/8" piece to the bottom. The door is fitted with a reproduction box lock and a modern dead bolt lock. The escutcheon plate is missing on the exterior. There is a dripmold on the bottom nail on the exterior. The hinges are modern. The 101/D1 doorway has a three-pane transom light hinged at the bottom, the height of which brings the doorway up to the height of the window head jambs in the pantry. The transom light was reversed in 1981 in its frame in order for the more attractive side to correctly face the exterior. The hardware of the transom sash does not appear old. The door 101/D1 was removed in 1981 and renovated during the painting of the house.

To the south of 101/D1 between the door and the north jamb of the arch into the connecting flanker is a pegboard, the center line of which is 5'—6-1/2" above the floor. The board dates from the enclosing of the pantry; there are holes for eight pegs, and three are presently missing. The board is beaded at the top and bottom edge.

An investigation into the plaster wall just below the pegboard exposed one of the brick piers (see photograph #22) from which the arches spring. Within the exposed area, clear lines of demarcation can be seen between the brickwork of the original pier and that of the brickwork which later infilled the arches when the loggia was enclosed. As is the case on the exterior, the wall surface of the arch face drops back from the face of the pier, the piers being thicker than the arches. As a result, it was necessary that the interior wall of the pantry above be level with the piers so it could be furred out and lathed to be plumb. The west wall of the main part of the pantry, therefore, is plaster on brick up to the main part of the pantry, therefore, is plaster on brick up to the level of the top of the piers (5'—0" above the floor) and plaster on lath above to the ceiling. The west wall has a series of plaster with a tan-gray finish coat, which is hacked and covered with an off-white skim coat. The earlier finish shows a yellow-ochre color near the culing instead of the tan-gray.

Moving to the south side of the uncovered pier, it was found, as expected, that the north wall of the connecting flanker was not bonded into the loggia. The flanker wall, however, did not abut the exterior wall of the north wing loggia as was thought, but rather continued into the loggia space under the arch, adjacent to its jamb, and flush with the interior wall of the infill. In order to accommodate the intrusion of this flanker wall, it was necessary to make the finished arch between the main part of the pantry and the north connecting flanker 10 inches less in diameter than the original arches, the remains of which can be seen on the exterior of the north wing loggia. This interior arch, therefore, while recalling the open arches of the loggia in the Hadfield plan, is smaller than the originals and built out on lath and a wood frame, rather than brick, to conceal the end of the north flanker north wall.

An area on the north wall of the connecting flanker was also investigated. The skim or top finish coat of plaster was removed (see photograph #23) to reveal the older finish coat and its hacked surface between the northeast edge of the arch jamb in the pantry and 101/D2. This area investigated reached from the top of the baseboard to a height of several feet above the floor. The ghost of a 4-1/2" wide partition wall was uncovered as documented. [30] A list of "repairs and improvements" to the Arlington House made in 1885 called for the installation of "a partition with 2 x 4's and double boarded with beaded flooring in the arch between it and the rest of the house containing the window to be removed from the north side of the connecting room, the window to become a door." [31]

From the foregoing description of improvements and a visual examination of 101/D2, it is not difficult to ascertain that the door on the north wall of the connecting flanker was a later addition. 101/D2 is a four-panel door painted on both faces. It does not show any cut-downs on the stiles or nails, or any piecings. There is a reproduction box lock and a modern rim right latch. There is no escutcheon plate on the exterior. The hinges are the loose-pin type dating probably from the door installation of 1885. The door was taken down and renovated in 1981.

Also in the connecting flanker, 101/W2 is a double sash, six-over-six window with no counterweights. The window which was once where 101/D2 is now located, and which was removed in 1885 and installed in the arch partition, was probably the same in size and design as 101/W2. The flooring in the connecting flanker was not removed in 1980, but is a twentieth-century removed in 1980 in the pantry. The roof of the flanker rests on log rafters similar to those in the north wing loggia roof. This ceiling is composed of sawn lath and has one series of plaster only. Also in the connecting flanker is a 1" x 1" wood bar, of uncertain age and purpose, which runs between 101/D1 and 101/W2 near the window of the door heads.

The south wall of the pantry is a portion of the north wall of the main block constructed in 1817-1819. It shows the two series of plaster already found on the west wall, the first finish showing a tan-grey color. An area in the southwest corner of the main part of the room was investigated (see photograph #24) and it was found that the south end of the loggia arcade, currently encased in lath and plaster, abuts but does not bond into the north wall of the main block. The brick of the arch jamb is covered by a rough layer of hard stucco to no apparent purpose. The coating is far too rough for a finish coat to an exposed surface; also, if it was to be covered with lath and plaster, there was no need to cover the brick with a surface. There is an air space of approximately 1 to 2 inches between the rough plaster surface and the furring strips which are nailed to horizontal strips on the brick surface itself. In the area investigated half-way between the floor and ceiling, the two furring strips encountered were reused pieces, one a piece of beaded trim painted a brown as found on many other portions of old trim found in the north wing attic, and one a piece of old flooring with a groove. It was also seen that the lath of the arch jamb was nailed on a curve made up of the joining of many short pieces cut on a curve and nailed into a framework on the arch face. Sawn lath was used in this area as well.

A good deal of plaster was removed from the east wall of the pantry (see photograph #25), particularly in the area near the ceiling. The tan-gray color was again encountered on the older finish coat. Beginning on the south end of the wall, a 5" vertical band of hard stucco directly on the brick was found which continued unbroken around the southwest corner of what was the original north wing building prior to any additions The north side of the band shows an edge where it was once made up against a wall which paralleled the present south wall of the pantry. Moving north, there is a 1'—0" gap over which was found some low-lime content mortar which may have served as a patch. To the north of this 1'—0" vertical strip there begins whitewash over brick which continues to the south edge of 105/W1. Whitewash also covers the south end of the lintel above 105/W1 on the west, where it extends into the whitewashed area. On a centerline 9-1/2" down from the present ceiling level were found a series of pockets approximately the size of a brick bat, some of which had been loosely filled. Centerlines of these pockets, measuring from the principal north wall of the pantry are: 2' 6", 5' 4", 8' 1", 11' 2", 21' 9", and 27' 7". Railing, balusters, and metal supports of the stairway to the cellar stairway hall are presumed original to the finishing of the pantry.

The pantry has no lights and one single receptacle in the baseboard of the north wall near the center.

Pantry (Room 101) — Proposed Treatment

It is clearly documented, both written and in the physical evidence found, that 101/D2 was a window prior to 1885. In order to return the pantry to a closer approximation of what is was like during the Lee tenure, it is recommended that doorway 101/D2 be carefully removed and whatever window evidence found beneath the casings, jambs, etc. be documented. Once the door frame is removed, it should be possible to determine the size of the replacement window, which will be then designed and installed.

The three pegs missing from the pegboard on the west wall should be replaced.

A plan should be developed to retain access to salient architectural evidence in situ and maintain compatibility with the 1861 appearance of the pantry. Archeological evidence indicates brick columns of loggia, infill wall, and evidence of loggia column abutment to the main block wall.

BATH (ROOM 102) — EXISTING CONDITIONS

Some of the floor in the bath may be original to the enclosing of the north wing loggia. There has been, however, patching of the floor in twentieth-century material, particularly in the southwest corner. The two 1" holes near the northwest corner along the west side of the room served the radiator removed in 1980. The purpose of the larger hole in the same area is unknown.

North Wall: The baseboard and wainscoting date from the completion of the room as a bathroom. The paneling between 102/W2 and the west wall was removed during the north wing investigation. The wainscoting was nailed to furring strips which were nailed to nailing blocks set into the brick wall when constructed to enclose the loggia. The individual boards of the paneling are 6-1/2" wide with a bead on one side.

It was once thought that the north wall of the loggia was possibly an arch infilled when the loggia was enclosed. Investigation proved otherwise, however, as the brickwork of the north wall does not bond into the north end of the loggia arcade; also, the brickwork of the north wall is rough, of an unfinished quality and was never meant to be seen, as in a loggia. but rather meant to be covered by finish materials. An investigation into the plaster above the wainscoting shows evidence of an early attempt at waterproofing by the use of a black, tar-like substance between the brick and plaster. The room shows only one plaster series.

The double sash, six-over-six window with no counter-weights. The bottom sash was renovated in 1981. There is no evidence that this window was added later; it is thought to have been put in place when the north wall was built to enclose the loggia.

West Wall: The west wall of the bath is primarily a result of the loggia infill. Examinations of its northwest corner revealed that a plaster parging originally covered the loggia arches. The wainscoting and baseboard are of the same age and design as that on the north wall. Also, 102/W1 is the same as 102/W2 except that it was placed in the wall 4" higher, for no apparent reason. This condition is particularly mystifying as the loggia is presumed to have been infilled at the same time on the north and south walls.

South Wall: The south wall of the bath has been partially restored, probably during the War Department restoration. As the sink of the cemetery superintendent's bathroom hung on this wall, [32] it is likely that some of the original wainscoting needed replacing. While the present wainscoting and baseboard are close matches with those on the north and west walls, they are not old. The baseboard also has a 1" piece added to its bottom edge to bring it up to the height of the original. Room 102 also has a pegboard along the south wall, the centerline of which is 5'—11" above the floor. The board is beaded on both edges; of the original nine pegs, only two survive.

East Wall: As in the south wall, the wainscoating on the east wall is a reproduction of the original. Also the wall between the bath and the water closet is not old, dating only from the War Department restoration. Evidently there was a wall between the rooms at some point which was removed in 1914. [33] During the War Department restoration, indications of this wall were found and the wall was replaced. It is likely that the drawing showing the condition prior to 1914 was used in the War Department restoration as the wall was replaced with a small four-pane window as indicated.

A six-panel door (102/D1) is painted on both faces. It is cut down radically on both stiles, and was certainly not made for that opening. There is a piece added to the bottom sloping from the south (1") to north (1/4"). There is evidence of the door having had one or more box locks on its hinge stile. The sticking on the east face is integral and not applied. There is a box lock and keeper, probably reproduction, as are the present lock stile and a modern rim right latch. The hinges are not original to the opening and apparently date only from the late nineteenth century. There is an operable transom light above the door with a three-pane sash hinged at the bottom and opening to the east. The HL hinges are probably reproductions from the War Department restoration.

Examination of the doorway jamb reveals that there was once a door affixed to the opposite side of the jamb; the door stop molding is in place and wood pieces fill the former hung mortises. Removal of the bar on the west face separating the transom light from the doorway revealed other moldings inside which served as a transom bar prior to the removal of the door to the west side of the jamb, where it now is located. In the bath, the backboard to the north of 102/D1 is severely worn, as are two pieces of wainscoting, by the action of a guard's metal chair rubbing against the area over the years.

There is no lighting and two duplex receptacles side by side on the baseboard of the east wall.

Recommendations

No evidence was found in either the bath or the water closet during the fabric investigation of 1980-81 as to their function as bathrooms during the Lee occupancy. It is recommended that an investigator with experience in the nature of nineteenth-century bath facilities be brought in to examine these two small spaces. Should no hard evidence surface after this further investigation, it is recommended that a bathroom typical of the period be installed to interpret to the visiting public what was probably there circa 1861.

WATER CLOSET (ROOM 103) — EXISTING CONDITIONS

The flooring in the water closet seems to predate the twentieth century, but may not be original to the enclosure of the north wing loggia.

All wainscoting and baseboard dates only from the War Department restoration. Panelling was removed from the east wall during investigations of 1980 to reveal horizontal nailing strips attached to nailing blocks in the brick wall (see photograph #26). The black waterproofing substance reappears under the plaster of the east wall as well. There is a very hard plaster over this waterproofing which may be the original finish of the north wing exterior, but could be only a patch. There is one series of plaster over that hard surface. An examination of the northeast corner of the water closet revealed that the north wall was not bonded into the east.

The north wall has only one plaster series on the brick above the wainscoting; it had a sink hung from the wainscoting until its removal in 1980. There is no evidence now of other plumbing fixtures, however, the drawing as noted in footnote #17 showed a nineteenth-century wall tank water closet fixture, the seat, supported on a ledge built into the north wall and facing south. The renovated water closet of 1914 showed the fixture as a modern self-contained unit facing east into the bath after the removal of the partition wall.

As has been noted, the west wall dates only from the War Department restoration. This wall was investigated where it touches the wooden ceiling of the water closet and was found to be plaster on metal lath. The presence of paint on the wood ceiling within the air-space of the partition wall indicates that there was no wall in this position originally or it may date from the 1914-29 period.

The south wall has sawn lath and one series of plaster around 101/D3.

The thermostat for the radiant electric ceiling in the pantry is located near the southeast corner of the water closet on the south wall. The bulb sensor is located nearby under the step tread of 104/D1 in the pantry. There are no lights or receptacles in the water closet.

SCHOOL AND SEWING ROOM (ROOM 104) — EXISTING CONDITIONS

The flooring of the school and sewing room dates from the twentieth century and is random-width, tongue-and-groove pine running north-south. Baseboard on the north, west, and east walls is intact and of the same design, unique to the house. Examples of this baseboard were found in the north wing attic; it is presumed to date from the decorating scheme in the north wing which preceded the present one. The baseboard as the south wall, however, is of the simple beaded variety found in the rest of the north wing and loggia.

North Wall: There is a chair rail 2' 6" off the floor which caps a ledger wall. The wall was investigated in the northwest corner just above the chair rail (see photograph #27). A very crudely constructed brick wall was found under two series of plaster; the first a full series, the second a skim coat only. The first series had an unusually thick brown coat under a hacked finish coat. Behind the plaster was a good deal of broken brick, sailors, and rubble up to a point approximately 4' 10" above the floor; from that point on, the brickwork becomes very regular and well-laid.

A continuous band of plaster 1' wide was removed across the north wall, the bottom of which was 4' 10" above the floor. The brickwork was uniform except for an unusually thick layer of mortar just east of 104/W1 at 5' 0" above the floor. At 7" from the ceiling, the ghost of the top of some type of molding was uncovered on the hacked face of the first finish coat.

There is a 15 over 8 double sash, semi-circular headed window (104/W1) with counterweights. This type of window appears in the historic photographs of the house taken in 1864. From documentary evidence, however, it appears at least the sashes of these particular windows in the north wing date from later than the historic period. The monthly report of the Arlington National Cemetery superintendent for July 1878 states that "Mansion in good condition, the part occupied by Superintendent has had new windows put in and is now being white-coated and painted." [34] It was assumed before this document was found in 1980, however, that these windows were army replacements as the muntins show no detail, unlike similar windows in the south wing. Four small mortises on the interior of each jamb show that there were once interior shutters. The window casings and backbands are also unusually simple in form, lacking any distinguishing detail.

The window stool should be a continuation of the chair rail design; in the case of these windows in the school and sewing room, however, the stool is a much simpler element in detail and let into the existing chair rail at a later date. From examination of the masonry opening in which the frame is placed, it would appear that the existing window in the north wall (104/W1) was placed there originally and the walls were built to it, rather than the hole for the window having been broken through an existing wall. The connector built under the window was added in 1929.

West Wall: (See photograph #28) The ledger wall capped by chair rail continues along this wall. The portion of the chair rail to the south of 104/D1 appears to differ slightly from that in the rest of the room. This difference in detail, however, may result from differing numbers of paint layers on the chair rail in different parts of the room. The vertical board at the end of the ledger wall to the north of 104/D1 was removed to reveal that the wall end was largely rebuilt during the War Department restoration. Removal of the baseboard also to the north of 104/D1 showed an extensive rebuilding of the wall above the joist line where the electrical conduits were installed. The vertical boards covering each end of the ledger wall, where it is interrupted by 104/D1, are actually pieces of the room baseboard put to a different use. While these vertical pieces and the baseboard to the south of 104/D1 largely resemble the rest of the baseboard in the school and sewing room, there may be a slight difference in detail. These differences, if they exist, however, are difficult to determine or evaluate due to the many layers of paint on each.

On examining the wall to the south of 104/D1, it was found that the brick courses were not laid-up against the door frame, but were broken off unevenly. Investigation into the other side of the frame, to the north of 104/D1, however, showed courses built evenly to the frame. A railing block set into the masonry was also encountered on this side of the doorway, showing that it was intended that a frame be placed in that opening when the wall was built. A ghost of a backband was also discovered on the scored skim coat of the first series of plaster. The width of this backband ghost differs from the present backband in being 1" wider. This is an interesting find in that the backband present on the door casing is believed to be the oldest in the house, surviving from the decorating scheme of the north wing which preceded the present one. Near the ceiling, the ghost of a molding, perhaps a picture molding already described as appearing on the scored finish coat on the north wall, is also present in the same location on the west wall.

There is a six-panel door (101/D1) painted on both faces. The door has been cut down by an inch on the lock stile and may have been cut also on the head rail. Indications are that the door was not made for this opening. On the lock stile there are indications that other locks preceded the present reproduction box lock and keeper. The hinges appear old and are probably original to the door. The hinge mortises on the jamb, however, show the presence of larger hinges once in place and the top mortise is made on a piece let into the door casing. To the west, this doorway has jamb panels (see photograph #21) like those separating the center hall (111) from the rooms to either side (108, 109, 112). This example is the only use of such panels in either wing at Arlington House. There is the ghost of a 2" wide piece once attached to the head jamb panel on the west side. There is a paint layering exhibit panel on the east face of 104/D1.

South Wall: The south wall, a partition wall believed to have been added to the north wing around 1820, is split lath having one series of plaster. The finish surface has been scored, and has a skim finish coat. There are areas within the first 6' off the floor between the doors, mantelpiece, etc. where the showing skim coat is over a modern brown coat, probably redone in this century. Modern nails were found in the split lath under some of this work.

The mantelpiece is of classical design and of questionable age and provenance (see photograph #29). The brick hearth is old and shows a number of layers of paint and the interior of the firebox does not show any rebuilding. There is a brick jack arch over the fireplace opening. The interior of the firebox was once fully plastered; however, most of the plaster has now fallen off.

Doorway 104/D2 is an opening only, the door itself having disappeared. There are remains of two hung mortises on the east jamb and a strike plate on the west.

Door 104/D3 has six panels, painted on both faces, and serves as entrance to a closet, 104A. This door has been cut down radically on both stiles, the head rail, and the bottom rail. There is the ghost of a former lock in the form of a keyhole, now filled, below the present escutcheon plate; the present lock is a box with only a mortise in the west jamb as a strike. The hinges appear original to the door, as there are no other mortises in evidence on the jamb.

A small closet (104A) is roughly plastered in one series, and having many layers of paint. Several small areas opened in the plaster revealed the use of split lath. The baseboard is intact and matches that on the south wall of the school and sewing room. There is a pegboard on the south wall, the centerline of which is 5' 7" above the floor, with seven pegs intact. The ceiling is old and is located 6' 6-3/4" above the floor. Closet flooring is a continuation of that in the school and sewing room.

There is a six-panel door (104/D4) painted on both faces. Both stiles and the head rail have been cut down. Reproduction hardware is found on the lock stile and is all intact. Hinges appear original to both door and jamb, and there are no ghosts. The only element of note on the casing is the section around the keeper which has been pieced. There is a fixed transom light of three panes above the door that is set into the partition wall and is evidently original to it.

East Wall: The east wall shows the same characteristics as the north and west in plaster, chair rail, etc. Window 104/W2 is like 104/W1 as to visual characteristics; no investigation was conducted, however, into the brickwork around the window frame. There is a connector beneath 104/W2, partially concealed in the wall in 1919, matching that under 104/W1.

The ceiling in the school and sewing room is new and dates from the mid-twentieth century. It is plaster on expanded, ribbed metal lath. An area measuring approximately 4' by 4' was opened near its center in 1979, and a piece of a ceiling joist cut out, to allow movement of materials into the north wing attic for stabilization work carried out at that time. The area was closed and patched in 1981.

There are three duplex electrical outlets in the school and sewing room: on the east wall near the northeast corner in the baseboard, on the north wall about 5'—0" from the northwest corner, and on the west wall near the northwest corner. There are no lights in the school and sewing room.

School and Sewing Room (Room 104) — Proposed Treatment

There is some evidence in the school and sewing room for the use of interior window shutters. Small hinge mortises do appear on jambs of 104/W1 and W2; however, the jambs themselves may only date to 1878 (see footnote 34). Physical window framing which would have carried historical interior shutters is believed to have been completely removed from the north wing. Photographs of 1861-1864, however, prove the existence of interior shutters in both rooms of the south wing. Similar shutters may have been extant in the north wing during the historic period. It is recommended that interior shutters be reconstructed for the school and sewing room, Custis chamber, and the Custis guest chamber based on the historic photographs and surviving period shutters in Alexandria.

It is recommended that a door be reconstructed for opening 104/D2. While it is impossible to say when this door disappeared, it is reasonable to assume that it was intact during the Lee period and was lost after the house passed out of private hands. The door should match 104/D3 and D4 and be outfitted with appropriate hardware.

Door 104/D1 differs in design from all other doors in the house. The west face of the door has flush panels with delicate beads which have undergone many repaintings. It is recommended that the paint be carefully removed from these beads and that this face of the door be repainted.

INNER HALL NORTH WING (ROOM 105) — EXISTING CONDITIONS

The flooring of the inner hall (north wing) is random-width, tongue-and-groove pine, running north-south, that dates from the twentieth century. The baseboards are all of the simple design, beaded at the top, which is found in most of the north wing. The baseboards are intact; however, that portion around the chimney breast may be a modern replacement.

North Wall: The north wall of the inner hall (north wing) is the partition wall between the school and sewing room and the inner hall (north wing). Portions of plaster and lath were removed in the northwest corner where the partition wall intersects the brick west bearing wall of the north wing. It was found that the north wall of the inner hall (north wing) is only one series of plaster on split lath.

It was found that the chair rail as discussed in the school and sewing room continues unbroken through the partition wall into the inner hall (north wing) and ends by abutting the chimney breast. Removal of plaster and lath in the corner revealed the covered portion of the chair rail, which is green in color and shows very little paint layering. That portion of the chair rail existing wholly in the inner hall (north wing) appears to have been stripped as the paint study shows no green having been found on it. In the protected area within the partition wall a series of plaster can be seen below the chair rail painted a light ochre. One-half inch to the east of the lip of the chair rail is located the first shed of the partition wall. This stud lies about 4" or more from the major portion of the west wall and the lath railed to it is cantilevered over to the west wall, just touching it without being connected to it. Due to this tenuous connection of the plaster wall to a bearing wall, seen in a number of other instances in the north wing as well, it was necessary for the army to rebuild such corners in the north wing with expanded metal lath and new plaster during the War Department restoration. Above the chair rail within the partition wall is also seen a series of plaster with a finish coat white in color. This finish disappears, however, just above the chair rail, and only a brown coat is seen on the surface up most of the wall.

West Wall: The plaster between the north wall just discussed and the chimney breast in the middle of the west wall, both above and below the chair rail, shows one series of plaster only. It is believed that this series is different from the one in evidence on the west wall within the partition wall. This major series is unusually thick, in excess of 2", having two discernable brown coats and one finish. The series within the partition wall is of a much more usual thickness and is believed to be considerably older.

Investigation into the plaster surface above the chair rail on the west wall uncovered the presence of a line of broken headers, the centerline of which is 3'—1-1/2" above the finished floor. This line of headers was also located in the northwest corner of the school and sewing room on the west wall.

The portion of the west wall between the chimney breast and the north wall is the only part of the inner hall (north wing) having the ledger wall and chair rail. At the south end of the chair rail, the top board of the rail running above the ledger wall is cut at a 45° angle. This end condition was buried within the plaster of the chimney breast north end until 1980 when it was uncovered. This mitre cut indicates that the chair rail once took a 90° turn at that point, either to go around the chimney breast or to follow a wall perpendicular to the north end of the chimney breast; a partition wall would have disappeared during a reorganization of north wing spaces.

A band of plaster 1' 0" wide, the bottom line of which was 5' 0" above the finished floor, was removed along the west wall from the chimney breast to the north wall. In this 6' 0" stretch of wall it was found that the brick had been laid in a type of running bond where the vertical joints of the brick approached a condition of actually lining up (within 1") vertically as in stack bond. This pattern, of questionable strength and purpose, would have been an odd choice for an experienced bricklayer and points to the use of unskilled or inexperienced workmen.

Plaster was removed in the corner where the west wall to the north of the chimney, which has just been discussed, intersects with the chimney breast itself, at a point 3' 0" below the existing ceiling. This west bearing wall is two bricks wide, and it could be seen that the east course of brick did not bond at all into the breast. It could be seen also from observation of the east wall in the pantry, that the west course of brick bonded smoothly all the way along the west wall of the north wing.

Chimney Breast: The chimney breast of the inner hall (north wing) (see photograph #30) is one of the richest, most complicated and most difficult, as well as most interesting, discoveries of the Arlington House investigations of 1980. As a result of this complexity, it will be discussed after first dividing it into its logical parts, each of which will be presented independently: north end, north part of west wall, center of west wall, south part of west wall, and south end. In its entirety the chimney breast measures only 79" in width and contains only one moderate-sized flue which begins near the center of the breast and rises against the north edge, ending in the north wing below the level of the tops of the joists.

North End: As has already been noted, the north end of the chimney breast does not bond into the east course of brick of the west wall. Also, the north end of the face of the breast has all of its brick broken off at the corner (see photograph #31) as though the breast once continued north as a wall. Between this face and the west bearing wall there is a vertical stack of sailor brick closing off the north side of the flue; these sailor bricks extend back into and abut the west course of brick of the north wall. This complex brickwork strongly indicates that a number of changes were made at different times in this area, and the lack of bonding suggests that they were effected by unskilled workmen.

The north end had two full series of plaster. The earlier of the two was cut back irregularly to within 2" of the north wall. This first series has a hard white skim coat which can be seen to join the present skim coat of the west wall, which has just been discussed. It is evident that both these earlier layers of plaster on the north end of the breast and that on the west wall (north portion) were all applied at the same time. Since that application, however, another series of plaster has been applied to the north end of the breast. This series is very thick (approximately 3") and covers a great number of irregularities at that north corner of the breast, including the broken brick course and the earlier plaster series.

North Part of West Wall: The lower part of this portion of the chimney breast, as well as the rest of the breast, was disturbed and rebuilt in 1929 when the army reset the floor joists. Measuring up from the finished floor, the first 4'0" contains three complete series of plaster. The earliest series was finished by a hard brown coat and covered by a dark red paint. This red plaster ends irregularly at the bottom several inches above the floor. To the north this plaster is broken off irregularly just as the brick to which it adheres was broken at the north corner of the breast. To the south, however, the red plaster ends in a straight line. Markings and a lip formed by the application tools indicate that this plaster series once turned a corner there on a wall which once bisected the chimney breast but which has since disappeared (see photograph #32). At the top, also, the red plaster ends in a lip which indicates that it once turned there onto a ceiling. This odd circumstance of finding a ceiling condition several feet above the present floor was explained by two filled joist pockets found just above the level of this top lip. This red surfaced plaster was hacked to give good binding to the next series above it.

The second series of plaster, lying on the red plaster, has a fairly smooth skim coat which appears to have been painted off-white. This series ends irregularly on all sides except the north where it appears to have made a 90° turn on an inside corner approximately 6" from the present north end of the breast on its outside edge. This off-white series was also hacked to accept bonding from the third series, a thick one which forms the present finish of the room.

The filled joist pockets (see photograph #33) already noted were found about one-quarter the way up the wall. They fall approximately 1' 7" on center and may have held joists measuring as large as 3" x 12". These pockets are located just above the lips formed at the top extremity of the red plaster and its undercoatings, and once held the joists which carried a ceiling intersecting the red plaster walls. By the era of the off-white plaster, however, the north wing had taken a different form, the joists had disappeared, and their pockets had been filled and covered by the second plaster series (see photograph #30).

It is disconcerting to find that there is no series of plaster above the joist pockets which corresponds to the red plaster. The off-white series, however continue over and above the joist pockets (see photograph #30) to become the first series against the brick up to a channel, the centerline of which is 7' 6" above the finished floor. This channel is 5" wide and was filled with what appears to have been a patching plaster. It is presumed to have held a chair rail; there is a nailing block still present, measuring 3/4" x 3", which is mortared between two bricks. The off-white plaster was hacked to receive the present top series of plaster.

There is a change in the plaster above the channel. The off-white plaster stopped definitively below the channel, and the series above it on the brick is made up of several brown coats, the last of which is finished enough to serve as a surface for wallpaper. This hard brown finish covers the upper portion of this section in question and preserves a number of wallpaper fragments, most of which are located just above the chair rail channel.

The fragments uncovered showed a golden cream background (see color photograph #C—1) with some elements in several shades of green decorating the surface in conjunction with groups of curved lines in brown and white. This particular paper was either covered by, or bordered with, another paper having a cream ground with multi-toned green objects of decoration. Just above this channel at its south extremity (see photograph #34), there are several inches of the plaster on which this paper is located that rises vertically in a lip. The presence of this lip indicates that this plaster wall formed an inside corner there with the brick wall which once bisected the chimney breast. The plaster above the channel on which the wallpaper fragments are located, was covered by the series of plaster which form the contemporary finish of the inner hall (north wing).

Center of West Wall: The strip of bare brick rising vertically in the center of the chimney breast was covered with only one series of plaster, the most recent of which can be seen as the finish series on all the walls of 105. At times the series in this center section are as much as 3" thick; and approximately 1'7" wide.

The bottom of the center section bisected as well a patch in the brickwork measuring approximately 2'0" wide by 2'8" high, all the brick of which had been removed back two brick widths. The patch was filled with brick pieces, rubble, and a neat mortar. There is a possibility that the patch dated from the War Department restoration, when their initial plans included the restoration of a fireplace which they believed had been located on the breast, matching that of the south wing when the entire north wing had been one large "banquet room." [35] It could have been that they opened the wall at this time to uncover the fireplace and, finding none, had patched what they had taken out. It would seem, however, that better materials would have been used in the patch had it occurred in 1929, and that it may have been done earlier when the north wing was in use as the cemetery superintendent's quarters.

The one flue located in the chimney breast begins at a point approximately 3' 9" above the finished floor. A patch was found over the hole in 1980 and was easily removed, leaving an opening measuring approximately 1' 0" x 3' 1". The flue had been plastered inside on all sides and was blackened with soot. A distinguishing feature of this flue opening is that the sooted plaster extended out virtually to the face of the breast on the entire south side of the opening and on both sides near the bottom of the hole.

Several broken headers were uncovered to the north and south of the flue opening; they were not, however, consistently placed, and none appear between the bottom of the flue hole and the large patch at the bottom of the breast. Also, few were located to the south of the hole.

The broken-off headers which define the wall bisecting the breast are not apparent in abundance until the top quarter of the chimney breast is reached. As can be seen from the evidence drawing, these broken headers are not consistently located anywhere on the ghost of breast. From a point 3' 8" below the ceiling, the bisecting wall is not bonded at all into the brickwork of the breast either to the north or south. As a result of a hole opened into the brickwork of the breast just to the north of the consistent header area, it was found that the brick of the former bisecting wall as seen in the all broken-header area forms a mass of brickwork completely foreign to that of the breast itself. Not only is it not bonded into the breast to the north or south, but it is not bonded to the final west course of brick which forms the east wall surface in the pantry. This final course passes by the west end of the all-header brickwork mass with a space of several inches in between, and was built to cover inconsistencies and to give the east wall of the pantry a smooth surface.

South Part of West Wall: The first element above the floor in this chimney breast section is a channel in the plaster measuring 3-1/2" wide. The bricks at the bottom of this channel have been hacked to create a smooth surface, and a nailing block is located between two stretchers. It is presumed that this channel, the bottom of which is 2' 1-1/2" above the finished floor, once held a chair rail (see photograph #35).

The plaster coat under the modern series removed in the investigation was found to be no more than a thin brown coat finished smoothly, over which fragments of wallpaper still adhered. This paper (see color photograph #C-2) has a brown-purple background with lines of cream, red, and black running vertically in waves to simulate a stylized wood paneling below the chair rail. At the bottom edge of the paper where it would have contacted the baseboard, there appear fragments of a wallpaper border in a sawtooth pattern with black shading on a cream base (see Appendix IV).

The chair rail channel and the plaster coat below it which carries the wallpaper all end at a point approximately 1' 10" north from the south edge of the breast. From the character of the plaster at this point it can be seen that there was once a wall intersection here. This wall was approximately 3-1/2" wide and extended up to a point 5' 6" above the finished floor, after which height the markings of the wall in the plaster disappear.

There are a series of plaster patches similar in color and texture to the smooth brown coat below the chair rail channel, between the wall ghost just described and the brick bisecting wall ghost. To the south of the plaster wall ghost and above the chair rail channel is yet another area in rough-textured brown coat which shows a finished edge against the chair rail channel and against the plaster wall ghost on the north. Near the top south corner of this area was found another joist pocket, smaller than the others and measuring approximately 3" x 6", the centerline of which is about 6" from the south edge of the chimney breast.

Yet another plaster layer, independent of all those yet described, begins at the 5' 6" point above the floor and runs to the ceiling. This coat forms a straight edge and lip against the ghost of the bisecting brick wall on the north. The top two-thirds of the coat is hacked, but the bottom one-third remains smooth. A straight mark on the plaster surface runs vertically up the coat to the ceiling from the south end of the ghost of the plaster intersecting wall at 5' 6" above the floor. Just to the north of this line at a point approximately half-way up the breast is a square hole, one course deep, with a surface measuring about 4" x 4". Prior to the 1980 investigation the hole was filled with a mortared brick bat. The area had been patched over with plaster; the hole served no obvious purpose.

The area of this major plaster surface on the top half of the south part of the chimney breast, which is hacked, has many small fragments of a distinctive wallpaper which also exist on other walls of the north wing yet to be discussed. The wallpaper has an off-white background covered with a stylized leaf design in red and cream.

All plaster on the south part of the chimney breast turns the south corner and extends over onto the south end. The south part just discussed was all covered uniformly with the series of plaster which finish the inner hall (north wing); the vast majority of this most recent series was left undisturbed elsewhere in the inner hall (north wing) during the 1980 investigation.

South End: This end of the chimney breast, like the area preceding it in this description, has two series of plaster: the earlier contains fragments of the red-cream wallpaper, and the most recent uniform plaster coats cover the walls of the inner hall (north wing) as seen today. All plaster layers are continuations of those on the south end of the chimney breast which turn the corner. The chair rail channel as well turns the outside corner and runs to the west wall; there is another nailing block in the channel. In the inside corner formed by the chimney breast and the west wall, plaster was removed to reveal that the chimney breast was not bonded into the wall at that point either.

West Wall South of Chimney Breast: The first major element to the south of the chimney breast is 105/W1. This double sash, nine-over-six window has no counterweights. While most windows at Arlington House fall into different series which are consistent in their characteristics, this window and its elements are unique. There is no casing (see photograph #36) other than a backband which is nailed to the frame as a plaster stop, and there is no apron board below the stool which also serves as a plaster stop. The window has no lintel on its inner hall (north wing) side, rather the window frame head serves as a lintel which supports the brick above. This brick in its first course above the window differs from the other brick in the west wall and was apparently added later. It is believed that the window was added after the wall was built; particular evidence for this theory is the irregularly broken plaster layer 8" above the window which carries the red-black paper and a plaster patch between this surface and the window head. A similar condition was uncovered to the south of 105/W1. In this example, it is particularly obvious that the wall was torn through to allow installation of the window. There is also a 6-1/2" x 6-1/2" wood block between the window frame on the north and the south corner of the chimney breast, which lies flush with the final plaster coat, and which has no obvious purpose. The brick above this block, which is located two-thirds the way up the window frame, are sheared off where they encounter the frame and the space between their ragged ends and the frame infilled with mortar.

Spaced almost evenly between 105/W1 and 105/D1 is a vertical patch of plaster 6-1/2" wide. This patch is a very hard plaster type and fills a strip which once held the intersection of a perpendicular partition wall (see photograph #36). This partition was evidently removed early in the history of the north wing as the red-cream wallpaper extends over the patch as well as the finish plaster walls on either side. After opening several areas on the wall between 105/W1 and 105/D1, it became obvious that the plaster layer holding the red-cream paper did not extend below the level of a theoretical second floor as established by the joist pockets found on the chimney breast. In the area below the 5' 0" point on the wall above the finished floor was a seeming patching plaster with a rough texture like some of the patches found on the south side of the chimney breast. Also, in this same area, the line of broken headers, the centerline of which is 3' 1" above the floor, was uncovered at several other points in rooms 105 and in 104.

Doorway 105/D1 has no door (see photograph #37). Like 105/W1, this doorway is also unique at Arlington House in presenting a condition of a jamb within a jamb. The smaller of the jambs held the door when it was in place, as can be seen by the presence of three hinge mortises on the south jamb and a mortise lock strike plate on the north. The larger jamb to the east of the smaller measures 4" wider on each side and taller at the head (see photograph #38). It appears that the east jamb at least was added later as the plaster carrying the red-cream wallpaper is seen to have been broken through irregularly at the top and sides of the jamb frame when it was installed. The doorway has a substantial, rough-hewn wood lintel above it; the brick rest above the lintel and were not mortared into place. These brick simply lie on the lintel with a substantial crack separating them from the brick of the wall above. As there is a clear crack between the brick on the lintel and the brick of the west wall hanging above, there has never been proper support.

An assortment of excellent red-cream floral wallpaper samples was found on the west wall between 105/D1 and the cheek wall to the south. Also located was a stove pipe hole having double intersecting diameters (see photograph #38) of 6-1/2" each cut through the west wall, the center of which is approximately 1' 0" from the west cheek of the south wall at 7' 7-1/2" above the floor. These holes are seemingly connected to an attempted flue hole (see photograph #37) on the west cheek of the south wall. These double holes were filled with brick and mortar. The surfaces bond into each other where the west wall meets the south in the southwest corner of the inner hall (north wing).

The west face of the cheek wall was opened at three points and shows the roughly broken courses (see photograph #39) which resulted from the removal of the major portion of the south wall of the north wing following the construction of the main block in 1817-19. Above the 5' 6" point on the wall, there are two plaster series in evidence, the older having the red-cream floral wallpaper fragments. This older layer is broken roughly following the breakage line of the brick on which it lies. There is a 1" separation between the south face of the cheek wall and the north wall of the main block. A hard stucco surface can be seen on the former exterior of the cheek wall and this surface is presumed to have covered the exterior of the north wing when it was a house standing alone.

South Wall: The south wall of the inner hall (north wing) includes the north face of the cheek wall dating from the earliest building on the site (see photograph #37), and a portion of the north face of the main block north bearing wall of 1817-1819. After plaster removal, the cheek wall exhibited a patched flue hole, 7" in diameter, the centerline of which is 7' 7-1/2" above the finished floor, and 1' 0" east of the southwest corner. Removal of the rubble fill showed that this hole had been cut to a depth of 11" with no success at intersecting a flue. A chair rail channel was located on the cheek wall; it is 4" wide, with its bottom line at 2' 2" above the floor. Plaster on the cheek wall includes the two full series already found on the south portion of the west wall of the inner hall (north wing), which carries the red-cream paper and is the present finish of the room. Plaster around the inside southwest corner is continuous in both series.

The remainder of the south wall of the inner hall (north wing) lies approximately 9" to the south of the face of the cheek wall. Here there is only one series of plaster, the most recent. Much of the wall area is taken up by 105/D2; the presence of a segmental relieving arch above the doorway set into the brickwork shows that this doorway dates from the building of the main block (see photograph #40).

The six-panel door 105/D2 is painted on both faces. The door has been cut down on the hinge stile and does not fit well between the top of the lock stile and the head of the frame. The door is provided with a mortise lock which is lacking all its hardware other than the lock body and the strike plate. The hinges appear original both to the door and the frame. There is a paint layering exhibit panel on the north face which has no protective covering.

There is an abandoned fire extinguisher support to the west of 105/D2 between the door frame and the cheek wall end. The protrusion in the ceiling against the south wall is plaster over a beam which was put in place to support the remains of south roof outriggers following removal of most of the south wall when the north wing was attached to the main block.

East Wall: Some of the southeast corner of the inner hall (north wing) was opened (see photograph #40) just above the head of 105/D2. No stud was found lying against the south wall to support the lath of the east, with the first stud being located approximately 9" north of the south wall. There are two possible explanations for this condition. The stud may presently be 9" from the south wall because it was against the original south wall of the north wing which was removed; or the builders may have felt that it was necessary only to have a stud beside the frame of 107/D1 where the lath could be easily cantilevered over to the south wall. Examination of several pieces of lath on the stud seemingly confirmed the second theory as no nail holes other than the present ones were found, thereby indicating that the lath which extends to the present south wall is original to the stud. There is only one series of plaster on this lath, corresponding to the most recent finish. It is concluded that the south part of the east wall is contemporary with the building of the main block.

It was also found that the area within the east partition wall on the south wall had received a rough brown coat before the lath was put in place. There is no apparent reason for this brown coat; it is possible that the entire south wall of the inner hall (north wing) on the 1817-19 construction received a brown coat before the present partitions were erected in the north wing. The lath having no end support against the south wall, the army installed expanded metal lath in the southeast corner of 105 and new plaster to give stability and keep the corner from cracking. The entire east wall of the inner hall (north wing), including the small area facing south on the exterior wall of the Custis guest chamber closet, is the most recent series of plaster over split lath with no other series present. There is a curved wooden protective corner piece on the one exterior corner along this wall. This piece was once well defined by a "V" cut in the plaster down each side, as still can be seen in some parts, but most of this has been infilled by plaster patching.

The ceiling of the inner hall (north wing) is old and shows one series of plaster on split lath corresponding to the most recent plaster finish.

There is one duplex receptacle in the baseboard to the south of 105/D1, and no lights in the inner hall (north wing).

Connection to the North Wing (Room 105A): The flooring of the connection to the north wing is a continuation of that in the inner hall (north wing) and has the same characteristics and history. The baseboard is also like that in the inner hall (north wing), and is intact. The area in 105A is entirely within the main block construction and is formed by the enclosure of space falling between the two fireplace blocks. The change in elevation between the north wing and the rest of the house, a matter of 5-3/4", occurs here just behind 108/D2. As the space of 105A is all within the main block, it would seem logical that the elevation change would occur just behind 105/D2. Due to the swing of the doors involved, however, it functions better the way it was done, probably in 1817-19. Other unusual features of the connection to the north wing are the door casings. The trim of the south face of 105/D2 is typical of doorways in the main block, while that of the north face of 108/D2 is like those in the north wing, all of which would seem opposite of what it should be. As in a closet, the ceiling of 105A is only 7'8" above the finished floor. There is no obvious purpose to the small plaster wall protrusion behind the beaded exterior corner in the northeast area of the inner hall (north wing).

Other elevation changes between the north wing and the rest of the house occur on the west side of 104/D1 and 105/D1.

Inner Hall (North Wing) (Room 105) — Proposed Treatment

As has been noted previously, the uncovered chimney breast in the inner hall (north wing) is one of the most interesting, as well as most complex, architectural finds of the north wing investigation. As much of the evidence found there remains unexplained and as the inner hall (north wing) is primarily a utilitarian space, it is recommended that a way be found to only temporarily cover this breast and other important architectural features so that they can be further investigated and interpreted for visitors. In covering the breast, it will be necessary to construct something which will appear to be the actual plaster finish when in place, but which can be moved conveniently when necessary.

It is recommended that all wallpaper fragments be recorded graphically and photographically in situ before final treatment is determined.

Although the door at 105/D1 is currently missing, it was drawn in place in the sketch of the superintendent's quarters made c. 1920. [36] While this sketch is not felt to be wholly accurate in respect to other doors, it is obvious that there was once a door at 105/D1 and that it probably was in place circa 1861. It is recommended that the door be replaced with one similar to the other six-panel doors in the north wing. There is a possibility that the door in question was removed in the recent past and may be still stored somewhere at Arlington House. A search for it should be conducted before its reconstruction is initiated.

It is recommended as well that the loose brick above the lintel of 105/D1 be mortared in place prior to the replastering of the walls. Other brick removed on the west wall, other than those places on the chimney breast itself, should be remortared as well before replastering occurs.

Final recommendations include the removal of the fire extinguisher support on the south wall and restoration of the plaster configuration against the wooden piece protecting the exterior corner along the east wall. It will be noted again that the inner hall (north wing) is a dark space and could benefit from historic house lighting.

CUSTIS CHAMBER (ROOM 106) — EXISTING CONDITIONS

The flooring of the Custis chamber is random-width pine, tongue-and-grooved, running north-south, a twentieth-century replacement of the originals. The baseboard is the beaded variety characteristic of the north wing; it is intact.

North Wall: The north wall of the Custis chamber has an original plaster series on split lath, with a hacked finish coat covered by a skim coat, which shows on all walls as well as the ceiling.

The firebox of the fireplace was rebuilt during the War Department restoration; the portland mortar between the brick was colored dark. The flue is closed off with a copper sheet; temporary removal of this in 1980 uncovered old newspaper fragments dated 1924. The brick hearth is in good condition.

The Adam-style mantelpiece over the fireplace was removed in 1980 during the fabric investigation. The applied floral decoration is in poor condition, with some of it missing. From the back it became apparent that both legs of the mantelpiece had suffered from burning, particularly the west one. Two different sized pieces had been added on the interior of the plinth blocks (see photograph #41). Examination of the back of the mantel revealed a good deal of hand-planing marks. The stud to the west of the mantelpiece, and one of two to which the mantel was attached, showed several mortises and a round hole (see photograph #41) which are unexplained. It is likely that this stud once served elsewhere in a different capacity and was moved to this location during the last major decorative renovation of the north wing. The mantelpiece was reattached in 1981 and the areas to its east and west replastered over metal lath (see photograph #42).

Closet 106A to the west has two shelves 1" thick each, the tops of which are at 5'0" and 6' 3-1/4" above the finished floor; the shelves are 1' 1" deep. The north wall of the closet has a cornice composed of a piece of beaded trim with a backband running at the top. The closet floor is like that in the Custis chamber, but is separated from it and could be original. The baseboard is beaded and similar to that in most north wing rooms. The closet ceiling is 7' 11" above the floor.

Plaster removal in 106A on the north wall showed one series on split lath. The east wall of the closet and 8" of the north which abuts it is the brick of the fireplace block. On the brick are seen two series of plaster and an appearance of blue paint or wash not previously seen. The surface of the first series of plaster is hacked to give adherence to the second.

The double doors 106/D2 lead to closet 106A; they have three panels each vertically placed, and are stained on both faces. The east half overlaps the west. The west door has been cut down. There is a box lock on the east door on the north face and an escutcheon plate on the south face; no ghosts of any other hardware are seen, though, and there is no strike plate or keeper on the west door. The hinges appear old and are seemingly original to the doors. However, they are not original to the mortises on the west jamb which are too large for the present hinges. These doors may have been installed during the War Department restoration. The trim on the north face of the door frame inside 106A is a simple backband.

A connecting closet-hallway to the school and sewing room, (Room 106B) is believed to have some original shelving on the west wall. These five shelves are 1" thick, 11-1/2" deep, and the tops of each are at 1' 9-1/2", 2' 9", 4' 0", 5' 3", and 6' 6" above the floor. The floor of 106B is a continuation of that in the school and sewing room and is a twentieth century replacement. The baseboard on the east wall is like that in the school and sewing room; that on the west wall, however, is a slight variation on the baseboard in the Custis chamber. The interior trim of the two doorways, as in closet 106A, is a simple backband. Shelves on the east wall were removed in 1980 during the investigation and discarded as they dated obviously from the twentieth-century. The east wall has a ledger wall and chair rail, a continuation of that same feature in the school and sewing room. Both the north and south partition walls are built right over the chair rail and ledger wall (see photograph #43); the chair rail ends abruptly just under the plaster of the northeast corner of the Custis chamber where it was cut off roughly (see photograph #44).

The north and most of the south walls of 106B are one series of plaster over split lath. The west wall is the brick of the fireplace block. The east wall has a plaster series above the chair rail and a skim coat, all on the brick east exterior bearing wall. There is also a small portion of the south wall between 106/D3 and the southeast corner of 106B that has a plaster series and a skim coat.

The double doors to closet 106B (106/D3), which are the match to those at 106/D2, are each three panels placed vertically and stained on both faces. Again, the east half overlaps the west. There is a ghost of a different box lock that was once in place. Pieces have been added to the bottom of each door, but the stiles of the doors have not been cut down to fit the openings. There is a box lock on the east door, most likely a reproduction, which is missing its shank, knobs, and escutcheon plate. There is, however, a strike plate on the west door. The hinges appear old and are probably original to both doors; the hinge mortises on the jambs also appear original. There is a paint layering exhibit panel on the east jamb.

West Wall: The west wall has one plaster series and a skim coat over split lath. There is a six-panel door 106/D1 stained on both faces. The lock stile has been cut down as has the bottom rail. The door originally had a mortise lock, but presently is fitted with a reproduction box lock with all its hardware intact. The hinges appear original to the door. On the door frame, the north jamb has been pieced where there was once a strike plate and the south jamb where there were two hinge mortises. The door is probably not original to the opening.

South Wall: The south wall also has one plaster series and a skim coat over split lath. Unlike the unusual conditions in the northwest and southeast corners of the inner hall (north wing), or the northeast corner of the Custis chamber, this partition wall on the east begins with a stud right against the bearing wall. The doorway 106/D4 is without a door. The only remains of the door, which probably was removed within this century, are two halves of two Victorian butt hinges applied directly to the face of the east jamb and not mortised. There is also the keeper of what appears to have been a reproduction box lock on the west jamb. There are hinge mortises which have been pieced on the west jamb indicating that an earlier door swung from that jamb. Investigations were also carried out above the frame head on the Custis guest chamber side of 106/D4. What appeared to be patching plaster was found above the doorway and there was no header within the framing system. Both of these discoveries would indicate that 106/D4 was added later as a doorway. However, removal of the backband on the door head casing showed hand planing in the making of the moulding and small L-head nails, both characteristics of the early nineteenth century during which the partitions were believed to have been erected. It was then confirmed that the carpenter of the partitions did not have the habit of putting framing headers above his doorways. First 106/D3 was investigated; there was no header and the studs above the doorway measured only 1 x 4, thereby showing that he knew he was framing a doorway and not just a wall in which a doorway would later be cut. The same backband was found, and the same nails. Investigation of D6/D1 showed the same result, except that the studs above the head were, full size, like those in 106/D4.

East Wall: (See photograph #45) Window 106/W1 is a 15 over 8 double sash semi-circular headed window with counterweights. The same questions surrounding its authenticity exist as with two windows in the school and sewing room. Former window headers (photograph #46) were found under the sill of both 106/W1 and 107/W1 and may have been headers for the original round-headed windows in the north wing. Like those windows in the school and sewing room, 106/W1 has a partially concealed connector underneath installed by the army in 1929.

As with the west wall of the inner hall (north wing), the complexity of the east wall of the Custis chamber (photograph #45) will necessitate its being divided into three sections for description: Portion north of 106/W1, above 106/W1, and portion south of 106/W1.

Portion North of 106 W1: The first few inches above the floor were heavily rebuilt during the War Department restoration with the resetting of joists and installation of electrical conduits. The initial 2' 2" above the floor is the ledger wall once under the chair rail cut off in the northeast corner of the Custis chamber (see photograph #44). There is a definite ghost line of a wall perpendicular to the east wall on the face of the ledger wall approximately 2' 2" south of the northeast corner of the Custis chamber. To the north of this line is a plaster series on brick with the finish coat hacked to carry the top skim coat. The plaster series forms a lip where it abuts the red plaster to the south of the ghost. This red plaster is the same as that found on the west wall of the inner hall (north wing). It appears in this area of the Custis chamber to the south of the wall ghost line and to the north of some modern brickwork done during the War Department restoration at the north end of the convector beneath 106/W1. This area of red plaster is only about 8" wide by 1' 6" high, and it continues on the brick below the hacked plaster series already described in its ribbon toward the north at an elevation just above the electric conduit.

The brick wall above the level of the chair rail is composed of rubble, bats, and sailors, much like the condition in the northwest corner of the school and sewing room, to a height of approximately 5' 4" above the finished floor. There is a straight vertical joint in this rough brickwork, 11" from the northeast corner and which runs 1' 10" from the level of the chair rail to a point approximately 4' 0" above the floor. This area of rough brickwork was covered with a series of plaster which becomes increasingly thicker as it approaches the chair rail level so that it eventually covered the remains of the ledger wall with a smooth surface from the ceiling to the floor. This renovated wall was no longer plumb but rather angled into the room slightly at the base. This thick series carried another series over it approximately 3/4" thick. Over this last series was the present skim coat; both plaster series below were finished in a basically white color and hacked to receive the adherence of the layer above. Both the first layer on the wall above the chair rail (see photograph #47) and the white plaster below on the ledger wall appear contemporaneous as they both extend behind the partition wall to the north and predate its placement in the north wing. The second series is the same plaster layer as that on the lath of the partition wall to the north; it is continuous around the northeast corner of the Custis chamber.

The first series ends at a point 2' 2" from the north partition wall, in line with the wall ghost on the ledger wall below. As can be seen in photograph #48, the series stopped in a lip indicating that the wall turned a corner here and departed perpendicularly to the wall now gone. The area to the south of this line where the theoretical wall intersected was found to be brick covered by the second series and skim coat only. The brick is seen to have been laid right up against the north edge of the frame of 106/W1 in this area, and it is believed that the window here was probably installed when the east bearing wall of the north wing was built. However, there is a portion of brick in this area that seems to have been patched, which prevents the idea that the window may have been added later from being completely dismissed.

At a point 10" from the north partition wall and 5' 3" above the finished floor is a 3/4" space between two bricks (see photograph #49) which probably once held a railing block. The only other possible plaster layer not discussed yet to the north of 106/W1 is a hard finished brown coat, a small portion of which exists near the window head under the second series of plaster. This layer seems to correspond to similar finished brown coat to the south of 106/W1, which carries fragments of the red-cream wallpaper.

Above 106/W1: The window has a poorly constructed segmental arch above it. A crack begins near the center of this arch and works its way vertically to the top of the wall. The area above the window shows a hard, light-gray plaster on the brick, over which was placed the second series of plaster and the skim coat seen throughout the present surface of the Custis chamber.

Portion South of 106/W1: As in the north portion, this area shows an extensive rebuilding in the first few inches off the floor where the army installed electrical conduit. Also the brickwork between the chair rail channel and the 5' 6" mark above the floor is very poor and composed largely of rubble, bats, and sailors, as well as the backside of the sandstone sill which shows on the exterior of the building. Above the 5' 6" mark, however, the brickwork is well-laid in running bond. The chair rail channel is apparent here as well, the bottom of which is 2' 1/2" off the floor. Both the areas above and below the chair rail channel are covered in the hard, light-gray plaster already seen above 106/W1. This plaster is covered by the second plaster series and the skim, with the base coat of the second series filling the chair rail channel.

The area above the 5' 6" mark on the south portion of 106/W1 is done in red plaster, which extends up to the bottom of a second chair rail channel at 7' 2" above the finished floor. This higher channel is also filled with a base coat of the second plaster series. Above this second channel is found a heavily-aggregated brown coat with a smooth-finished surface. Both the red plaster and the smooth-finished brown coat show remnants of the red-cream leaf pattern wallpaper.

As on the portion north of 106/W1, there is a vertical joint in the poor brickwork running up six courses from the chair rail channel at a point 3' 8-1/2" from the south partition wall. As in many other corners in the north wing, the southeast corner of the room was strengthened by the placement of expanded metal lath and new plaster during the War Department restoration.

The ceiling of the Custis chamber is on split lath and is composed of one series corresponding to the second series on the east wall of the Custis chamber and a skim coat. The center of the ceiling is sagging badly due to weak joists above. This structural condition was corrected, however, in the 1980 stabilization of the north wing roof, and the sag in the ceiling was stabilized in place.

There is no lighting in the Custis chamber. There are two duplex receptacles: one to the north of 106/D1 on the baseboard and one to the north of 106/W1 on the baseboard.

With all conduit now rerouted out of public view in the winter kitchen, it is recommended that the existing circular-sawn joists in the ceiling be painted a matte white to simulate whitewash (as well as the underside of the floor boards above). As to the evidence found on the sole surviving original joist, there would be nothing wrong with the wine cellar having a plaster ceiling should it be decided to have one as well in the winter kitchen. The plaster ceiling, however, may not seem appropriate with the dirt floor.

As was noted earlier, both the winter kitchen and the wine cellar are much in need of historic house lighting, particularly an accentuating of notable features.

Custis Chamber (Room 106) — Proposed Treatment

The door for 106/D4 is believed to have recently been removed. The door is indicated on the drawing c. 1920, which shows the superintendent's quarters. [37] It is recommended that this door be located, and if it cannot be found, it should be reconstructed following the design of a typical north wing six-panel door. The hinges should match those on other doors in style and position on the frame.

It has been established that the north wing was once a two-story building. It is recommended that the east wall be replaced by movable panels, over the evidence. In this manner, the evidence established by the investigation of 1980-81 may be preserved and uncovered in the future.

As has been noted, the ceiling of the Custis chamber was stabilized in place during the work of 1980. As it is old and probably original to the present partition arrangement of the north wing, our recommendation is that it be left in its present sagged condition unless any further deterioration is noticed.

Restoration of mantel trim is recommended since this may be the oldest mantel in the house and it is possibly original to this room.

CUSTIS GUEST CHAMBER (ROOM 107) — EXISTING CONDITIONS

The floor of the Custis guest chamber is random-width, tongue-and-groove pine running north-south. It is a twentieth-century replacement. The baseboard is intact, and is the simple beaded variety prevalent in the north wing.

North Wall: This wall is one plaster series with a skim over split lath. As has been mentioned in regard to the Custis chamber, there is a large modern patch over 106/D4.

West Wall: The west wall of the Custis guest chamber also has one plaster series on split lath with a skim coat showing. There is a paint layering exhibit panel on the plaster wall between 107/D1 and 107/D2 running vertically from the top of the baseboard.

There is a six-panel door (107/D1) painted on both faces. The door has been cut down on the hinge stile. There is a box lock with all hardware missing, including the keeper. The hinges appear original to the situation and no other mortises are showing on the door or jamb. There is a paint layering exhibit panel on the east face. Like 104/D2, 104/D3, 104/D4, and 107/D2, 107/D1 is a 6' 2" high door.

A six-panel door (107/D2) is painted on both faces. The door has been cut down on the lock stile and at the bottom. There is the ghost of a box lock and keeper on the east face of the door and its frame. There is currently a simple reproduction box lock and escutcheon plate on the door; there is no strike plate or keeper, but rather a simple mortise cut into the jamb. The hinges may be original to the door but the jambs have hinge mortises which are larger than presently necessary. The trim on the exterior of 107/D2 is the same as that on the interior of 107A. There is a six-pane fixed-sash transom light above 107/D2 which illumines 107A behind. There is a paint layering exhibit panel on the west face of 107/D2.

There is a large closet (107/A) off the Custis guest chamber which has a pine floor that is a continuation of the one in the main room. As in the Custis guest chamber, as well, there is the simple beaded baseboard, which is intact. There are four shelves which continue around the north, west, and south walls. The shelves are 1" thick, 10-1/4" deep, and with tops located at 2' 6", 3' 8-1/2", 4' 11-3/4", and 6' 2-1/2" above the finished floor. There is a brace under each at the mid-point of the west wall. The shelves are believed to be original to the closet construction.

Closet 107A has a plaster ceiling 9' 6" above the floor and a 2' 4" x 2' 4" access trap door to the north wing attic. There is a rough ladder in modern materials which gives access to this ceiling opening that was constructed in 1980. There is one series of plaster throughout in 107A on split lath and many coats of paint.

South Wall: Like the south wall of the inner hall (north wing), that of the Custis guest chamber has two sections: the 1817-19 north bearing wall of the main block and the earlier cheek wall of the original south bearing wall of the north wing. Differing from the south wall in the inner hall (north wing), however, the main block portion of the south wall in the Custis guest chamber is a plaster series under a more recent skim coat. The southwest corner of the room was disturbed when metal lath was introduced to give additional strength during the War Department restoration. During investigations in 1980, two flue holes were located, (see photograph #50); the centerlines of both are at 8' 0" above the finished floor, on the 1817-19 wall. One was found to have a blackened interior and is connected to the flue of the chimney in the family parlor. It is 6-1/2" in diameter and is located 4' 6" from the west wall of the Custis guest chamber. The other is of a smaller diameter of 4" and is 6' 1" from the west wall. The smaller hole was dug 1' 7" into the wall before it was abandoned as a possible attempt to find a flue. When located and dug out, it was found to be filled with a broken piece of plaster trim like that presently found around the edge of the large arch against the north wall in Mrs. R. E. Lee's morning room.

The cheek wall portion of the south wall has two full plaster series. The earlier one against the brick is the smooth-finished brown coat with remnants of the red-cream wallpaper as also identified on the upper portion of the east wall in the Custis chamber. It can be seen that this series was on the south wall of the north wing at the time it was broken through for connection to the main block; the series is broken off roughly like the brick below it. The second series is the same as that at the east wall of the Custis chamber, it turns the corner of the cheek wall, covers its ragged end, and continues to become the principal series of the 1817-19 south wall.

East Wall: Window 107/W1 is another 15 over 8 double-sashed and semi-circular headed window with counterweights like those in the school and sewing room and the Custis chamber. It shares the characteristics of those others as described except for the fact that it has no concealed convector beneath it. In place of the convector, this window has, for no apparent reason, retained the ledger wall beneath it (see photograph #51) which once ran along the entire east and west interior walls of the north wing. This short piece of the ledger wall was investigated in 1980 and found to be broken off on both its ends. Its first series of plaster, the red coat seen in the inner hall (north wing) and the Custis chamber, is also broken like the brick ends. The hole is covered with the second series and skim coat of plaster which finishes the ends and continues onto the east wall to the north and south.

The area to the north of 107/W1 corresponds strongly to the conditions on the portion south of 106/W1 in the Custis chamber. All series and features are the same; also, there is a railing block mortared between two bricks 11" north of 107/W1 and 5' 4" above the finished floor. Also, just above the lower chair rail channel on the hard, light gray plaster, there was found a fragment of wallpaper which may be the same as the simulated wood-graining paper found below the chair rail channel on the south part of the chimney breast in the inner hall (north wing). It is probable, however, that this fragment is from a paper having a different pattern from the simulated wood-graining.

The smooth-finished brown coat is also found near the southeast corner of the Custis guest chamber around 8' 0" above the floor. Much of the upper wall area to the south of 107/W1 appears to be a patch. The lower chair rail channel continues to the south of 107/W1.

The ceiling of the Custis guest chamber is a modern replacement on expanded metal lath. A hole several feet square was opened in it near the mid-section of the west wall in order that a support could be erected to carry a composite beam during its assembling for the attic structural stabilization. A similar hole was opened and patched near the southwest corner of the Custis chamber as well.

There are no lights in the Custis guest chamber and one duplex receptacle to the south of 107/W1 on the baseboard.

Custis Guest Room — Proposed Treatment

Recommendations for the room will be deferred until the north wing investigation is completed.

NOTE: The following portion of the report will discuss existing conditions in the main block, the south wing, the house garret, and the house exterior. As only limited fabric investigation was carried out in parts of the house other than the north wing, consideration of the following spaces will not be as comprehensive as the foregoing sections on the house basement and the north wing.

FAMILY PARLOR (ROOM 108) — EXISTING CONDITIONS

The flooring of the family parlor is random-width, tongue-and-groove pine, running north-south and dating from the twentieth century.

The baseboards, door and window casings, arch casings, and elaborate plaster ceiling cornice are intact and original to the decorative scheme of the main block. There are paint layering exhibit panels beneath 108/W2 on the baseboard, on the wall and cornice above 108/W2, and on the east wall of the room near the southwest corner.

The fireplace has a carved marble mantel and a brick hearth laid in a regular pattern. The floor of the firebox contains a hot-air diffuser installed during the Department restoration. The back of the firebox appears to have original brickwork, but the sides have been rebuilt. The flue was stopped by copper sheeting during the War Department restoration. There is a jack arch over the firebox opening 4" behind the mantelpiece. It can be seen that the top of the jack arch on either side has been cut off to allow installation of the mantel; the middle of the bottom of the jack arch has also been chipped away.

Windows 108/W1 and 108/W2 are both twelve-over-eight double sash, with counterweights. There is no reason to believe that they are not historic fabric; they are in very good condition.

Door 108/D1 has six panels and is stained on both faces. It has not been cut down, but has had a small piece added to the top rail. The mortise lock is not original and replaces a larger mortise lock. Escutcheon plates, knobs, shank, and strike plate are missing. The hinges are apparently original to the door and jamb. There is a paint layering exhibit panel on the lower north face.

Doors 108/D2 are double doors, three-panels each, stained on both faces. These doors lead into space 105A. Both doors here have been cut down on hinge stiles to fit the opening and a 1" piece has been added to both bottom rails. The hinges, which are painted white, are apparently not original to either doors or jambs. There is a ghost of a strike plate on the west jamb, and the top mortise on the east jamb is served inches larger than the present hinge. There are no signs on the doors themselves of any missing or former hardware. The west door is provided with a reproduction mortise lock with all parts intact; this side of the two door group overlaps the other and shows a bead down the lock stile. The lap behind it on the east door also has a bead on its north face.

Doors 108/D3 are double doors like 108/D2; they close off closet 108A. They have three-panels each and are stained on both faces. A piece was added to the west jamb of the doorway so that the doors would fit the opening, the west door having been cut down radically on its hinge stile. A 1-3/8" piece has been added to the bottom rail of each door. The west door has a simple box lock on its north face and no escutcheon plate on the south face. The east door is pierced where a strike plate once may have been located. Indications on the jambs are that the doorway was originally filled by a single door, its hinges having been on the west jamb. There is a paint layering exhibit panel (circa 1950s) on the south face of the west door. The west door overlaps the east with a bead down the lock stile.

The closet 108A has a simple baseboard incorporating a smaller version of the bottom portion of the family parlor baseboards. The closet has one shelf at 6' 5" above the floor and a line of what appears to be patched peg holes at 5' 11" above the floor. The top of the closet is formed by a wood board with a beaded edge flush with the top of the door jamb. The ceiling of the closet is 7' 9-1/4" above the floor. There are no door casings on the interior, although evidence shows there were at one time. The rough-hewn studs are exposed flanking the door frame and exhibit nail holes and bent rails left in place from former casings. The floor of 108A is a continuation of that in the family parlor corresponding space west of the chimney block is discussed as 105A (see page 1064).

There are no lights in the family parlor and one duplex receptacle in the baseboard behind 108/D1.

Arches Separating Family Parlor and Family Dining Room

The three arches (see photograph #52) separating the family parlor (room 108) and the dining room (room 109) share the common characteristic of appearing to have originally held fanlights. There remains today as evidence of these fanlights a channel in each arch jamb above the springing line. The study collection contains one fanlight believed to have been removed from these archives.

Under the springing line of the center arch remains evidence of double doors which swung into the family dining room. Both the north and south jambs of this center arch have hinge mortises which have been pierced; also, to the east side, there are door stops beyond the infilled hinge mortises.

The south arch of the three was investigated to determine original conditions. The beaded trim board from the post within the north jamb of the south arch which faces east was partially removed. It was seen that the post, which is placed to indicate support of the blocks of the reeding band above, is composed of a rough stud against the arch jamb finished with trim boards on three sides. Nail holes unconnected with the trim boards were found, however, in the stud. These small holes appeared to be the result of the lath nails; also seen on the study were faint white stains at regular intervals, indicating that lath and plaster had once been against the stud.

The blocks at the bases of the arches near the springing line which present a reeded band were made to duplicate the rest of the band; however, they are more crudely fashioned and do not appear to have been done by the same craftsman (see photograph #53).

There is an old nail above the center of the south arch which may have been used for Christmas ornaments. There are no similar nails, however, above the center of north arch. There is a paint layering exhibit panel on the south jamb of the south arch on its west side.

FAMILY DINING ROOM (ROOM 109) — EXISTING CONDITIONS

The flooring of the family dining room is random-width, tongue-and-groove pine dating from this centering and running north-south. All baseboards, door and arch casings, and ceiling cornices are seemingly original and in good condition. There are two groups of shelves (see photograph #54) on the extremities of the west wall which are adjustable to every 3-1/2". The molding above the bookcases, a reed band having a single torus, is continuous along the west wall and on the east at the springing line of the arches. The fanlight above 110/D2 on the west wall of the family dining room (see photograph #55) has a number of cracks and missing pieces from the individual almond-shaped panes.

The carved marble mantelpiece is similar in design to that in the family parlor, but differs in detail and decorative elements. The hearth is brick laid in a regular pattern, and the sides of the firebox have been rebuilt. There is no jack arch over the fireplace opening, but rather a simple running bond over a cast-iron bar let into the wall to the east and west. There is a hot-air diffuser in the floor of the firebox which dates from 1949. There are paint layering exhibit panels to the east of the fireplace on the north wall, to the south of 110/D2, on the baseboard beneath the north bookcase on the north wall, and two on the south wall behind 109/D1.

Door 109/D1 is a six-panel door stained on both faces. Both stiles have been cut down, and a 3/4" piece has been added to the bottom rail. The lock is a smaller mortise than the original and is missing the shank and knobs. There is a strike plate on the jamb, but the tongue is broken off. The hinges and their mortises appear original to the location. There are two paint layering exhibit panels on the north face of 109/D1.

There are no lights in the family dining room, and one duplex receptacle in the baseboard behind 109/D1.

Family Parlor and Family Dining Room ѿ Proposed Treatment

The marble mantels in the family parlor and family dining room are in need of cleaning.

There is no question that the arches between the family parlor and the family dining room were once filled, but it has not been established that they were filled in 1861. This question may be answered by evaluation of paint sequences, documentary evidence from the Agnes Lee journal, and study of the arch molding in the ceiling of the bath. There is insufficient evidence to recommend a change in existing conditions. Circumstantial evidence supports the present treatment.

In terms of design, the three fanlights should following pattern established by those between the family dining room and the north stair hall, and between Mrs. R. E. Lee's morning room and the office and study, for lack of further evidence. The double doors may have been a simple design of two vertical rows of panes each, unless further information about them is located. Reconstruction of these arch elements should await the completion of the history section at Arlington House.

NORTH STAIR HALL (ROOM 110) — EXISTING CONDITIONS

The flooring in the north stair shall is random-width, tongue-and-groove pine, running north-south, as replaced in this century.

All baseboards are in good condition and believed to be original. The baseboard running along the west wall appears to have been removed and reapplied 1/2" out of the brick surface. This baseboard may have been taken down and incorrectly replaced during the War Department restoration when the diffuser below 110/W1 was installed. The baseboard on the panelled wall below the stairway is perfectly plain. There is an overboard as well on the panelled wall below the stair, riding on the plain baseboard, which corresponds to some older baseboard from the north wing found in the north wing attic, a type which survives only as the principal baseboard of the school and sewing room.

Window 110/W1 is a twelve-over-eight double sash window with all moldings, etc. in good condition, and counterweighted. There is a steel rod running from the top of 110/W1 to stabilize the stair rail. There is no cornice around the ceiling of the north stair hall.

Door 110/D1 is a six-panel door painted on both faces. The only addition to the door is a small piece above the top rail beginning on the lock side 3/8" and feathered to the hinge side. Hinges appear original; no other mortises are in evidence on either door or jamb. There is a reproduction box lock, lacking only the keeper, over the ghost of a larger lock which measured approximately 5-1/4" x 9".

Door 110/D2 is a six-panel door painted on both faces. It has been cut down on both sides, radically on the hinge stile. There is a piece added to the top rail 3/8" on the lock side and feathered to the hinge. There is a mortise lock on all parts intact, but needing renovation to become thoroughly operable. The hinges are seemingly original to both the door and jamb. The reed band above the door and under the fanlight corresponds to that used on the springing line of the arches in the family parlor in having double tori instead of the single torus of the family dining room. The door has a paint layering exhibit panel on its west face. To the south of the door are two horizontal boards which once supported a fire extinguisher.

Door 100/D3 is a six-panel door painted on both faces. The panels from the inside show evidence of hand planning, and the lock stile is worn a good deal. There is a ghost of a box lock on the interior face, which measured 3-1/2" x 5". There is a modern rim right latch on the interior and a reproduction fixed knob screwed to the lock stile on the exterior. The only strike plate is that for the modern lock, although ghosts of others are visible. The escutcheon plate is of uncertain date. The hinges are apparently original as there are no other mortises in evidence.

Door 110/D3 is the door to closet 110A. This small space under the servants' stair to the second floor was once a stairway to B04. The stairway hole is covered strongly with pine boards which overlay the present floor of the closet. A piece of the original baseboard, which runs unpainted along the east wall, matches the bottom portion of the principal baseboard in the north stair hall. Both the ceiling and the west wall of 110A are covered in modern sheet rock. In 1981 a 4" x 4" steel angle was placed in the head of the closet to give better support of the center stringer of the stair carriage above. The east end of the angle was mortared 4" into the brick bearing wall and the west end was folded over and bolted into a stud with four lag screws. The east casing of the closet door on the interior is a piece of beaded trim.

There are no operable electrical receptacles or lights in the north stair hall.

North Stair Hall (Room 110) — Proposed Treatment

It is recommended that the baseboard along the west wall be removed and reattached so that it fits closer to the wall; as well as, removal of the old outlet and piecing of the baseboard. The fire extinguisher support and the boards on which it is attached behind 110/D2 should be removed as the extinguisher is no longer is use. The metal rod stabilizing the stair rail should be left in place for the safety of the public.

CENTER HALL (ROOM 111) — EXISTING CONDITIONS

The flooring of the center hall is random-width, tongue-and-groove pine dating from the twentieth century and running east-west. There is a small portion of the center hall between the north arch on the west end and 111/D3 where the boards run north-south.

The baseboards are intact, seemingly original, and like those seen in the water closet, the family dining room, and the north stair hall. The curved blocks attached to the baseboard east of 109/D1 and west of 112/D2 were placed there as steps. Arch and door casings and jambs are also apparently original; many of them have the unusual feature of being pieced near their contact with the floor. The varied piecings are irregular in size and are often crudely done in imitation of the original designs. This piecing may have been necessary due to excessive wear. The four doorways leading off the center hall into the family parlor, the family dining room, and the white parlor have jamb panels of the same design. There is a paint layering exhibit panel (circa 1950s) in the center of the south wall above the baseboard.

Both the ceiling of the main portion of the hall to the east and that of the smaller portion to the west, defined by the three arches, have elaborate plaster cornices similar to those in the family parlor and the family dining room. They are in good condition and may be original. The small area north of the north arch and south of 111/D3 has no ceiling cornice.

Doors 111/D1 are double doors of five vertical panels each painted on both faces. These doors provide the principal entry to the house from the west. The doors were made for this opening and are held to be original to the 1817-19 building for the main block. The north door has floor and head bolts, and the south door has a 6" x 10" box lock and keeper; all hardware is intact and believed original. There is no suggestion of any other hardware having ever been on the doors; the hinges appear original as well and there are no other mortises on the doors or jambs. The doors were taken down in 1981, stripped of all paint, and given a much needed renovation necessitated by paint build-up and the working loose of the door rail and stile joints. On the west (exterior) face, the north door overlaps the south by 1/2" in a vertical bead. Doorway 111/D1 is flanked by 111/D1 and 111/W2, two six-over-four double sash windows which act as side lights to the doorway. These are small windows placed above panels which extend to the threshold on the floor; the windows are not counterweighted.

Doors 111/D2 are double doors opening onto the portico, which serves as the principal entrance to the house. They are painted on both faces; each has two panels of the same size beneath the locking rail and ten small panels of the same size above above it. The south door has two cracked panels on its north side. The south door has a large 6" x 10-1/4" box lock and a circular brass knocker and brass escuthceon plate on the exterior. The north door has the lock keeper and a bolt at the head and bottom; the bottom bolt is missing its strike plate. The hinges on both doors appear original to the doors and jambs. There are no signs of former hardware and that on the doors is intact except for what has been mentioned. The doors were rehung in 1981 after being repainted as the screws were working loose. The only original paint sequence remaining on the front doors is located on the hinged edge of the north door.

Door 111/D3 is a six-panel door painted on both faces. The door has not been cut down, but has a 1/2" strip added to the bottom rail. There is a large box lock having a plate attached reading "Arlington Mansion - The Gift of Mr. Charles L. Frank of Washington, D.C.". The lock and the keeper are in good condition but the lock currently lacks the shand and knobs. There are no signs of former hardware on the door. There is a paint layering exhibit panel (circa 1950s) on the south face.

The structure of the north arch of the center hall was extensively renovated and stabilized during 1980. Due to the very poor quality of the brick and mortar used and to the fact that this structural element of the center hall was not constructed as a true arch as it is supported by only one curved row of headers lying flat on their broad edge (see photograph #56), certain cracks had developed which indicated a need for repair. While it could not be ascertained how long the cracks had been in evidence, it is believed by close observers that they had grown wider in recent years. There was a possibility that the cracks had originated just after the building of the main block, but there was no documentation to indicate when they were first noticed. During the mid-1970s, plywood centering supported by wood posts was erected under the arch to protect the visiting public. From the crack pattern which had developed on the south face of the arch and mural attributed to George Washington Parke Custis, there was reason to believe that a triangular section of the arch, measuring approximately 2' on a side, could disengage.

Stabilization work began with removal of the plaster on the opposite side of the arch from the mural painting. Once the brick surface was exposed (see photograph #56), a major crack 1" in width was seen to have developed vertically above the arch running down to the west; other smaller cracks were also observed. The fact that some of these cracks were reflected in the mural on the opposite face showed they were severe and that a genuine problem existed.

Small-diameter threaded steel pipes were lodged into these cracks at intervals (see photograph #56) and a substantial brown coat of plaster was applied over the area of exposed brickwork and allowed to dry. A highly-fluid grout mixture, designed to penetrate all spaces within the cracked arch, was pumped by hand through a hose connected to the threaded ends of the short pipes issuing from the cracks. The process began at the lowest pipe and pumping continued at low pressure until liquid grout ran from the next highest pipe location, at which time the grout hose was connected to the higher pipe. As narrow streams of grout were found on basement walls, it is assumed that the entire arch was filled from the floor of the center hall to within 1' of the ceiling. Over one hundred and fifty pounds of grout were pumped into the north arch, all of which was allowed to cure for one month before work proceeded.

For the second phase of arch stabilization work, a foot wide band of plaster was removed down to the brick under the curve of the arch jamb at its apex. A quarter-inch steel plate 10" wide and 5' long was manufactured in a curve (see photograph #57) corresponding to that of the arch, and temporarily braced under the arch against the brick. Using a diamond bit, 1" holes were then bored at the four corners of the plate to a depth of approximately 2' into the grouted area of the arch mass. Three-quarter inch stainless steel rods were inserted to the bottoms of these holes and were lodged there by self-expanding metal wedges. The curved metal plate was bolted to these rods and the grout was pumped into the space remaining between the rods and the hole channels through a small hole drilled through the plate beside each bolt (see photograph #58). Grout was also pumped into small holes distributed over the plate to fill in the area between the plate and the brickwork of the arch. All these small holes had been threaded to hold the fitting of the grout-pump hose. The plate was then painted and plastered (see photograph #59).

The only visible reminder of the arch stabilization shows in the repair of the arch casing on its south edge to the west, which exhibits a filled joint where the molding sheared at some point in time during the slow dislodgement of the triangular mass and was displaced permanently.

The south arch of the center hall, which faces the arch just described, has no mural. Like the north arch, however, it does show a crack which runs vertically from the apex of the arch to a point near the ceiling where it veers to the west. This crack also is a probable result of poor quality materials and design. However, this crack differs substantially from the other on the north arch as it has not isolated a triangular mass in the center of the arch, which is in danger of disengaging.

The arch to the east, which is wider in span than the twin north and south arches, carries a mural and shows no sign of structural decay. Its excellent condition is due primarily to the fact that the arch is not of brick (as are the two others), but is constructed out of wood, lath and plaster.

The remaining center hall mural, that above the west door (111/D1), was damaged in the past by two major cracks which were once restored. Unfortunately, the restoration paint has not adhered and the cracks currently show as two large white marks across the face of the mural. These cracks appear old, and may well date from the very early years of the main block. There is a good chance that these cracks results from the general settlement of the building and, in particular, from the natural deformation of the lintel above the wide expanse of 111/D1 and 111/D2 and W2 which carries a large area of brick. This material movement has probably long since stabilized itself as it shows no sign of recent deterioration.

There are no lights in the center hall, and two duplex receptacles: one at the base of the west jamb of the north arch at the west of the center hall, and one to the north of 111/D2 on the baseboard at the east end.

Center Hall (Room 111) — Proposed Treatment

Since the north arch was repaired in the fall of 1980, no further movement has been observed. If this condition remains until the fall of 1981, it can be assumed that the mural above the arch can be safely restored. The mural is presently in poor condition due to cracks from the structural failure of the arch and deterioration of the 1930 restoration. The mural above 111/D1 has also been damaged by past cracking; it is probable, however, that the material movement responsible for these cracks has stabilized. It is the recommendation of the report that the two damaged murals be repaired and that all three murals be thoroughly cleaned and restored by a qualified specialist.

The south arch, which exhibits only a minor crack, should be left as is unless further cracking or other deterioration is observed. Cracks in the door panels of 111/D2 and worn ends of door and arch casings near the floor should be left as is for their value in enhancing the historic ambience of the house.

It is recommended that the north wall and related structure be examined to identify location of air passage from 1855 furnace to center hall and upper hall. The duct should be restored if there is sufficient evidence of the 1861 appearance.

WHITE PARLOR (ROOM 112) — EXISTING CONDITIONS

The flooring of the white parlor is random-width, tongue-and-groove pine running north-south and dating from this century. The baseboards are intact; their only dubious feature historically is the odd, unfinished manner in which they stop adjacent to the fireplaces on the south wall. In design they are like those in the center hall.

The door and window casings differ from those in the rest of the house and exhibit a later style than the Greek revival character of most of the rest of the main block. The white parlor and Mrs. R. E. Lee's morning room adjacent to it are the only areas in the house having plinth blocks.

Windows 112/W1 and 112/W2 are twelve-over-eight double-sash windows with counterweights. They have wood panels between their sills and the baseboard, as do those in Mrs. R. E. Lee's morning room. The baseboard beneath these panels in the white parlor, between the plinth blocks of the window casings, differs from that in the rest of the room and in the rest of the house.

The most distinctive feature of the white parlor is the design of its south wall (see photograph #60). The elements are composed symmetrically around the doorway (115/D1) to the south wing, which is accented by a double recessed semi-circular arch. To either side of this doorway is an identical fireplace, and, between each fireplace and the side walls a semi-circular arched niche. The inner arch around the doorway is the only one in brick; it is built into the south bearing wall to the main block. The other arches are all in lath and plaster over wood, as is the great arch on the north wall of Mrs. R. E. Lee's morning room just across the bearing wall from them.

The interior of the east fireplace box has been completely rebuilt (see photograph #61); this work was probably done during the War Department restoration. There is no arch in evidence above the fireplace opening, but rather a modern angle iron. The heating system diffuser was installed in the floor of the firebox in 1929. The hearth is of stone and broken near the center. There are several small cracks in the marble mantlepiece itself.

The west fireplace, which has a carved marble mantlepiece typical of the Victorian period, exhibits similar conditions as described in the east fireplace. The only differences between these twin fireplaces is that the west one has no cracks in its face, none in its hearth, and a heat diffuser which dates only from 1949.

The ceiling cornice is of molded plaster similar to those in the family parlor, family dining room, and the center hall; it is intact and believed to be historic. There is a circular plaster decoration (see photograph #62) in the center of the ceiling composed of three gilded tori which surrounds the chain of the light fixture. It is consistent with the decor of the rest of the room and believed to be original.

Door 112/D1 is a six-panel door stained on both faces. The door has neither been cut down nor pierced, and there are no indications that there has ever been any different hardware on the door. The mortise lock fits the door, but appears to be a reproduction. The strike plate is bent out of shape and the portion of the casing bead in front of the strike plate appears to be a replacement. The hinges appear to be original.

Door 112/D2 is a six-panel door stained on both faces. It has been cut down on both sides and has a 1-1/4" piece added to the bottom rail. Both the mortise lock and hinges have been moved to opposite sides of the door from where they were originally. The mortise lock (5-1/2") is smaller than the original (7") and is probably a reproduction; the mortise bolt knob is missing. There are the ghosts of three hinge mortises on the lock stile which are pieced over. The present arrangement has two hinges; the hinge mortise near the center of the jamb, which is not in use, is piece over. The strike plate is bent out of shape, and the beaded casing in front of the strike plate is pieced. The hinges presently in use may date from the historic period. There is a paint layering exhibit panel on the south face of 112/D2.

Door 112/D3 is a six-panel door stained on both faces. The door has nether been cut down nor pieced. The face opposite the mortise bolt knob shows a small plug which may indicate a possible change of the lock from one face of the door to the other. The mortise lock in size appears original to the door, however, as the mortise is in no way either pieced or plugged, the lock itself and hardware are probably reproductions. The hinges are old, but are not original to the jamb where the present arrangement is pieced. The top hinge appears to have originally measured 6-1/2", while the one currently in use is only 5". The strike plate is missing and has been partially replaced by a modern element. The bead on the casing in front of the strike plate has been replaced; it is presently torn away again and presents a mutilated condition to public view.

There are no lights in the white parlor, but there is a duplex receptacle on the west wall of the east niche beside the east fireplace and a single receptacle on the baseboard behind 112/D2.

White Parlor (Room 112) — Proposed Treatment

A U.S. Army drawing [39] preserved in the National Archives called for the replacement of the Victorian mantels original to the Lee period with copies of earlier mantels found at Woodlawn Plantation. These drawings show an existing condition at Arlington House whereby the Victorian mantels are in place, as they are today, prior to their removal. There existed then a different condition, which should be restored, where the firebox was smaller than today and defined by a 4" band of plastered brick following the mouth of the fireplace mantel opening. The fireboxes as seen today are those that are rebuilt to conform to the Woodlawn replicas of 1929. When the original mantels were restored in January 1953 [40], the fireboxes were not changed back to accommodate them. This change to the original condition should be made as soon as possible to contribute to the authenticity of the scene. The fireboxes, as they now stand, are neither authentic nor convincing.

Further recommendations for the white parlor are that the door casing in front of the strike plate on 112/D3 be repaired and that the baseboard stops against the mantels be further investigated to determine a better solution than their present condition, unless that condition can be proved to be historic.

It is recommended that the floor register for the 1855 furnace be restored. The walls should be analyzed for the possible location of historic lighting fixtures.

SOUTH STAIR HALL (ROOM 113) — EXISTING CONDITIONS

The flooring of the south stair hall is random-width, tongue-and-groove pine, running north-south and dating from the twentieth century. The diffuser grill under 113/W1 was installed during the War Department restoration. There is a patch along the east wall near the southeast corner measuring 1-1/2" x 2-1/2".

The baseboard is of three different types. The section between doorway 112/D1 and the center hall is similar to that of the family parlor, family dining room, north stairhall, and the center hall. The short section below the panelled side of the stairway is different in detail from anything in the house. The baseboard in the remainder of the south stair hall differs from main block designs but shares some characteristics (see molding profiles). There is an unusually large buildup of paint layers on baseboards and other moldings in the south stair hall.

Window 113/W1 is a 12 over 8 double-sash window with counterweights. The pegboard located on the west wall between 113/W1 and 113/D1 appears original. This same west wall is cracked and in need of resurfacing.

Most of the top sash of Window 113/W1 is cut off from view in the south stair hall by the main stair landing. The underside of this landing, which is the low ceiling of much of the south stair hall, has no cornice. This ceiling is freshly cracked, indicating that the stabilization work carried out in 1978 should have been more extensive.

Some work was undertaken in 1978 to strengthen this landing of the main stair. The header spanning the width of the landing, running east-west, framed into the west side of 112/D1 and into the area north of 113/W1. The framing system of the landing was weak due to the deep mortises cut into existing headers in the east and west walls to catch the joists of the landing, thereby decreasing the effective sections of these headers. To solve the problem of an unstable landing which consistently cracked the plaster on its underside, a double laminated header was added just above 112/D1, and an additional timber was placed along the side of the landing to the west in front of 113/W1. The existing header running east-west along the north edge of the landing and catching the carriages of both runs of the main stair was attached to the new timbers on either end with metal clips. Also, the connection between the landing header and the stair carriages was strengthened by the addition of metal connectors.

Door 113/D1 is a six-panel door painted on both faces. It does not appear to have been cut down significantly on either side; it does, however, have a 1" piece added to the bottom. There is the ghost of a plug on the south face of the door indicating that a different lock may have been once used. The present box lock appears old, but may be a reproduction. The lock is in good condition and has all its elements. The hinges appear original with no mortise ghosts in evidence. The door has been pieced vertically (3/4" x 1'—2-1/4") on the lock stile half-way between the lock and the top of the door. Also, the casing has been pieced on the east between the keeper and the doorway head.

Door 113/D2 opens to closet 113A. It is a six-panel door painted on both faces. The door has been extensively pieced on the hinge stile (1"), the bottom rail (2"), and the top rail (1/2"). A block has been let into the middle rail on the hinge singe and piecing has been done around the strike plate area. The present box lock appears to be a reproduction. On the south face of the lock stile there is a brass escutcheon plate serving the box lock and a reproduction knob screwed onto the door to be used only as a door pull. The strike plate appears new and probably corresponds to a contemporary locking device, the ghost of which appears on the north face of the door above the box lock. The east jamb shows evidence of hinge mortises which have been pieced near the head and bottom of the frame.

The closet 113A has original house flooring in evidence. It is pine, random-width and tongue-and-groove, running north-south. The baseboard in the closet exists only on the west wall; it corresponds to that in the south stair hall on the west wall as well. The walls of 113A were redone in sheetrock, and some modern timbers are apparent in the closet to stabilize the stair stringers above. There is evidence of some bug damage on the baseboard, but it is not thought to be recent. This closet is not shown to the public and is used for storage.

There are not lights or working electrical outlets in the south stair hall. There is an abandoned old-style single plug outlet in the baseboard on the west wall near the southwest corner which could be removed. The baseboard is very much in need of paint removal; the outlet hole could be pieced at that time.

South Stair Hall (Room 113) — Proposed Treatment

It is recommended that further work be carried out in the south stair hall to stabilize the stair landing as cracking in the ceiling underneath is apparent, indicating excessive movement. The west wall of the south stair hall between 113/W1 and 113/D1 needs resurfacing. The baseboard below this wall has an old-style receptacle, no longer in use, which could be removed and the baseboard pieced.

STORE ROOM (ROOM 114) — EXISTING CONDITIONS

The flooring of the store room is random-width, tongue-and-groove pine, running east-west, and dating from this century. The baseboard is intact and features a simple bead like that used in the north wing. This baseboard in the store room, however, is wider than that found in the north wing.

There is a pegboard, the centerline of which is 6' 4-1/4" above the finished floor, running between 114/W1 and 114/D1 and along the south wall. Window 114/W1 is a six-over-six double-sash window with no counterweights. The ceiling of the store room has no cornice.

Door 114/D1 is a four-panel door painted on both faces. The door is not cut down but has a 1-1/4" piece added to the bottom rail. The box lock is intact, and there are no signs of other hardware having been on the door. It has been pieced, however, in the lower east corner beneath the box lock. The hinges appear original. There is a four-light transom sash on "HL" hinges above the door; it opens from the bottom on the interior. The door is very similar to 101/D2, which is located in the same position on the symmetrically opposite side of the house; both doors were renovated in 1981.

Door 114/D2 has six lights of undated origin over two panels painted on both faces. The only change in the door dimension is a 1" piece added to the bottom rail. There is a box lock which appears to be a reproduction; the two hinges may well be old. There are no signs of missing or changed hardware. The door trim is like that on 114/D1. The bottom 1'6" of each jamb is pieced.

Door 114/D3, the door to closet 114A, is a six-panel door painted on both faces. It was cut down radically to fit the present opening, and shares no characteristics with any other doors in the house. There is a reproduction box lock and a decorative door knob which is screwed to the south face. There is no strike plate for the box lock, but rather a simple mortise in the jamb. There is a modern rim right latch which has its own strike plate. The hinges appear original to this composition.

Closet 114A does not appear in any plans of the house, even the Historic American Building Survey drawings of 1940. The floor is a continuation of that in the store room and the baseboards are the same as well.

There are no lights in the store room; a duplex receptacle and the telephone are located in 114A.

Store Room (Room 114) — Proposed Treatment

It was recommended in late 1940 that a standpipe firehose system be installed at the Arlington House for protection against air attacks. The first proposal had the pipe running up through the store room in its southwest corner behind 114/D1. While evident to the public, it would have been partially concealed behind the door when it was open. It is obvious that the room 114A was constructed thereafter to serve as the route by which the standpipe would rise through the store room. This closet was not drawn in the original standpipe proposal, and did not appear on any drawings of the house, including the Historic American Building Survey drawings of 1940. It was necessary to construct this closet if the pipe were to be totally concealed; it was also necessary to provide a place for the firehose accordion, a major element evidently overlooked in the first proposal.

It is the recommendation of this report that closet 114A be removed from the store room in order that space can be interpreted as the store room as outlined in the 1978 Furnishing Plan. [41] It is also recommended that the standpipe be completely removed from all four floors of the house. This standpipe represents an antiquated piece of equipment which is more of a danger to the house than an asset. Should it ever be activated, water from initial leaks in the cloth hose prior to the necessary swelling of the fibers would do more damage to the house than the fire. As it now stands, small fires would be handled by the many CO₂ extinguishers located throughout the house. These extinguishers should handle virtually any small fire well with minimal damage to the house, including those from electrical causes. Larger fires will be handled by the Fort Myer Fire Department, which is only several minutes away. Testimony from firemen on duty at that station maintained that a fire at Arlington House would be met with the standard rubber hoses which unroll off the truck and which are easily probable to any spot in the house, including the upper floor and attic. The cloth hoses and standpipe are inappropriate for building of only a few stories, and, according to the firemen's testimony, would never be used during a fire at Arlington House. During destruction of 114A, any remains of the original store room, such as shelf lines, should be identified and documented.

MRS. R. E. LEE'S MORNING ROOM (ROOM 115) — EXISTING CONDITIONS

The flooring of Mrs. R. E. Lee's morning room is random-width tongue-and-groove pine, running north-south, and dating from the twentieth century. Two heating returns are located in the floor against the north wall under the great arch.

The baseboard of Mrs. R. E. Lee's morning room is different from any in the rest of the house except that in the office and study. Due to its large scale, it does not fit well in its junctions with the plinth blocks. The only locations where the baseboard works correctly are between the tow bases of the great arch on the north wall (see photograph #63), the east and west walls, and against the window shutter boxes where any molding, no matter how large, could stop. The section of the baseboard running around the chimney breast and between the breast and 115/D2 is a copy of the original and was probably put in place after the removal of the original marble mantel in 1929. Like the baseboards, the plinth blocks, and the door and window casings are of a design unique to Mrs. R. E. Lee's morning room.

Windows 115/W1 and 115/W2 are semi-circular headed windows, fifteen over eight lights, similar to those in the principal rooms of the north wing, by the muntins show more detail. They are double sash and operate with counterweights. Both the north and south plinth blocks on 115/W1 were present in the construction; a cut nail was also found in the sticking of the north panel under 115/W1. The backband running vertically up the casing from the plinth block was partially removed and exhibited cut nails.

Windows 115/W1 and 115/W2 are the only windows at the Arlington House to have shutter boxes. While most of the box structure appears to be old, the vertical boards to either side of the window sashes are the semi-circular piece following the top arch of the sash appear to be much more recent. A piece of trim was removed on the north edge of one of these boards in 1981 and it could be seen that both the board and trim were modern, with the trim exhibiting wire nails. The semi-circular piece above these flanking boards have been put in by the army to conceal a window curtain roller. As a result of these flanking boards being new, there is no trace of the interior shutter hinge mortises. From the size of the boxes themselves, it is apparent that the portion of the shutter lying in the box and showing when fully open would measure approximately 13-1/2". As the total window opening is 47", each of the inner two leaves of the shutters, which would disappear completely behind the larger outside leaves when opened and lying in the box, would measure 10" each. This feature is unique and deserves full documentation and comparative study.

The cornice is in good condition and apparently dates from the original decoration of the room. The ceiling is also believed original and shows a good deal more cracks than found in most other rooms. From the south wing garret can be seen that the plaster in on split lath. The chandelier rosette (see photograph #64) is also thought to be an original feature. It is an elaborate molded plaster type of great mass that is missing some parts of three places around its edge.

The fireplace firebox has had its side walls rebuilt and its back roughly plastered with concrete. There is a brick jack arch in good condition spanning the opening. The floor of the firebox received a heat diffuser in 1929. The hearth is of solid stone, broken in the center and filled with a different stone type laid irregularly into the gap. The mantelpiece is a reproduction Adam-style type in wood installed during the War Department restoration (see photograph #65).

Door 115/D1 is a six-panel door stained on both faces. The door has been cut down radically on both sides. The present mortise lock replaces a larger one (as was the case in both the family parlor and the family dining room) and the openings for the former lock have been crudely filled. The strike plate is in good condition, but the mortise bolt knob and both the escutcheon plates are missing. The hinges appear original to the door and to the frame. The plinth block to the west of the doorway appears to be a crude, too small copy, overshot by the base molding of the baseboard.

There is a six-panel door (115/D2) painted on the west face and stained on the east. The door has neither been cut down nor pieced. As in 115/D1, the mortise lock is a smaller replacement of a larger original. The strike plate is in place, but the mortise lock is a smaller replacement of a larger original. The strike plate is in place, but the mortise bolt knob is missing. The two hinges appear original; the lower is partially broken in one corner and has the letters "P H I L A D" cut into the door butt. The molding at the head of the door is cut in an unusual horizontal fashion. Each of the wide jambs has two parallel bands of reeding having four tori each extending up each side jamb and across the head. This feature is unique at the Arlington House.

A probe into the north wall during the paint study investigation revealed there is only one series of plaster over the brick at that point in Mrs. R. E. Lee's morning room.

There are no lights in Mrs. R. E. Lee's morning room, but there are three duplex receptacles; behind 115/D2 on the baseboard of the west wall, on the north face of the north end of the shutter box of 115/W1, and on the south face of the south end of the shutter box of 115/W2.

Mrs. R. E. Lee's Morning Room (Room 115) — Proposed Treatment

The existing "Adam" style wood mantel in Mrs. R. E. Lee's morning room was placed there by the army in 1929 after removal of the marble mantel installed by the Lees in 1855. As was the case in the white parlor, Charles Moore of the Commission of Fine Arts could not believe that these Victorian marble mantels dated to the historic period; as no documentation had yet been found regarding them, they were removed and stored in the basement of Arlington House. The historic marble mantel was replaced by an example of early nineteenth century work in reproduction, thought to be more fitting to the overall style of the house.

After documents [42] had been located c. 1950 establishing the authenticity of the Victorian mantels, the two matching ones from the white parlor were retrieved from the basement and placed back in their original locations. Unfortunately, the similar but less decorated mantel of Mrs. R. E. Lee's morning room was missing and has never been recovered. If the original mantel is not available, a period mantel of similar design is recommended in the approved furnishing plan.

When the marble mantel was replaced in 1930 with the "Adam" reproduction, the hearth stone was removed and cut down 2-9/16" on its north, south and east sides. Two drawings helpful in understanding the removal of the mantels are located at the National Archives and Arlington House. [43]

As was noted in the existing conditions, the ceiling of Mrs. R. E. Lee's morning room is probably original. It is important that this ceiling be preserved as is, since it is an enhancement to the present historical ambience of the house. The ceiling is in need of preventive stabilization treatment (restoration of broken keys in place).

While it appears that the past procedure at Arlington House has been to totally replace a deteriorating ceiling, it should be the practice in the future to preserve what is inplace. There are several methods to stabilize an aging plaster ceiling; all of these should be exhausted before wholesale replacement. Should it be possible to end the firing of large guns near Arlington House, as recommended, the remaining original ceilings should last a good deal longer than they will at present.

It can be seen from the historic photographs of June 1864 that the windows in Mrs. R. E. Lee's morning room were provided with interior shutters. In the photograph showing the east facade of the house from the southeast, it can be seen that the leaves of the shutters are folded back into their boxes. All that can be seen in the photographs would indicate that the shutter leaves are solid, with recessed panels and in four hinged parts.

CONSERVATORY (SOUTH WING LOGGIA) (ROOM 116) — EXISTING CONDITIONS

The floor of the conservatory is all brick laid in a herringbone pattern. The age of this brick floor is undetermined. The brick pattern is interrupted under 116/W1 where eight rowlock brick and one stretcher occur. A stone complete the brickwork between the stretcher and the south jamb of 116/W1. There is only this unusual brickwork between the jambs of 116/W1; in its place between the jambs of the other windows (116/W2 and 116/W3) are concrete thresholds. The purpose of the brickwork under 116/W1 remains unexplained.

Some fabric investigation was conducted in the conservatory by the Arlington House historian, Mr. Murray Nelligan, during the early 1950s. He found that the arches were once open, as in the north wing loggia, and that the conservatory windows had been added later. His probings showed no bonding between the brick under the windows and the posts of the arches. He also located a series of what appeared to be joist pockets several feet below the present level of the roof rafters along the east wall of a flue hole. [44] There are similar pockets in the east wall of the pantry in the north wing.

The short stairs that lead into the store room and the office and study appear from their construction to date only from this century. North of the stair on the east wall into the office and study is the ghost of a former stair which ran against the walls. There is also a heat diffuser on this wall that dates from 1949. The hole in which the diffuser was placed appears to have once been a connecting opening between the conservatory and B10.

Windows 116/W1, 116/W2, and 116/W3, are all alike in being operable eight-over-either double sashes at the bottom, two windows within each arch divided by a wood post. Under the semi-circular head of each arch are two quarter-circule windows which open into the conservatory by hinges on the center post. It is difficult to tell what parts of windows are original and which are replacements. This information could be possibly ascertained by a paint investigation of all parts. Extant window hardware should be dated.

Doors 116/D1 are reproductions. The original doors are in the study collection. Between them is a wood post which can be removed allowing maximum access to the conservatory. The door has what appears to be a reproduction box lock with all its parts intact, a modern barrel bolt, and a modern mortise bolt with all its parts intact, a modern barrel bolt, and a modern mortise bolt on its lock stile. The semi-circular arch head above the door and fixed panel also has two operable quarter-circle windows.

The shelves along the east and west walls are all twentieth-century additions. There are no lights or receptacles in the conservatory, but there is a water spigot in use which is located on the north wall to the west of the staircase leading into the store room.

OFFICE AND STUDY (ROOM 117) — EXISTING CONDITIONS

The flooring of the office and the study is random-width, tongue-and-groove pine dating from this century and running north-south. The heat diffuser under 117/W2 was installed in 1929.

The baseboard is like that in Mrs. R. E. Lee's morning room. The base molding does not junction well with the door casings, which are rather flat against the walls following the basic design of those found in the north wing. The base molding is too large for the overall decorative scheme and overshoots the casings.

The northwest corner of the room is cut off at a 45° angle and contains a flue hole high up off the floor, which connects through the west wall to the flues of the fireplace in Mrs. R. E. Lee's morning room.

A small hole dug behind 117/D2 during the paint study revealed that the wall had only a single series of plaster. The ceiling cornice is intact and believed original; smaller than most of the house cornices, it is in a scale appropriate to the office and study.

Windows 117/W1 and 117/W2 are both semi-circule arch-top, 15-over-8 double-sash windows. They operate on counterweights. No physical evidence of interior shutters has been found.

Doors 117/D1 are double doors with four vertical panels each, stained on both faces. The west door has had a 1" piece added to its hinge side, a 2" piece added to the bottom rail, and a 1" x 3" piece let into the lock stile near the bottom. The east door also has a 2" piece on the bottom rail and a 1-1/2" x 5" piece let into the lock stile near the bottom. Both doors have a poor, cracked finish and many scratches. There is a reproduction box lock on the west door over the ghosts of several previous locking devices. A keeper is present on the east door, and the doors close in a lap. The hinges appear to be in their original location. There is a fanlight above the door similar to the above 110/D2. One of the almond-shaped panes is broken and there are cracks in other panes.

Door 117/D2 has six panels and is painted on both faces. The lock stile has been cut down and a 1-1/4" piece added to the bottom rail. There is a ghost of a former box lock on the hinge stile. There is a box lock and keeper, which may be reproductions. The hinges appear original to the door and jamb. Approximately 1' of the door jamb is pieced on either side at the bottom. Both faces of the door have paint layering exhibit panels (circa 1950s).

There are no lights in the office and study, but there is a duplex receptacle behind 117/D2 on the baseboard.

Mrs. R. E. Lee's Morning Room and Office and Study (Rooms 115 and 117) — Recommendations

A photograph of June 29, 1864 (neg. 165—C—517) shows closed shutters behind the closed window 117/W2. It can be clearly seen that the center two shutter leaves are operable louvers, with the two side leaves hinged to the window jambs, of solid wood. It is possible that solid wood has recessed panels but that is not visible because of lack of clarity in that part of this photograph. As was noted in the Existing Conditions, there are no shutter boxes in the office and study or present signs of shutter hinge mortises. Windows and frames should be studied to establish date of installation. From the historic photographs it can be seen that Mrs. R. E. Lee's morning room and the office and study were fitted with interior shutters during the historic period. In Mrs. R. E. Lee's morning room, examination of the extant boxes indicates that the two outside leaves of the shutters would sold with recessed panels and measured 13-1/2" across.

In the office and study two inside operable louvered leaves are located in the interior shutters. The outside leaves show no detail but could be recessed panels. It would be logical to use the photographic evidence we have from the north and south wing windows and supplement it with a study of period interior shutters.

Further study of the photographic evidence is recommended in conjunction with detailed study of similar interior shutters still in situ in Alexandria, Virginia and Georgetown, D.C. On completion of this study it is recommended that indoor shutters be designed and restored to windows of the north and south wing where shutters were hung in the historic period.

MAIN STAIRS — EXISTING CONDITIONS

The first flight of the main stairs up from the center hall to the landing seems in good structural condition. It is well-supported by the panelled wall under its east side, which forms a wall of the closet 113A. For many years all treads and risers of this stairway and landing have been covered with a crosshatched rubber material. This covering, institutional in character, detracts considerably from the historic ambience of the house, yet has been a valuable tool in preserving the fabric from the effects of high visitation.

The bannister of this first flight is stabilized by a 1/2" metal road which attaches its underside to the decorated face of the carriage of the second flight near that point where the two flights meet at the landing. The bannister is further stabilized at four points on the flight by small metal angles securing the bottom of balusters to the treads. All newel-posts and bannisters are stable. The most obvious problem along the first flight of the main stairs is on the baseboard where there is such a build-up of paint layers that all detail is obscured.

The stair landing, the stability of which has already been examined in the treatment of the south stair hall, is lit by the top two-thirds of the top sash and 113/W1. The ceiling above the landing appears old.

Prior to stabilization work performed in early 1978, there were problems with the connection of the second flight of the main stair to the second floor level of the house. The header which carried the top flight of the main stair and the bottom flight of the attic stairs, and the joists connecting to it supporting the floor of the upstairs hall, were crushing the soft brick in the top of the arch which supported the wood members. In order to amend this situation, the flooring over the affected area was removed, the joists cut back, and an additional header was seated on metal plates into the pilasters on either end. The existing joists were attached to this header and secured with prefabricated metal clips, thereby relieving the arch below and giving the second floor and the stair flights greater solidity.

Several further problems plagued the framing at the head of the main stairs. Once the flooring was removed for the repairs just described, it was found that there was no positive connection between the main stair stringers and the header between the pilasters put in place to catch the stair stringers. This header was doubled, and the stringers from the main stair from below and those of the adjacent stairs from the attic were positively attached to the double header by metal straps fashioned for this purpose. The base of the newel post was solidly fixed to the header.

The bannister is stabilized by a 1/2" metal rod attached from the tops of four balusters to a plate against the west wall. Two balusters are also secured at their base to stair treads by small metal angles along the second flight near its center. Molding at the end of the tread of the first step above the landing needs reattachment.

Servant's Stair

The servants' stair runs from the north stair hall to the upstairs hall in one flight only. It connects to a small ante-hall in the upstairs hall, rather than to the main part of the upstairs hall, as does the main stair. Like the main stair, the servant's stair is covered by the crosshatched rubber treads and rubber-covered risers.

The bottom portion of the flight is supported by the panelled wall on its west edge, and the steel angle in the north stair hall closet already described. The bottom five steps curve 90°, and are difficult to negotiate by the visiting public. This situation is intensified by the second step up from the floor to the north stair hall being loose. The third step up has had some steel braces attached to its riser for additional support. The baseboard running up the stairs is like that on the second floor. The moldings on the west end of treads #3 and #10 from the top of the stairs need reattaching.

The balustrade of the servants' stair is the same as on the main stair. The bannister, however, is heavier than that of the formal stairway and shows less articulation. The top newel is stable, and the bottom one has been reinforced with a metal pin. The bannister is stabilized, as has been mentioned in the treatment of the north stair hall, by a metal rod connecting its center with the head of 110/W1.

There is a circular handrail of uncertain age located on the north and south sides of the stair by hangers which appear to be twentieth century. The rail is very sturdy; its hangers are attached to a board with is further attached to the wall behind. These hangers carry a crude lighting system for the stairs, which employs small clear bulbs on what appears to be a strand of Christmas tree lights. This lighting is used at night during functions at the Arlington House.

Stairways — Proposed Treatment

Moldings at the end of certain treads on both the main and servants' stair need reattachment; they are located in the stairway descriptions under existing conditions.

Due to excessive movement observed in the lower end of the servants' stair where it curves 90°, it is recommended that the bottom five steps be disassembled and reconstructed by a qualified exhibits specialist to give the stairway better underpinning.

Both main staircases are in need of lighting. Additionally, the Furnish Plan of 1978 calls for both the main and servants stairs, as well as a portion of the center hall, be restored to their 1861 appearance.

STAIR LANDING ROOM (ROOM 200)

The flooring of the stair landing room is random-width, tongue-and-groove pine, 1-1/8" in thickness, and original. There is a 2" hole in the floor near the northeast corner, which allowed the passage of some electrical cables now removed.

The baseboard is very plain like that in the other closets on the first floor. The room is surrounded by two levels of shelving at 4' 0" and 6' 1/2" above the floor. The shelves are 1" thick, 10" wide, and believed to be original by the manner in which they are let into the plaster walls. It appears they were put in place before the plastering occurred.

The six-panel door (200/D1) is painted on both faces. The door has been cut down; it cannot be examined for ghosts due to a masonite fireproofing on its south face. There is a box lock on the interior with a strike plate and an escutcheon plate on the exterior face. The door is also outfitting with a modern rim right latch and strike plate. The hinges appear original to the door and jamb; they both are inscribed with the word "GODDINGTON" on their face.

There is a standpipe located in the southeast corner of 200 with a firehose accordion. A light in a porcelain fixture is located in the center of the ceiling in the stair landing room.

It is recommended that the standpipe and firehose accordion be removed from the stair landing room.

UPSTAIRS HALL (ROOM 201) — EXISTING CONDITIONS

The flooring of the upstairs hall is random-width, tongue-and groove pine, running east-west. There is a small area to the north at the head of the servant's stair outside the main portion of the hall which runs north-south. The wide board under the north arch was replaced in 1980 after arch repairs below. All flooring dates from 1960; prior to that date the entire second floor had original boards which had been patched during the War Department restoration with the remains of the original first floor boards, which had been replaced at that time.

There was work in 1978 carried out to strengthen the floor system above the north arch. This system depended on the seating of the joists in the brickwork of the top of the arch. These brick, unusually soft and deteriorated due to underfiring, had been crushed and no longer supported with any solidity the joists above. After removal of flooring in the area between the pilasters separating the small area of the upstairs hall to the north from the major portion of the hall, joists above the arch were cut back to allow the insertion of a header seated on metal plates on the bases of the opposing pilasters on their south face. The joists were attached to this header and secured by prefabricated metal connectors. With all the joist load taken off the deteriorating arch, the floor became more stable and the structural deficiency was corrected.

The baseboard is the same as that running up each stairway and is characteristic of that used on the second floor. It is in fact and original. Those rounded blocks affixed to the baseboard were placed there to stop the gates to the rooms when opened.

The cornice is intact and in good condition. The cornice of the main portion of the room is typical of the design in many of the rooms. There is a simpler crown moulding above the small portion to the north and above the main stairs, which does not appear elsewhere in the house. The ceiling of the upstairs hall is old and may well be original.

There is a window-door combination (201/D1) not found elsewhere at the Arlington House. The top portion of this combination in an eight-over-eight double-sash and counterweighted window. The bottom portion is made up of double doors having one panel each and hinged on the north and south. Closure of the doors is on a 45° angle and the doors are held closed by a bolt into the floor on the north door. The doors and hardware have been painted over many times and the hardware is no longer operable. This window-door combination is original and may have been instituted for the entrance of large pieces of furniture to the second floor. Architectural historian T. T. Waterman [45] assumed that this window-door was meant to serve a two-story porch planned by Hadfield but never constructed on the west side of the house.

Windows 201/W1 and 201/W2 are small double-sash four-over-four windows with no counterweights above a panel, which flanks 201/D1. The window-door and flanking windows all rest on the threshold below the panels. No evidence was found of exterior shutters on these windows.

There are no lights in the upstairs hall; there is one duplex receptacle to the south of 201/W2 on the baseboard.

LEE GIRLS' DRESSING ROOM (ROOM 202) — EXISTING CONDITIONS

The flooring of the Lee girls' dressing room is random-width, tongue-and-groove pine running north-south and is original. The baseboard is intact, in good condition, and apparently original. There is no molding at the cornice; the ceiling appears original.

There is a pegboard and shelving, all apparently original, running north from 202/W1, across the north wall, and south to 203/D2. The centerline of the pegboard is 6' 3-1/4" above the finished floor, and the top of the shelving is 7' 6-3/4" above the floor. The east section of the pegboard runs 1" below the other two sections. There is a circular area 7-1/2" in diameter on the north wall, the centerline of which is 4' 3" above the floor, which has been left unpainted because the area contains a pencil sketch thought to date to the historic period. Window 202/W1 is an eight-over-eight double-sash window with counterweights. A six-panel door (202/D1) has its north face stained and its south face grained in imitation of oak. (This finish was restored by the National Park Service in the 1950s). The door has not been cut down on any side. There is a mortise lock which is missing all its hardware except the strike plate, which is in good condition. The hinges appear original to the door and jamb.

There are no lights in the Lee girls' dressing room, but there is a duplex receptacle located behind 202/D1 on the south baseboard.

For dating of the molding see Arlington House repair and restoration log circa 1950.

LEE GIRLS' CHAMBER (ROOM 203) — EXISTING CONDITIONS

The flooring of the Lee girls' chamber is random-width, tongue-and-groove pine, running north-south, and original. The trim boards around the hearth lie on the floor rather than let into it, and are in poor condition with the west piece missing. The baseboard is all intact.

The fireplace mantel is of the period of the construction of the house and appears original. The firebox has not been rebuilt and retains its historical authenticity. The hearth is of stone, broken in many places, and rests unevenly on its bed. The flue hole was closed during the War Department restoration with copper sheeting.

A distinctive feature of the Lee girls' chamber and of Colonel and Mrs. R. E. Lee's chamber across the hall is the use of segmental arches over each window. They spring directly from the chimney breast and die into the room walls to the east and west. The arches are of lath and plaster, rather than being of brick or let into the bearing wall.

The ceiling has many cracks and imperfections, as does the cornice. The design of the cornice differs from that of any other in the house and has a distinctive feature, a recessed square block in each corner.

Windows 203/W1 and 203/W2 are eight-over-eight double-sash windows with counterweights. The stool of 203/W1 is noted at its each and west extremities.

A six-panel door (203/D1) has oak graining on the south face and is stained on the north face. It has been cut down slightly on both stiles. The mortise lock is a smaller replacement of one that once was there; currently all the lock hardware except the strike plate is missing. The hinges appear original to the door and jamb. There are paint layering exhibit panels (circa 1950) on both the north and south faces of the door.

Door 203/D2 has six panels and is stained on both faces. The door was apparently made for the opening; there are no signs of hardware other than that present. The mortise lock is missing all its hardware except the strike plate, which is in good condition. The threshold is worn almost all the way through.

There are no lights in the Lee girls' chamber, but there is one duplex receptacle behind 203/D1 on the baseboard of the south wall.

Lee Girls' Chamber (Room 203) — Recommendations

The ceiling and flooring with their imperfections should be preserved.

MARY AND MARKIE'S CHAMBER (ROOM 204) — EXISTING CONDITIONS

The flooring of Mary and Markie's chamber is random-width, tongue-and-groove pine running north-south and is original. The baseboard is characteristic of the upstairs at the Arlington House; it is intact and in good condition. The ceiling cornice is of a simpler design than most in the house; it is also intact and in good condition. The ceiling is old and in good condition.

The fireplace has a simple marble mantel. The firebox was extensively rebuilt during the War Department restoration and the flue was covered by copper sheeting. The hearth was one piece of stone, but is now broken into many pieces; the pieces, however, now appear to be well-bedded. The pine molding surrounding the hearth is well-worn.

Windows 204/W1 and 204/W2 are eight-over-eight double-sash and counterweighted windows. They are in good condition with all their parts apparently original.

There is a six-panel door (204/D1) with oak graining on the south face that is stained on the north face. It has been cut down on both stiles. There is a mortise lock, but all its hardware except the strike plate is missing. There is the ghost of a former box lock set on its side which measures 3-1/2" x 5". The door casing opposite the lock has been pierced.

The six-panel door (204/D2) is oak-grained on both faces. The door has been cut down on both stiles; the hinges appear original to the jamb. There is a mortise lock, but it has no hardware except the strike plate. There is a paint layering exhibit panel (circa 1950) on the west jamb.

Door 204/D3 opens to the closet of Mary and Markie's chamber. It is a six-panel door, oak-grained on both faces. The door on the stiles is 1/2" too small for the opening. The hinges appear original to the door. There is a small box lock on the interior face and a fixed knob and escutcheon plate on the exterior, both of which have been oak-grained. There is no keeper or evidence of one.

The flooring and baseboard of the closet are like that in Mary and Markie's chamber. This closet is 11-1/4" deep, and its ceiling is 7' 2" above the finished floor. The shelves are 1" thick; their top edges are at 3' 2-7/8", 4' 6-1/8", and 5' 9-1/4" off the floor.

There are no lights in Mary and Markie's chamber, and a single receptacle behind 204/D1.

Mary and Markie's Chamber (Room 204) — Proposed Treatment

It is recommended that the mantel in Mary and Markie's chamber be thoroughly cleaned.

SMALL CHAMBER (ROOM 205) — EXISTING CONDITIONS

The flooring of the small chamber is random-width, tongue-and-groove pine, running east-west, and is original. The baseboard is intact and is the upstairs type. There is a paint layering exhibit panel (circa 1950) in the center of the east wall under 205/W1. The ceiling appears old and there is no cornice.

The small chamber contains extensive shelving which may well be original. The shelves are 3/4" thick and are 11-1/2" wide. The lower shelves' top edge is 3' 3-1/4" above the finished floor, the middle is at 5' 4-5/8", and the upper at 7' 6". The top shelf runs across the south, west, and north walls and rests on the tops of the door casings without brackets. The middle shelf runs between 204/D2 and the west wall and from the north wall to a point 9-1/2" from 205/D1; it also continues on the other side of 205/D1 at a point 1' 1-5/8" from the door and to the south wall. This middle shelf is on wood brackets made from the same material as the shelves; there was also a shelf once running between 206/D2 and the west wall but it has disappeared, leaving only a bracket against the casing of 206/D2. The lower shelves are also on brackets and run from the north and south walls in to points near 205/D1, like the middle shelves above.

There is a triple window grouping (205/W1). A six-over-six double-sash window with counterweights is flanked by two small two-over-two double sash windows with no counterweights. The stool is badly worn toward the center of the window.

A six-panel door (205/D1) is oak-grained on the west face and stained on the east face. The door has been cut down slightly, and there is a ghost of a box lock set on its side as on 204/D1. The mortise lock has knobs which are definitely reproduction; it is missing its mortise bolt knob and escutcheon plates. The hinges appear original to the door and the strike plate is intact. The door casing opposite the lock may have been pieced.

Note that door 205/D1 was installed in 1857. Additionally, the heating system was installed in 1855. Construction evidence of these two features should provide a dating benchmark for paint sequences and perhaps for structural detail.

There is no light in the small chamber, but there is a duplex receptacle south of 205/D1 on the baseboard.

Small Chamber (Room 205) — Proposed Treatment

The missing shelf in the small chamber should be replaced with one to match the others.

LEE BOYS' CHAMBER (ROOM 206) — EXISTING CONDITIONS

The flooring of the Lee boys' chamber is random-width, tongue-and-groove pine, running north-south, and is original. The baseboard is original; there is a piece missing between 206/D1 and the west wall, and the section between the fireplace and 206/D3 is like that in the north wing.

The fireplace mantel is like those in the Lee girls' chamber and Mary and Markie's chamber. The firebox has been rebuilt and the flue hole closed by copper sheeting in the War Department restoration. There is a jack arch over the fireplace opening. The stone hearth is cracked and the surrounding pine molding is considerably worn. There is a burnt circle in the floor 3' 0" out from the hearth. The baseboard is too thick to be properly stopped by the legs of the mantel.

Windows 206/W1 and 206/W2 are eight-over-eight double-sash windows with counterweights. They are in good condition and are original. The ceiling is old, and the cornice is in good condition. The cornice does not meet on the same level in the northwest corner and has been patched. It appears to have broken at that point when the floor above the white parlor sagged prior to the installation of the truss in the west wall of the Lee boys' chamber in the War Department restoration.

A six-panel door (206/D1) has oak graining on the north face and stain on the south face. The door has been cut down on the lock stile. The mortise lock appears original to the door; it has reproduction hardware and the mortise bolt knob is missing. The hinges appear original to the door.

Door 206/D2 is a six-panel door with oak graining on both faces. The door has been cut down; the reproduction lock and hardware are intact. The hinges are original to the door and jamb.

Door 206/D3 is a six-panel door oak-grained on both faces. The door to the closet 206A has not been cut down. There is a small box lock on the interior; the escutcheon plate and fixed knob on the exterior have been oak grained. There is no keeper or strike plate, and the hinges appear original to the door and jamb.

Closet 206A is 11-3/4" deep and has 1" thick shelves, the tops of which are 3' 4-1/8", 4' 7-1/2", and 5' 10-1/4" above the finished floor. The baseboard and flooring are like those in the Lee boys' chamber and the ceiling is 7' 2-1/4" off the floor.

Door 206/D4 is a modern steel access door measuring 2' 0" x 2' 0", installed in 1980 to give easier entrance to the south wing attic. The face of this door has been covered with plaster like the wall. This door will be effectively concealed by the placement of furnishings against the south wall, as outlined in the Furnishing Plan (see footnote #23).

There are no lights in the Lee boys' chamber, but there is a single receptacle in the baseboard behind 206/D1.

Lee Boys' Chamber (Room 206) — Proposed Treatment

It is recommended that baseboard matching that in use be installed where it is missing between 206/D1 and the west wall. The baseboard, where it stops against the legs of the marble mantel, should be leveled into the face of the legs for a smooth transition as seen in a similar situation in the Lee girls' chamber.

It is also recommended that 206/D2 be removed and the hole plastered over. It did exist in the original main block, but was closed in 1857 when Mrs. Lee changed the small chamber from two dressing rooms, serving Mary and Markie's chamber and the Lee boys' chamber, into a small bedroom. [46] Indications of this doorway were found in the War Department restoration and, lacking current documentation found later by Historian Nelligan, the doorway was restored as having been part of the main block. What the army did not know was that this change had been effected by the Lees themselves and not after the Civil War, as presumed. (See Furnishing Plan, 1978). Use partition scar for paint analysis and dating evidence

COLONEL AND MRS. R. E. LEE'S CHAMBER (ROOM 207) — EXISTING CONDITIONS

The flooring of Colonel and Mrs. R. E. Lee's chamber is random-width, tongue-and-groove pine, running north-south, and is original. The baseboard is intact and believed original, with the possible exception of a segment between 207/D1 and the north wall, which may be slightly different in profile.

The fireplace mantel is of wood and in a style predating the other mantels of the second floor. There is a plaster-covered jack arch over the opening and the firebox has been rebuilt. The hearth is of brick and believed to be old; it is surrounded by well-worn trim. There is a burnt spot at the edge of the hearth molding in front to the east.

Windows 207/W1 and 207/W2 are both eight-over-eight double-sash windows with counterweights. Above them are found the same false arches as seen in Lee girls' chamber. The ceiling of Colonel and Mrs. R. E. Lee's chamber is new and the cornice is in good condition. This cornice, in design and proportion, is one of the best in the house.

The east wall of Colonel and Mrs. R. E. Lee's chamber contains a truss which was installed in the War Department restoration and renovated in 1976. A structural problem existed here because, originally, the second floor joist system of the south side of the main block framed into a beam beneath the wall separating the Lee boys' chamber and Colonel and Mrs. R. E. Lee's chamber. The beam, however, lacked the requisite depth for such a span. The combined weight of the plaster wall above, and one-half the total floor loads of the Lee boys' chamber and Colonel and Mrs. R. E. Lee's chamber, caused the beam to sag over a number of years.

A truss was let into the east wall of Colonel and Mrs. R. E. Lee's chamber during the War Department restoration. The badly deflecting beam was hung from the truss and the stability of the floor system was greatly increased.

By the mid-1970s the truss was suffering from several defects. These defects included improper seating, slippage and openings along the joints, and a further deflecting weight from a large chandelier placed in the white parlor c. 1930.

Renovation of the truss began with the removal of the large chandelier. The wall was opened and webs, vertical and horizontal tension rods, blocks, and gusset plates were added to the 1929 truss. Hangers were added where certain room floor joists intersected the center beam. The truss was re-enclosed within the partition wall after the renovation work was completed. All indications are that the truss as repaired is presently in good working order and operating within its designed capacity. Access to the tension rod is found to the west just inside 206/D4.

Door 207/D1 is a six-panel door with oak graining on the north face and stair on the south face. The door has been cut down some on the hinge stile; the hinges appear original. The mortise lock and reproduction hardware are intact; the strike plate is also in good condition.

Door 207/D2 is a six-panel door painted on both faces. The door has been cut down somewhat on both stiles. The ghosts of a former lock system are in evidence. There is presently a mortise lock with what appears to be reproduction hardware; the mortise bolt knob is missing. The strike plate is intact and the hinges appear original. The door casing adjacent to the strike plate has been pieced 1' 7-1/4".

There are no lights in Colonel and Mrs. R. E. Lee's chamber, but there is a single receptacle in the baseboard just to the east of 207/D1.

Colonel and Mrs. R. E. Lee's Chamber (Room 207) — Proposed Treatment

The wood mantel in Colonel and Mrs. R. E. Lee's chamber was installed during the War Department restoration [47] to replace what was believed at the time to be a non-historic marble mantel. The mantel that was in Colonel and Mrs. R. E. Lee's chamber, and which is now known to have been historic, is presumed to have been like those in the Lee girls' chamber, Mary and Markie's chamber, and the Lee boys' chamber. The mantel situation in Colonel and Mrs. R. E. Lee's chamber parallels that of Mrs. R. E. Lee's morning room. Establish loading capacity of truss.

LEE DRESSING ROOM (ROOM 208) — EXISTING CONDITIONS

The flooring of the Lee dressing room is random-width, tongue-and-groove pine running north-south, and is original. The baseboard is intact and is the same as that in the rest of the main block upstairs.

There is a pegboard on the west wall between 208/W1 and 208/D2, the centerline of which is 6' 2-3/8" above the finished floor. There are eight pegs in all; the third from the north is disengaged but has been preserved. The one furthest south, actually located within the closet, is missing.

Window 208/W1 is an eight-over-eight counterweighted double-sash window. The top row of panes is cut off by the attic stair landing above. The ceiling of the room is 7' 4" above the finished floor and has no cornice.

Doors 208/D1 and 208/D2 are both two-panelled doors painted white on both faces, which open into closet 208A. Each door has a small box lock on the interior face with no strike plate. The lock was operated by a key alone; there is an escutcheon plate on 208/D2, but none on 208/D1. The tongue of the lock evidently caught behind a wood edge on the mullion between the two doors. The hinges on both doors appear original.

Room 208A is presently a closet behind two doors. It was originally two individual closets, but the narrow wood partition between them has been removed. The ghost of this partition wall can be seen; it measures 13/16" wide. The closet contains two shelves 13/16" thick, the top edges of which are 3' 2-1/2" and 5' 5-1/4" above the finished floor. The firehose standpipe rises in the southeast corner of 208A. It is obvious that these closets were added after the room was finished as the wooden closet wall is fitted over the existing baseboards and the end of the pegboard.

The Lee dressing room has not been painted in many years and much of the existing paint is flaking off. There are neither lights nor electrical outlets in the Lee dressing room.

Lee Dressing Room (Room 208) — Proposed Treatment

Establish construction date of room 208A.

GARRET STAIRS — EXISTING CONDITIONS

The stairway from the upstairs hall to the main block garret is the same width as the main stairs below. They are also covered on the treads and risers with the same crosshatched rubberized material as the other stairs. Moldings at the end of risers #5, 7, and 8 need reattaching. The bannister is stabilized by metal angles at the base of the balusters at three locales toward the center of the flight. The bannister on the attic stairs is not as stable as that of the main or servants' stairs, however, as it is not stabilized by a horizontal metal rod.

On the west wall near the top of the first flight of the attic stairs are located the hooks which once held a fire extinguisher. The stair landing is minimally lit by the small amount of light from the top north corner of 208/W1. On the short second flight of the stairs the nose of the second tread is completely broken off. The bannister is very stable on the second flight.

The baseboard on the attic stairs is like that on the second floor and along the main and servants' stairs. The ceiling above the main stairs has crown molding, but the ceiling above the attic stairs does not.

Garrett Stairs — Recommendations

Reattach the moldings on stairs #5, 7, and 8 from the second floor; replace the tread on #2 stair from the landing. The hooks which held a former fire extinguisher against the west wall near the landing may be removed. The bannister on the first run of the stairway should be stabilized.

GARRET STAIR LANDING ROOM (ROOM 300) — EXISTING CONDITIONS

The flooring of the garret stair landing room is random-width tongue-and-groove pine, running north-south, and is original. The baseboard is the simplest type in the house, 6" deep, and also found in the other closets. It is continuous in the garret stair landing room and intact.

The south and west interior walls are exposed brick. They show the use of a common bond as has been seen also in the basement of the main block. The header courses are irregularly placed; the first three courses counting down are stretchers, the next seven are headers, and a final stretcher is encountered just above the baseboard on the south wall.

The top south corner of 208/W1 appears at the bottom of the northwest corner of the room. Window parts such as the full jamb, lintel, and brick relieving arch above are clearly seen. The east and north walls are rough plaster on split lath.

Many key roof elements of the main block structure can be seen close at hand in the garret stair landing room. To the south and west are located the large beams which hold the mortise-and-tenon outriggers pinned in place. The south outriggers rest on a continuous plate, but those to the west have no plate and are individually blocked. Also on the west is the rafter beam which holds the west pediment outriggers and a purlin which holds the rafters and sheathing of the roof itself.

Door 300/D1 is a six-panel door painted on the north face and covered with masonite on the south face. The door has been somewhat cut down on both stiles. There is the ghost of a box lock which has disappeared; there was once a rim right latch which is gone, but the holes remain. The lock stile of the door is missing a piece which has been torn off, leaving the door in an unsightly state. Other door hardware includes two hooks on the interior face, one at the top and one at the bottom of the lock stile with no corresponding eyes on the jamb. The hooks could only serve to lock someone into the garret stair landing room from within. The hinges are believed to be modern; they are both broken. The door has been fireproofed by the masonite on its south face and galvanized metal around the door jamb. There is a mortise in the lock side of the jamb which may once have accommodated the tongue of a box lock.

The fire standpipe rises to its final height in the southeast corner of the garret stair landing room. There is an accordion hose emplacement there which can be reached through a small door in the east wall accessible from the main block garret.

There is one light in a porcelain fixture attached to a purlin above the center of the garret stair landing room, and no receptacles.

Garret Stair Landing Room (Room 300) — Recommendations

It is recommended that 300/D1 be taken apart and the lock stile replaced. The hinges should be replaced with reproduction ones to match the cast-iron variety found in the house. Remove standpipe and firehose accordion.

MAIN BLOCK GARRET (ROOM 301) — EXISTING CONDITIONS

The large garret of the main block at Arlington House is divided into five bays of approximately the same size. From the west, the first three bays cover the interior of the main block, with the last two over the open portico.

The five bays are defined by five large kingpost trusses and one rafter-beam on the west end. The builders opted for a rafter-beam on the west end of the main block instead of another kingpost truss because of the presence of 301/W1 in the west pediment wall. The trusses and rafter beam run the width of the house and overhang the north and south bearing walls of the main block to carry the exterior cornice.

Beginning at the east, the first truss is supported by the six massive Doric columns of the portico. The truss is upheld by the structure of the entablature which rests on the brick of the columns. The second truss is the least well supported as it was upheld only by the two columns and the structure of the entablature above them to the west of the main line of six columns across the portico. The third truss rests securely on the east bearing wall of the main block. The fourth truss is upheld by the north and south bearing walls; both the bottom and top chords of the truss on each end pass through the mass of the east chimneys between the two flues. This fourth truss is also supported by the two interior bearing walls that define the center halls (B06, the center hall, and the upstairs hall). The fifth truss rests on the interior bearing walls and is supported by the north and south bearing walls of the main block, as is the fourth. The rafter-beam on the west end rests on the west bearing wall of the main block.

The ceiling of the portico, which is new plaster on expanded metal lath, and the ceilings of the second floor rooms, are all carried by joists running east-west between the trusses. These joists are nearly square in a majority of cases and are wider than they have to be, as well as not as great in the depth as they should be. They are supported by the trusses in being notched squarely toward the center of their depth and lodged onto a ledger board which is nailed to the lower portion of the bottom chord of the truss.

The trusses themselves are made up of long members pieced where necessary by elongated lap or tongue-and-groove-joints. Other than the kingpost, which is mortise-and-tenoned and pinned between the top and bottom chords, the trusses have a vertical post on either side, two-thirds of the way from the kingpost to either extremity, which is also mortise-and-tenoned between the top and bottom chords.

The surfaces of the east and west pediments are covered with horizontally placed and nailed tongue-and-groove boards 5-1/2" wide. The only portion of the attic which is floored is the area in the first bay on the west side where the attic stairs give into the main attic space. The stairs are enclosed by rough studs having plaster on split lath, with the finished surface facing away from the attic space. The flooring of this bay is random-width, tongue-and-groove pine, running north-south and presumably original.

The door to the garret stairs from the main block garret, notated as 301/D1, is a six-panel door painted on the south face and covered with masonite board on the north face. The door has been cut down slightly on both stiles. There are the remains of a locking hasp on the south face as well as a hook and an eye. There is a large eye on the jamb which works with the smaller hook, but is not a companion piece to it. The hinges appear original, although they are considerably oversized for the door. The doorway has been minimally fireproofed with a masonite backing and the covering of the jamb with galvanized metal.

Window 301/W1 is an eight-over-eight window, double-sash, having a segmentally-arched head. This window is located in the center of the tympanum of the west pediment. It has no counterweights or interior casing. The window is original in appearance; the muntins were repaired and strengthened with epoxy injections in the mid-1970s.

A pattern of purlins is mortise-and-tenoned between the top chords of the trusses and rafter-beam. The rafters run north-south over the purlins and meet at a ridge board let into the tops of the kingposts. The rafters are covered by tightly spaced sheathing boards approximately 1" in thickness, and a slate roof covers the sheathing.

The truss on the east end has outriggers mortise-and-tenoned on the top and bottom chords which hold the pediment above the portico. The rafter-beam on the west holds similar outriggers which support the west pediment. The cornices to the north and south below the surfaces of the main roof are held by the truss cantilevers and by outriggers mortise-and-tenoned into secondary beams running east-west between the trusses and rafter-beam. These small beams are mortise-and-tenoned between the trusses and rafter-beam and pinned with wood dowels.

It is assumed that the roof of the main block was in poor condition by the time of the War Department restoration because of the amount of work carried out at that time. The army found it necessary to install intermediate purlins, on blocks bolted through the top chords of the trusses and rafter beam, between the original purlins.

As the second truss from the east had no mid-supports as did the others, and as it was undoubtedly sagging badly, two auxiliary trusses were installed at right angles to the main trusses. These secondary trusses spanned the portico ceiling and were found bearing on the truss on the east bearing wall of the main block and on large posts rising from the tops of two of the columns. Iron rods ran from the peaks of the small trusses through their bottom chords and through the bottom chord of the sagging truss. These rods pulled the bottom chord of the second truss up to an acceptable level condition; they appear to be acting well over fifty years later, and show no structural problems.

The south end of this same second truss from the east had come loose prior to the War Department restoration, the top chord having become detached from the bottom. Army repairs at the time included the securing of this end by a chain around metal pins driven through the two chords.

Contrary to what many involved with Arlington House have assumed, the trusses do not now and may have never operated as real trusses. The truss form was chosen when the main block was built in 1817-19 as a convenient way to support a large roof with the wood members available. Except for the second truss from the east, which failed many years ago and which was stabilized by the use of additional trusses, it was not necessary to have true trusses at any of the other points because of the various points of support each truss had available in the structure of the main block beneath.

Many problems identified in the main block roof have been repaired over the years, yet many remain. It is thought that the main block roof system was originally built to support cedar shake shingles and did so successfully until 1858 when General Lee installed a slate roof. The fact that the roof system was not designed to carry the load of a slate roof has resulted in many additional problems over the years. The visual manifestations of these problems are occasional longitudinal splitting in some purlins and truss chords, and the fact that the whole system appears to be leaning slightly to the east. Also, the action of the top chords of trusses bearing extra-heavily on cantilevered bottom chords beyond the north and south bearing walls is causing the bottom chord ends to deflect downward, bending the cornices down on either side as well. There have also been attempts to give additional supports to sagging roof areas and members by the introduction of posts at random. A further difficulty with the roof system is that these temporary posts can cause more damage than they are correcting if placed without reasoned engineering.

There is a large amount of conduit which runs over the ceiling to bring electricity to the second floor receptacles. There is currently only one porcelain light fixture in the garret over the floored portion to the west.

Main Block Garret (Room 301) — Proposed Treatment

It is recommended that the structural system of the main block roof and its condition be examined through an engineering study like those already carried out for the north and south wing roofs. Meanwhile it is recommended that the ceiling joists of the second floor rooms, which run between the bottom chords of the trusses and which are often not well-connected at present, be reattached with metal straps. It will be necessary to examine them individually and to decide whether or not they need stabilization. This work may be done by a qualified exhibit specialist.

It is important that the roof system be closely monitored for any changes in its present condition, which would indicate deterioration or impending collapse. It is recommended that further lighting be installed in the garret so that all portions of that large space may be clearly examined. It is felt that the addition of four fixtures on the center line of each bay, one each on the purlins down from each side of the ridge pole, and one each on the purlins on each side first up from the floor, would be sufficient. These lights should be on their own circuit to the main service box in B05 and should be controlled by a disconnect adjacent to 301/D1. The twenty fixtures should each have a one-hundred watt bulb. All wiring is to be run in conduit.

NORTH WING GARRET — EXISTING CONDITIONS

The north wing roof was found to be in extremely poor structural condition in 1979 and work was performed extensively in this area in 1980 for its stabilization.

Prior to the stabilization work in 1980, the north wing roof had existed in a state of continuous deterioration for many years. On close examination, it was found that the roof structure was not well-engineered, even from the standpoint of common building sense, from its inception. Virtually all structural members — ceiling joists and rafters — were under-sized for their load requirements. Additional problems were caused early in the roof's history when, during a reworking of its structure, the rafter ends were lifted off their original plate and moved to one with a slightly higher elevation. This work was done in connection with the change of the roof from one with splayed eaves to one with a continuous angle of pitch from the ridge to the fascia.

The leaking of the roof also contributed to the general roof deterioration. By 1980 the ends of many rafters were not only poorly connected to the plate, but were occasionally rotted away at that connection (see photograph #66). Also, the hip rafters, the most important elements of all for the strength of the total structure, were not well connected to the corners of the wing. The two hip rafters on the south end of the north wing had no connection at all to the plate below (see photograph #67).

When the rafters were raised off the plate, all positive connection was lost between them. Prior to the 1980 work, the most insignificant connection between the rafters of the north wing and their plate was that supplied by gravity and friction. The usual connection between the rafter end and the ceiling joist, separated by a block or an additional plate, was a single vertical piece nailed to one side of the joist and rafter. At the most there were two vertical pieces, one to either side of the joist and connecting rafter. In other cases, there were no connecting pieces at all while some rafters were suspended in mid-air with vertical connection, but an absence of blocking (see photograph #66).

One of the main problems of the north wing prior to 1980 was attributable to the small size of the rafters which were required to span a significant distance at a very low pitch. Other than the rafters making the north hip face, which are replacements, most of the rafters are original and in good condition. In some cases, particularly in the gable end built over the remains of the south hip face when the north wing was connected to the main block, the rafters were not centered close enough together to be wholly effective.

The north wing roof was strengthened somewhat in 1961 by the addition of collar beams where possible; also, some rafter extensions and sheathing were replaced out beyond the plate line. At the same time a double line of vertical pieces was put in place near the center of the rafter spans. These boards were nailed to the south side of the rafters and rested on the top edge of the corresponding ceiling joist with no connection. These vertical pieces prevented some of the roof rafter deflection as intended, but also passed loading forces onto the ceiling joists, causing two joists to fail completely and endangering the plaster ceilings below.

All ceiling joists are apparently historic, as are the outriggers. During the replastering of the ceiling of the Custis guest chamber, auxiliary joists in the form of 2 x 4s were added between existing ceiling joists to give added strength to the metal lath. Prior to the 1980 work, most of the original joists were in good condition except the following: counting from the north end, the third joist contained powder-post beetle damage; the ninth was broken completely in half; the tenth, eleventh, and twelfth were discontinuous and extended less than half-way across the span; and the fourteenth had a longitudinal crack which rendered it ineffective. On the east side of the north wing, ends of joists three, five, six, eight, seventeen, and nineteen were damaged by rot and were connected to the fascia board by joist extensions.

Following the compiling of measured drawings of the north wing roof, a report [48] was made evaluating the structural condition of the roof and giving recommendations for correction of problems. It was found that ideally the roof should be capable of supporting a superimposed live load of 20 PSF minimum with member stresses allowable being per current allowable code stresses. Investigation of existing conditions found that stresses under a 20 PSF live loading in several cases approached 400 PSI in bending almost three times the conventional allowable stresses of even the better woods in use today.

The primary members that were overstressed were the 3 x 3 roof rafters, which were calculated to have a stress of 3823 PSI based on a live load of 20 PSF (minimum per code) and by treating the roof system as a three-hinged arch which, by present conditions, most nearly described its action. The hip rafters on the north end were found to be overstressed by a lesser amount, and the ceiling joists by an even lesser amount. The engineer's conclusion was that remedial action was necessary to reduce the stress and to bring the structure better in line with conventional safety practice.

The objective in the structural stabilization of the roof of the north wing at Arlington House was to follow the National Park Service policy of preserving where possible the greatest amount of historic fabric. While it is difficult to fully assess the extent of repair and replacement of fabric over the years, it was decided to follow the engineering recommendation that proposed the installation of a post-and-beam system which would support and preserve all existing fabric in the garret. Essentially, this modern system would form a second full structure under the existing historic system without disturbing the old system or the roof. An additional positive feature of this post-and-beam system was that it could be moved into the garret space in pieces and assembled there without necessitating removal of any major existing historic fabric.

The principal components of the new structural system in the north wing roof were three large beams each composed of two 1/4" x 11" steel flitch plates sandwiched between three Douglas fir 2 x 12s. These beam components were bolted together at a minimum of 10" spacing with 1/2" bolts. Because of the constraints imposed by limited access to the garret through a hole in the ceiling of the school and sewing room (twentieth-century plaster on expanded metal lath), none of the individual pieces of the beam could be continuous over the required total beam length of 22' 6". In the design of the beam, each of the two pieces of steel is 18' 6" long; they were lapped in the beam itself so there would be steel strengthening the whole length of the beam from one bearing wall to the other. These beams were manufactured and assembled on the ground, then disassembled and taken in pieces into the garret where they were reassembled in place. One foot sections of rafter plates were removed to seat each end of each beam onto a wood bearing plate directly on the top of the brick bearing walls of the north wing to the east and west. The beams were assembled at approximate third points along the length of the north wing (see photograph #63).

Once the beams were installed, doubled 2 x 12s nailed together were run atop the beams north-south at points approximately 5' 0" to the east and west of the garret centerline. These wood beams were held upright by 4 x 4 steel angles bolted between them and the sandwiched flitch-plate beams below. Similar 4 x 4 steel angles were bolted along the length of the wood beams vertically to give support to all rafters near their mid-points and, where necessary, to hold up weak joists below. The wood beams found support at their south ends by being mortared into the north bearing wall of the main block and at their north ends on plates above the north bearing wall of the north wing. Several doubled 2 x 12s were also run east-west over the wood beams to help support the south hip point and jack rafters on the north face of the north hip. The bad end conditions where the rafters meet the plates were strengthened by the addition of gusset plates made of 3/4" plywood placed between the rafters in question and the corresponding ceiling joists below.

Remaining historic features in the north wing garret include the soot-blackened and cut-off end of a chimney, level with the ceiling joists on the west side near the center of the garret space. This flue is all that remains of a chimney which once served the flue in the chimney breast of the inner hall (north wing). It is not known when the chimney was abandoned and cut off, but it is felt that it ceased to be used prior to the 1861 interpretive period. Also, scattered throughout the north wing garret are pieces of trim which once were part of a north wing decorative scheme thought to have predated the interpretative period. These pieces of trim were reused in the garret to strengthen split wood lath and to stabilize studs in place for the partition walls below.

Of primary interest as a historic feature of the house, which remains in the north wing attic, is the abandoned south hip face. This feature was left in place and covered c. 1817-19 when the north wing roof was connected to the main block by a new gable-end construction. Original jack rafters, sheathing, wood shingle nail patterns, and ribs for splayed eaves (see photograph #69) remain in place. Also to be seen against the north wall of the main block are the truncated outriggers which once held the south eave of the north wing when it stood as a separate building. These outriggers were cut off when the main block was built and the north wing roof extended to abut it, but at least half their original length remains in place.

There is a ventilating grill let into the south face of the chimney in the north wing garret. The grill connects to a flue from the closed fireplaces in either the school and sewing room, the Custis chamber, or the winter kitchen and was placed there, probably in the War Department restoration, to give some air circulation to the garret space. In order to increase the air circulation in the main garret space, and to provide some ventilation of the north wing loggia garret as well, the molding at the top edge of the fascia board above the west face of the north wing was louvered in 1980 by 1", thus making a continuous slit through which air could enter all along that side of the building. This air, as well as that entering through cracks, etc., continues between rafters from the loggia garret into the main garret on its way to the chimney grill.

The present roof on the north wing and loggia, as well as the south wing and conservatory roof, is a modern terpolymer membrane attached to exterior tongue-and-groove plywood over the old sheathing. This roof coating, installed in 1974, is covered with pebbles and is intended to simulate the tar and gravel roof seen in the 1864 photographs of the house taken by the Signal Corps of the U.S. Army. On removal of the guttering during the repainting of the house in 1981, it was found that the lack of a drip edge, purposely left out of the design to better represent the historic condition, had resulted in a total rotting of the plywood edge. Approximately 16 inches of both the north and south wing roofs were removed around the edges and replaced in 1981. The renovated work was outfitted with a drip edge to better preserve the repairs effected in 1980.

In addition to the deteriorated roof edges, numerous areas of the remaining roof surface were found to be deficient and were patched accordingly. It was felt, however, that these repairs were stopgap measures and that the entire roof surface of both wings would require replacement in several years. At fault is the roofing system itself.

The terpolymer membrane has a tendency to break down when exposed to the elements and therefore is ill-suited for this application. It has lasted for less than six years, which has to be considered unacceptable in light of the fact that a "typical" roofing system will last a minimum of 12 to 15 years. It is advised by DSC that alternatives to the present system be examined with a view toward more conventional materials that may well prove less expensive and longer lasting.

The north wing attic has no lights or receptacles. There is, however, a disconnect just above the access to the attic garret the ceiling of 107A, which serves the electrical radiant ceiling in the pantry.

North Wing Garret — Proposed Treatment

For proper monitoring of the roof stabilization above the north wing, it is recommended that three porcelain fixtures be placed there, one near the north end north of the chimney, one in the middle, and one in the south end near the wall of the main block. These fixtures should be fitted with 100-watt bulbs with metal cages to protect those bulbs in the shallow garret from inadvertent breakage. All three fixtures will be controlled from a switch near the present disconnect above 107A. All wiring is to run in conduit.

NORTH WING LOGGIA GARRET — EXISTING CONDITIONS

Access to this garret is through an approximate 1' 0" x 3' 0" opening in the ceiling of the northeast corner of the pantry. Trim around the opening and its cover appears to date from the original finishing of the room.

On inspection of the garret in 1979, the structural system was found to be in poor condition. Unlike the main garret structure, the loggia roof was made of logs flattened on one or two sides. The ceiling of the pantry was plaster on sawn lath, all of which was removed to allow proper access to the garret for renovation work.

The engineering report [49] on the loggia roof system found the stresses to be approximately 1200 PSI maximum, which was within the present code allowables. The main problem found with the roof, however, was that it was not anchored to the inner, or west bearing, wall of the north wing (see photograph #70). As can be seen from the photograph, the ceiling joists rested loosely in pockets too large for them. Thrust from the rafters was being taken by the exterior wall only and computed stresses indicated that this net tension was approximately 30 psi. It was found that this tension could be reduced by 60% by tying the ceiling joists to the west bearing wall of the north wing.

In order to strengthen the roof system as well as connect it more firmly to the west bearing wall of the north wing, seven half-trusses were installed at points where the existing ceiling joists appeared in a weakened condition or were spaced too far apart. These half-trusses (see photograph #71) gave additional support to the lean-to roof and new strength to the ceiling of the pantry. Additional pockets were cut in the bearing wall for extensions of the bottom chords of the trusses and these east ends were firmly attached to the west bearing wall of the north wing by threaded steel rods and plates manufactured for this purpose. These rods were bolted against the west wall of the inner wall (north wing) by use of 6" x 6" steel washer plates (see photograph #34). A new ceiling of plaster board specifically manufactured for use with an electric radiant ceiling was hung from strips running north-south and connected to both the new half-trusses and the original log joists. This plaster board was strung on its lower side with the radiant ceiling wire that was stapled onto the board. The wires were covered with one brown coat and one white finish coat, each approximately 1/8" thick, of a plaster formulated for use with a radiant ceiling. The ceiling of the north wing loggia was insulated above the radiant ceiling and a 4' 0" wide strip of plywood was nailed to the top edge of the bottom chords of the half-trusses down the center of the loggia garret for added strength, as well as to provide a crawl surface to inspect the garret (see photograph #71).

The north end of the north wing loggia garret contains the lead-lined water tank installed toward the middle of the nineteenth century to serve the bath and water closet. The presence of this tank causes the ceiling in the north end of the loggia to be only about 9' 0" above the finished floor. The bottom of the tank is composed of 3/4" x 9-3/4" boards running east-west. These boards are supported by timbers which run north-south and which are visible across the ceilings of the bath, the water closet and a small portion of pantry; these beams are beaded on their lower corners. The sides of the tank are made of heavy, planed timbers, tongue-and-grooved, and approximately 2-1/2" thick. This wood box measures approximately 8' 0" x 9' 0" and is 2' 0" deep. It was originally lined with a 1/8" fabric of lead which covered the bottom and extended up each side. There was no top for this cistern; its stored water was protected, however, by the slanting loggia roof above. Having been abandoned for a century, the lead lining is in poor condition today with some of the lead having been torn from the bottom of the tank and some of that along the sides having fallen over.

Water entered the tank at a point approximately 2' 0" from the northeast corner along the north side of the tank at the top. At this point there is a cut several inches deep and approximately 6" long on the top edge of the tank. This notch is covered with lead like the tank interior. Behind the notch, one layer of brick was removed at the top of the north wall of the loggia and the rafter plate was also cut to allow a 6" opening to the exterior. It is thought that water was pumped up to the tank from the nearby well. From the location of the access to the tank, it is possible that some water may have entered from the gutter system as well.

Water probably flowed from the tank to the bathroom below through a 2" hole, now patched, 2' 0" along the north wall of the tank from the northeast corner. Nearby there is a rectangular hole measuring approximately 1' 0" x 2' 0" in the bottom of the tank, of no apparent function. There is also a hole measuring approximately 2" toward the center of the south wall of the bath in the tank bottom; it does not, however, extend through the lead lining; its purpose also remains unknown. There is also a hole in the roof sheathing approximately above this hole; if it were not for the presence of the lead lining over the hole, it would appear that a vent pipe might have once occupied these holes.

Considerable work was performed in 1980 to stabilize the roof above the water tank. The hip rafter was resupported by two wood beams running north-south across the top of the tank (see photograph #72) from which 4" x 4" steel angles rise to connect with the rafters. The composed beams were connected to the tank and held in place by other 4" x 4" steel angles.

The north wing loggia garret has no lights or receptacles.

North Wing Loggia Garret — Proposed Treatment

Like the north wing garret, the loggia garret should also have at least two porcelain fixtures at the third points near the high point of the attic. These fixtures should have protective cages, 100-watt bulbs, and a switch near the access hole in the garret. All wiring is to run in conduit.

SOUTH WING GARRET — EXISTING CONDITIONS

The south wing roof is the same size as that of the north wing, but its construction and parts are very different. As in the north wing, the early twentieth-century roof contained the parapet walls and splayed eaves which characterized the wings of a neo-classical building. As the south wing was to contain only two rooms, both of which were to extend the width of the wing king post trusses (see photograph #73) were installed to carry the hip apices. The rafters, generally larger in section than those in the north wing, were supported near their mid-span by purlins running between the trusses, between the trusses and the hip rafters, and between the hip rafters on either end. Many of the rafters were notched into the purlins, which were also let into the trusses and wedged tight. The purlins were later given further support by a number of wood struts rising vertically from the ceiling joists. Forces taken by the struts to the ceiling below from heavy roof loads were detrimental to the plasterwork in Mrs. R. E. Lee's morning room and the office and study.

Unlike the plate in the north wing, the south wing plate is uniform and continuous; its corners are reinforced by diagonal braces let into the plate in half-dovetail joints (see photograph #74). Like the condition in the north wing garret prior to the 1980 work, there is little connection between the rafter ends and the plate, as the rafters here are also raised on blocks and connected to the joists with short vertical pieces (see photograph #75). Many rafters on the west side of the roof were doubled by the addition of adjacent new rafters of similar size. The same collar beams which appear between north wing rafters were added in the south wing garret where possible.

Even a cursory examination of the south wing roof shows that its construction is superior to that of the north wing. While much of the original material is probably weaker than when it was installed, it was still sufficient to carry expected loads prior to the stabilization work of 1981. An exception was the area between the north king post truss and the south wall of the main block. Pertinent sections of the engineering report on the south wing roof are presented here:

Unlike the north wing, the south wing roof was constructed to a pattern; members fit better, and overall sizing and spacing of members make up a much better roof system.

The original roof was constructed with hips at both ends, later modified, extending the gable to the main house when this portion of the structure was completed. The roof consists basically of 3" x 4" rafters and 3" x 8" ceiling joists at approximately 1'—5" centers. At either end where hip rafters frame to the roof ridge line, there is a king post truss with strutted top chord support and bracing. The original hip flanking the main house has been removed, but the hip rafters remain. Roof rafters have an intermediate 4" x 4" support member (purlin) spanning between the king post trusses.

Investigations reveal that the rafters can carry their loading by compression and bending without the intermediate support (purlin), and, furthermore, the 4" x 4" intermediate support is not capable of furnishing full support if the full load was transferred there. It is suspected that the rafters deliver some load to the 4" x 4" causing it to deflect to a point where the rafters then act as a normal rafter system. Computations reveal that if the 4" x 4" were to carry all dead and live loading that would be normally assigned to a support beam, then stresses would be of such magnitude that failure would be imminent.

The final conclusion is that the rafters act basically as normal rafters, and that the 4" x 4" member (purlin) acts as bracing and carries only minimal load, and that the full system is sound.

Investigations on the hip rafter at the south end of the structure indicate that if the rafter acts only as a beam, stresses would be of such magnitude that it would be considerably overstressed under full live loading. At the south end, however, jack rafters form arches and carry most of the hip rafter's load down to the walls, and it is concluded that this system needs no repair.

The hip rafter at the north end where modifications occurred, however, is not as well taken care of. Stresses here are computed at 2800 psi, and are enough in excess of common allowables to warrant additional support. In addition, roof rafters added at the time when the roof was converted from a hip to a gable are spaced too far apart, and, although structural failure is not assured, stresses in the members, their consequential deflections, as well as deflections in the roof sheathing, are considerably higher than should be allowed. These deflections will, under live-loading, cause sagging and resultant damage to the membrane roofing, causing shorter life and more leakage. It is therefore recommended that at the north end the rafters, ridge beam, and hip rafters be strengthened to increase structure and roof life. [50]

Beyond certain localized problems of rot, bug damage, under-structuring or connection, the main problem of the south wing roof structure, as stated in the engineering report, is that section of the roof added to connect the south wing to the main block. In this end the rafters are over-spaced and therefore considerably under-structured. The second and third rafters from the north end on the east side are notched and consequently have only a 2" depth of section; the same condition exists in the third rafter on the west and there is powder-post beetle damage in the north end of the purlin on that side as well. At the same end of the roof, the west hip rafter is not well seated and the east hip rafter contains an 18" longitudinal split at its end (see photograph #76).

All the plaster visible in the garret floor is on split lath and believed to be original. Some of the keying is broken and the connection between plaster and lath is difficult to assess. Unlike that of the north wing, the brick of the south wing walls continues up between the joists, adding stability. Access to the garret was originally found only through a cricket just to the east of the south wing chimney. Due to the necessity of bringing in timbers, etc. for the 1980 stabilization work, it was found imperative to add a more convenient and reasonable access. Door 206/D4 was cut in the south wall of the Lee boys' room to connect directly to the south wing garret space.

Following the same preservation policy as presented in the north wing garret and the other stabilization work pursued at Arlington House in 1980, the historic fabric of the south wing was left in place and supported where necessary by modern materials (photographs #77, 78, 79). Much of the stabilization effected was in the area between the north king post truss and the south bearing wall of the main block. Doubled 2" x 8"s were fitted tightly under the north hip rafters running from the top of the king post down to the rafter bearing plate. They were held in place at their bases by doubled 2 x 6s reinforced at the bottom with a 4 x 4 steel angle mortared on one end (see photograph #77) into the masonry wall of the main block and with the end resting on a wing bearing wall. The lip of the steel angle was bolted into the diagonal corner brace of the continuous rafter plate below. The plate is further reinforced by doubled 2 x 6 salt-treated members clipped by steel angles to the north outrigger beam and mortared into the main block wall. The bottom chord of the north king post truss is reinforced by the addition of doubled 2 x 12s bolted onto its north side. The new hip rafters are held at the king post by the pressure of a tight fit and 4 x 4 posts which are supported by the doubled 2 x 12s below (see photograph #73).

The ridge pole in the weak area was reinforced by two 2" x 6" members (see photograph #79) running under and beside it, and separated by 3" blocks. The ridge pole reinforcement is mortared into the main block wall on the north and held up on the south by a piece running between the new hip rafters (see photograph #78). New 2" x 6" rafters were spaced between the old; they depend on the new ridge pole members at the top and rest on a ledger board beside the new hip rafters. There were several ceiling joists toward the south end of the south wing which showed some powder-post beetle damage. These were strengthened by a 2" x 8" member nailed to one side.

Three 8" x 8" members were removed from the garret space in 1981 when the large crystal chandelier in Mrs. R. E. Lee's morning room was removed. These members had been in place over the ceiling joists, and had been used to hold the weight of the chandelier, all of which was transferred directly to the joists. It is recommended in the furnishings plan to install a smaller chandelier (c. 1804) in its place. In order to suspend the new chandelier, a 2" x 8" member was installed running from one king post to another on either side of the post. The former chandelier, and the beams from which it was suspended, were installed by the army in the early years of the twentieth century.

There are no lights or receptacles in the south wing garret.

SOUTH WING GARRET — RECOMMENDATIONS

It is recommended that the south wing garret be outfitted with three lights — like those in the north wing garret, to be controlled by a switch adjacent to 206/D4 inside the garret space.

SOUTH WING LOGGIA ROOF — EXISTING CONDITIONS

Investigations in the conservatory carried out in the early 1950s found a line of joist pockets several feet below the present roof rafters on the east wall. These ceiling joists may have been in place in the late nineteenth century when the roof was replaced with one of glass to better serve the plant conservatory; these joists might also have dated from before 1860. The glass roof did not prove successful, however, as it was plagued with leaks and rotting members. It was replaced in 1961 by the present rafter structure, which is apparently well-seated on both the tops of the north wing west bearing wall and the west loggia wall, and does not employ ceiling joists. The 1961 roof was covered in concrete tiles simulating wood shingles, as are presently seen on both the north and south servants' quarters. These tiles were replaced in 1974 by the terpolymer membrane and pebbles over tongue-and-groove exterior plywood.

The same problems of a rotting edge as were found on the north wing roof were also discovered on the south wing roof. As in the north wing, approximately 1' of this roof at the edge was removed in 1981 and replaced with new plywood and membrane. The south wing roof edges were also fitted with a drip edge to prevent future problems.

EXTERIOR — EXISTING CONDITIONS

North Wing

The north and east sides of the north wing were waterproofed in 1980. For many years the Arlington House basement had been plagued with moisture problems. While it was assumed that some of the moisture was rising from the floor itself, it was felt that a good deal was entering directly though the side walls. Monitoring with an electric moisture detection meter in late 1979 and early 1980 at predetermined points on basement walls showed a marked increase in moisture levels in certain exterior walls after a rain. The worst walls were those facing the north and east in the north wing and the south and east in the south wing. It was decided to waterproof these walls from the exterior to reduce the high moisture level in the basement. It was understood at the time that all moisture problems in the basement could not be totally eliminated without the further covering of all basement floors with a waterproof membrane and the insertion of a membrane into the exterior walls to stop all capillary action.

The waterproofing of the north and east foundation walls of the north wing was accomplished by first digging a trench on the wing exterior to the foundation base. The foundation walls, all of brick, were cleaned by brushing and repointed where necessary.

Considerable rebuilding of corners was necessary at the northeast and northwest (where loggia wall meets original north wing). Much of the soft mortar in the joints of these corners had been removed by water erosion, particularly in the northeast corner where a drain connection box was leaking against the house. This box, installed during the 1970s, was composed of cinder block walls and a metal top, and was an intrusion on the authenticity of the historic scene, as well as being of questionable functional value. Freezing and thawing had broken the box in a number of places, and the boxes had been observed overflowing during heavy rains. Both this box and its symmetrically corresponding mate on the southeast corner of the south wing were removed and their necessity eliminated by the installation of new, below-ground drainage pipes of pvc, which came together as one at the corner, and ran out to daylight near the southeast corner of the vegetable garden.

Both the northeast and northwest corners of the north wing were rebuilt in modern mortar, as was the stone north foundation wall of the loggia. The waterproofing was carried out by first parging the brick walls to achieve an even surface. Expanded galvanized metal lath with ribs was attached to the parged surface with galvanized nails driven into the mortar joints. This lath (see photograph #80) was covered by a scratch coat of portland cement which, when thoroughly dried, was provided with a smooth-floated finish coat (see photograph #81). The concrete surface was kept wet for a period of time to prevent cracking. The smooth portland surface was covered with an asphalt coating and a heavy plastic. The plastic was protected with plywood sheets which were systematically removed as the trench was refilled. It is thought that the galvanized metal lath will prevent cracking of the parged and asphalted surface and guard against further leaks to the old walls.

A number of old pipes were removed from the stone north foundation wall of the north wing loggia during the trenching. Most of these pipes that could be identified were found to date from the late nineteenth to early twentieth century use of the north wing as living quarters. Some were too deteriorated by rust to be given proper identification. The area under B01/W1 on the exterior just above the stone wall was rebuilt in 1981 during the cleaning and repainting of the house.

During the cleaning and repainting of 1981, the sills under the semi-circular arched windows in the north and south wings were found to be of Aquia Creek sandstone. They were discovered to have some carved detail, such as a drip kerf, most of which had been filled with paint. Water had gotten behind the painted surface and had succeeded in deteriorating some of them severely. Repairs were made on all stonework in 1981 where it was necessary. In all, there are three pieces of sandstone under each window; the principal piece, measuring 4' 9-3/4", falls directly under the frame of the window, and there are two flanking pieces at 1' 5" each, which run out to the jambs of the recessed archway around each window.

The majority of the stucco surface of the north wing was redone in 1964. Due to the poor quality of the original stucco and to the deteriorated condition of much of the surface of the house, a layer of portland cement was placed over the expanded galvanized metal lath that had been nailed to the original surface. All of the north wing was redone except for the pebble-dash base and the plinths of the engaged posts supporting the recessed arches of the west face. These plinths were covered in a hard stucco of excellent condition, which apparently dates from the same application as that on the west wall of the main block. The date of the present pebble-dash base is not known, but it is not felt to be original in its entirety to the early nineteenth century. There are definite areas of patching and multiple applications. The pebble-dash surface was lightly sandblasted in 1981 to remove the loosest material prior to repainting. There was no effort, however, to clean all the surface down to bare mortar and stone due to the tendency of the stones to quickly lose their seating, thereby accelerating deterioration.

The canopies over B01/D1 and B01/D2 are not original to the historic period. The lattice on each is attached with wire nails and appears to be a replacement. Canopy B01/D1 was cleaned in place in 1981 using a scraper and heat gun. Canopy B01/D2, however, was detached from the north wing and dipped to achieve total paint removal.

The cornice and dentils of the north wing do not appear old and may have been redone in the War Department restoration. The north wing chimney's stucco was patched in 1981.

The six-over-six windows on the north wing all have louvered shutters. The semi-circular arched windows have no shutters on either the north or south wings and show no signs of ever having had any.

The exterior stairs to 101/D1 and 101/D2 were found to be unsafe due to rotting, and were removed. These stairs dated from the late nineteenth century and led to both doors after 1885. The original stairs, however, led only to 101/D1 (as 101/D2 was a window) as they appear in the photographs of June 1864. The present exterior stairs are merely utilitarian and were placed there in 1980 to serve the visitor traffic flow through the house.

South Wing

The conditions of the south wing exterior are largely the same as those described as pertaining to the north wing. The south wing was waterproofed (see photograph #81) like the north except for the fact that the south wall does not extend as far into the earth as the north wall of the north wing, as the space behind was not excavated.

In 1981 the doors of 116/D1 were reversed after they were stripped of paint and renovated. As previously hung, they presented the putty side of the muntins to the interior of the conservatory. The door sill on the exterior was reworked so that it would drain away from the doors. The. canopy of B09/D1 presents the same condition as those on the north wing. It was hand-scraped prior to repainting in 1981.

The stucco of the south wing was redone in 1964 as described for the north wing. The stucco on the south and west walls of the loggia and on the connecting flanker was not redone in 1964 and is apparently the same age as that on the west wall of the main block.

The only shutters on the south wing are those on 114/W1, which are louvered. There is an electric wheel chair lift adjacent to 114/D1, which was installed in November 1980.

EXTERIOR — MAIN BLOCK — EXISTING CONDITIONS

The stucco surface of the north side of the main block was renewed in 1964 by portland cement over expanded metal lath and the surface scored to simulate ashlar as was done on much of the north and south wings. The surface is in good condition.

The shutters of 203/W1 and 203/W2 are the panel type. Some patching of the stucco on the north chimneys of the main block was carried out in 1981 prior to painting.

Main Block — West Side

The stairs to the center hall doors (111/D1) were redone in the mid-1970s in an effort to reproduce those appearing in the historic photographs of June 1864. They replace stairs having heavy balusters, which probably date from the late nineteenth century like the stairs to the north wing. Some archaeology was conducted prior to the construction of the present stairs and the supposed remains of the original stair footings were located where the present concrete footing was poured.

Three hinge pintles are located on the north side of 111/W1 and the south side of 111/W2; the bottom north one is broken and the bottom south is missing. They appear to have served large shutters to either side of the 111/W1 — 111/D1 — 111/D2 grouping: shutters on B04/W1 and B07/W1 are the panel type, as are those on 202/W1 and 208/W1. Louvered shutters appear on 110/W1 and 113/W1. There are no shutters on B06/W1, 201/W1, 201/W2, or 301/W1.

The stucco of the west facade of the main block is in very good condition. It is a particularly hard and durable variety and apparently dates from army work at the end of the nineteenth century.

The wood sill of 110/W1 was found to be in a rotted condition in 1981. Rotten parts of the surface were removed and the cavity was treated with wood preservative. The cavity was filled with a two-part resin, and sanded before repainting.

The slate roof of the main block appears in good condition. There have been some problems with leaking on the north edge of the roof in the recent past, but they have been repaired and are not presently a problem.

Main Block — South Side

Like the north side, the south side of the main block had its stucco surface removed in 1964.

The shutters of 207/W1 and 207/W2 are of the panel type.

Main Block — East Side

Stucco on the east face of the main block at Arlington House was renewed in 1964 by a coat of portland cement over expanded galvanized metal lath. It was attached over the old stucco with galvanized nails. It is in very good condition. The windows on the first floor have panelled shutters; those on the second floor have no shutters.

A small test hole was dug approximately 1' 0" deep in the portico floor against the side of the house just below 108/W2 in 1981. It was found that the old stucco layers extend down only to the level of the present portico pavers and not below the level of the ground beneath.

The portico stairs are of wood and date to this century. Due to the lack of flashing and certain other design faults, the feet of the stringers are mostly rotten. Because of their deteriorated condition and lack of historic authenticity, they were removed prior to the column damp-proofing contract work begun in September 1981. Replacement is scheduled for early FY 1983.

Many of the pavers of the portico floor are worn and appear to date to the historic period. Others, specifically between the columns on the north and south edges of the portico, are replacements presumably dating from the War Department restoration. These newer pavers are not reasonable copies of the original, however, being both larger than the originals, a uniformly deeper red color with little variation, and of a slightly different shape. The sandstone coping around the edge of the portico dates also from the War Department restoration work when it was projected to outfit the house with stone steps.

A hole was bored through column C—1 in 1981 which established the fact that the columns are solid masonry. The exterior ring of brick is placed in an all-header pattern around the circumference of the column. These brick are of a special form, basically trapezoidal; they are the size of a normal brick, 2-1/4" deep by 8-1/2" long, but have an outside end of 4-1/2" and an inside end of only 2-1/2". The interior of the brick header ring is filled with random mortared brick. Some of the stucco on the columns dates from the turn of the century; most, however, seems no older than the 1964 stucco renovation.

A hole was dug on the west side of column C—3 for investigative purposes in 1981. It was found that the column stucco ended approximately 1' 1" below the surface of the existing pavement. The stucco at its lowest point spread out in a foot about 4" from the surface of the column. The brick column was found to sit on a rock base 1' 2" deep and extending 1' 7" out from the column base. The base was made up of a number of rocks mortared together, the surface of which was 3' 6" below that of the pavers. During the excavation, the hexagonal pavers were found to be underlain by 1-1/2" portland cement. At 1' 10" below the surface of the existing pavers, another level of brick was located. This regularly shaped brick apparently made up a former portico surface; this older surface probably predates the historic period.

During the investigative drilling of portico column C—1, it was observed that the brick particles being removed were wet. It had been felt for a long time that capillary action was drawing moisture up into the columns and that this unusually high moisture content was one possible cause for the problem of paint peeling off the columns in the past. Also, there had been an observed tendency for large sections of column stucco to crack and separate from the columns. This condition (see photograph #82) was believed to be caused by freezing and thawing of moisture in the columns.

In an effort to definitively correct the problems caused by moisture in the columns, it was decided in 1981 to waterproof the columns and pilasters of the Arlington House portico. The method used was to drill the columns and pilasters just below the level of the portico pavers in two series of holes of 3" in diameter. In order to drill the columns, the portico steps were removed and the diamond drill was brought against the sandstone coping through which all the holes were bored. The first series of holes were drilled 5" apart and 2-1/2" below the level of the pavers to a depth of 5' to 7' in order to penetrate all the way through the columns. These holes were filled with a non-shrink and non-metallic grout which was given ample time to cure to achieve 80% of its strength. After three days the next series of 3" holes were bored on center between the existing filled holes. These second holes intersected the first series approximately 1/2" on either side; they were filled with a non-shrink epoxy grout that was pumped into the hole until all spaces were completely filled. Similar drilling, grouting, and epoxying were to take place at the base of the pilasters. However, due to the instability of the pilaster brickwork, it was necessary to introduce a dampproof brick course by hand. That work was deferred until March 1982.

Prior to the drilling of the columns, the first approximately 7' 0" of stucco on the columns up from the portico floor were removed down to the brick. This action was taken to facilitate the release of moisture from the columns into the atmosphere. After the waterproofing operation, the columns were given an opportunity to dry further. A contract to stucco and paint the columns in preparation for marbleizing was completed in May 1982. Marbleization of the structure was due to begin toward the end of July 1982.

The echini of the portico columns are made of metal and are assumed to be original. They have been painted all during their tenure on the Arlington House and are in a good state of preservation. A sample of the metal was taken in 1981 and submitted to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for analysis.

The column capitals are of wood and are covered at the top by metal flashing. They were inspected during paint removal in 1981 and found to be in good condition. It is assumed that these capitals date from 1881 when a memo from Montgomery C. Meigs noted that "the capitals of the front portico of the mansion at Arlington are of wood and more or less decayed. When removed they should be made of Portland cement with sharp sand. One cement and three sand and their profiles should be cemented to resemble those of the Parthenon, which is the accepted canon of Grecian Ionic order." [51] It is interesting to note that some sound judgment was exercised in ignoring Meigs' memo and replacing the decayed Doric wood capitals in wood rather than concrete Ionic.

On the entablature of the portico, the interior portion between the column capitals and the ceiling is all plaster on split wood lath. In like manner the bottom edge of the portico entablature, which exhibits recessed panels, is also plaster on split lath. The hooks which are screwed into the bottom of the entablature between columns are of unknown origin or purpose. A section of the interior cornice on the east side near the northeast corner fell in the mid-1970s during a storm and was replaced.

The exterior face of the entablature is all wood, as is the tympanum which was shown in early drawings to be scored to simulate ashlar. While no destructive investigation has taken place in the tympanum to determine if lath and plaster were once in place there, it is assumed that it was originally plaster which was replaced within the first forty years of the house's history due to its inability to properly withstand weathering. It is shown as wood in the 1864 photographs of the house.

The roof of the portico is also slate like that of the remainder over the main block. The slight change in the elevation of the portico roof from that of the main block has no technical function, as has been maintained. This break in the roof line is a stylistic element only, to show on the exterior of the house roof where the portico ends and the main block begins. The snowboards on the main block have not received close inspection but they have been noticed from a distance to be in deteriorating condition.

All guttering at Arlington House was returned in the early 1970s to the pattern seen in the 1864 photographs.

Exterior — Proposed Treatment

Should the basement areas at Arlington House prove to have a higher moisture content than is acceptable, even after waterproofing of the exterior walls accomplished in 1980, it is recommended that the basement walls be drilled and filled with grout and epoxy systematically as will be done for the portico columns already described. This drilling would take place around the perimeter walls on the interior just below the level of the present floor. In this manner a waterproof membrane would be introduced into the exterior walls to prevent any further capillary action. It is also recommended that a waterproof membrane, in the form of a thin concrete floor over a vapor barrier, be instituted in all basement rooms. The recommended drilling of perimeter walls, however, would not have to take place except in those spaces where the high moisture content was identified. If the source of the moisture cannot be identified, it would then be necessary to introduce the vapor barrier into all perimeter walls.

Should it be necessary to resurface any stucco areas on the exterior of Arlington House, it is recommended that Number Two Type Portland cement be used. Number One type was used on the resurfacing of 1964 and the result was the many shrinkage cracks seen on the surface after the sandblasting of 1981.

The Russsell photographs of 1864 show a simple stairway leading from the ground up to 101/D1. In addition to the landing at a level just under the door sill, there are five steps which appear to be approximately 4' 0" wide. The rise and run of the stairs appears to be a normal proportion; there are no railings.

The stairway leading to 111/D1, which was reconstructed in the mid-1970s, appears close to that which is seen in the 1864 photographs. There is some question as to whether the historic stairs are as steep as those reconstructed. In order to check the authenticity of the present stairs it is recommended that a photograph of the present stairs be taken from the approximate same position as that held by the 1864 photographer, and that this modern photograph be overlaid with the old. Should there be a significant difference between the original stairs and those reconstructed, it is recommended that the existing stairs be changed to conform with the historic ones.

In the Russell photographs of 1864, there are several features seen on the north side of the main block which should be examined further. One difficulty of ascribing the elements seen in the 1864 photographs to the Lee tenure at Arlington House is that the Lees left Arlington in 1861 and these photographs were taken in 1864 over three years later. Therefore, when an element such as the rather makeshift stoop canopy over 111/D1 is under consideration it is difficult to ascertain whether or not it was installed by the Lees or the occupying U.S. Army. As it is of such a temporary nature, and as it does not reflect the same design values as other elements on the house, it is the recommendation of this report that the canopy be considered a product of the U.S. Army occupation and not reconstructed.

It will also be noticed in the 1864 photographs that the large shutters to either side of 111/D1 are not seen. It is logical, however, that these shutters were installed along with the others at the house, and that they were a product of a family's concern rather than that of an occupying army, as they are essentially decorative. It is possible that they were removed by the army. Proof of their existence is found in the existing pintles, however, and if it cannot be shown that these pintles are a product of the twentieth century, the shutters should be reproduced and placed on the building.

It is clear from the photographs of 1864 that the chimneys and the west wall of the main block were not stuccoed in 1864. There has long been a question as to whether or not the stucco should be removed from these areas for the authenticity as required by the Congressional mandate of 1925. However, as has been pointed out at the beginning of the section on Historic Conditions and Recommendations, the wording of the resolution specifies that Arlington House will be restored "as nearly as may be practicable" to the time of the Lee tenure. Due to the hardness of the c. 1900 stucco in question, and to the soft quality of much of the brick used in the house, it would be inordinately destructive to the historic fabric of the house to attempt removal. The protective face of much of the brick would be removed with the stucco, and deterioration would proceed rapidly once the protective stucco was off the brick and it was exposed directly to the weather. It is therefore judged not practicable to expose the exterior brickwork as seen in the Russell photographs of 1864, and it is recommended that the stuccoed west wall and chimneys remain as they are seen today.

One exception to this recommendation is the north wing chimney. It can be easily seen from the 1864 photographs that the chimney was not only exposed brick, but also much shorter than it is today. From the photograph showing the east facade of the house in 1867, (see Arlington photograph collection), it can be seen that the north wing chimney is only about 1' above the apex of the roof with a simple cap. It is recommended that the chimney be investigated for the location of its original height and cap, and be restored to that condition. It is further recommended that the shortened chimney retain a stucco surface to protect the historic brick fabric and to make it appear consistent with the other chimneys.

Close examination of the Russell 1864 photograph of the west facade (see photograph #86) from the south reveals a crude stove pipe exiting from the wall south of 113/W1 and rising to a pipe T; the whole pipe is approximately 5' 0" in length. The provenance of this feature is certainly in doubt and, like the canopy over 111/D1, it would appear to be an army addition. It is not recommended that it be reinstituted.

The present portico stairs differ significantly from those seen in the historic photographs. Due to the obvious age of the steps seen in the 1864 photographs, it can be safely assumed that these steps were also in use during the Lee period of occupancy dating probably from 1851. Following the waterproofing of the portico columns, the stone coping surrounding the portico perimeter on the north, east and south will be removed as specified in the scope of work for that project. This coping was installed during the War Department restoration in preparation for construction of stone steps. The army felt that Mr. Custis' choice would have been stone steps.

It is recommended that the wood steps be restored according to the historic photographs (see photograph #87). The stone coping will be replaced by wood, and a 1" gap will be left between the coping riser and the three steps below it. The three steps will also be done in good pine recut from old wood beams, the treads and risers all to be of the same wood. The pine will be left unpainted and will be treated only with a clear wood preservative. The treads and risers will be held on the carriage with reproduction rails and any other concealed means necessary to keep the treads from cupping excessively. The carriage will be fashioned out of salt-treated lumber to ensure the maximum longevity of the reconstruction. The only concession to modern safety requirements will be in the treads, which will be purposely wider than the originals.

It is recommended that the hexagonal pavers of the portico floor located between the columns to the north and south be replaced by ones closer in size, shape, and color variation to the other pavers in evidence, which are original.

It is recommended that the large flag pole directly in front of the portico at the Arlington House be permanently removed. This flagpole is not authentic to the Lee period of occupancy, and its continued presence in front of the principal view of the house detracts considerably from the historic authenticity desired by the Congressional resolution of 1925. It will be noted that Mr. Custis dutifully flew an American flag from the portico of the Arlington House itself; the pole would be restored had it lasted into the historic period as shown in the Russell 1864 photographs.

Lastly it is recommended that the condition of the snowboards on the main block be identified, and if found to be unacceptable they should also be replaced.

Exterior Painting — 1981

Arlington House was cleaned and repainted on the exterior in 1981. This repainting was necessitated by the very poor condition of the repainting and marbleization of 1973 which had, in a number of places primarily on the east facade, begun to fail after only a few years (see photographs #83, 84, 85). The problem of paint adhesion was investigated (see Appendix III) and it was concluded that many of the problems defeating the 1973 effort stemmed from capillary action on the wings and columns and the lack of a good clean surface.

Preparation for the exterior painting of 1981 began with the water-proofing of affected walls in the wings, as already described, and the later removal of stucco on the columns near the base. The 1964 stucco surface of the entire house was sandblasted using a large aggregate at a moderate pressure. After the sandblasting operation was completed, it was concluded by National Park Service personnel that damage had occurred on the 1964 surface but that the major part of the work had been satisfactorily effected. Specific damage occurred under the canopies of B01/D1 and B01/D2 where the operator obliterated historic fabric in both areas on the west wall of the north wing. The stucco of the west wall of the main block was not sandblasted due to its age c. 1900, but hand-cleaned. As the 1973 paint had adhered well to this west facade with minimal cracking and peeling, however, and since this area is not to be marbleized, it is felt that the minimal cleaning given it in 1981 is all that was necessary.

Although it was originally specified that the cracked and alligatored paint on exterior woodwork be removed by hand scraping, it was later modified to permit the use of heat guns. It was found that the heat gun provided an effective way to remove paint safely down to the bare surface with minimal damage. The object of the cleaning process, however, was not to remove all paint on the woodwork, but rather to provide a good painting surface.

After sandblasting or hand-cleaning, the stucco surface was repaired prior to painting. The incorrect use of portland cement type no. 1 in the 1964 resurfacing of much of the house had resulted in a cracking of much of the surface, some of the cracks being hair-line in nature and others of greater width. Ashlar units were individually called out for resurfacing, which was effected with a very thin coat of stucco which filled the smaller cracks. Larger cracks were cut out individually and filled more meticulously.

In the interest of ensuring the maximum adhesion of paint to the stucco surface, it was specified that all paint was to be brushed on and that any use of rollers as had been used in 1973 was prohibited. These specifications were later changed on site, however, by the government supervisor when it was found that rollers succeeded in putting a more uniform coat of paint onto the rough surface.

It was also specified that all paint products used on the house be of the same manufacturer to ensure quality control and liability. Products specified were from the Benjamin Moore Company of Montvale, New Jersey, or approved equals; the Benjamin Moore products were used by the contractor. On the stucco surfaces, the initial coat was an oil-based masonry primer to give the maximum penetration into the surface; intermediate and final coats were Benjamin Moore's "Eggshell." The wood surfaces were primed with Benjamin Moore's "Moorewhite Primer", and intermediate and final coats were Benjamin Moore's "Eggshell," where the surface was to be marblized and semi-gloss paint where it was not. The metal echini of the capitals, gutters, and hardware, and the metal canopy roofs were first primed with a zinc coat before further painting. The pebble-dash rusticated base of the north and south wings was lightly sandblasted to remove loose paint without removing the pebbles. In order to best simulate what are believed to have been the historic conditions, the pebble-dash will be covered with a yellow-ochre wash. All shutters were cleaned, primed, and painted with Benjamin Moore semi-gloss. All paints used on the house were oil-based.

Exterior Paint Color Investigations

Investigation to determine accurate colors for the exterior of Arlington House were carried out in 1980 and 1981 by National Park Service personnel. Initial investigation was produced by David Arbogast of the Denver Service Center, who analyzed samples from twenty-one areas on the house exterior (see Appendix I). Further investigation was conducted in the spring of 1981 by a committee formed by the administration of the George Washington Memorial Parkway, which consisted of Mrs. Agnes Mullins (ARHO), Mr. Gary Scott (NCR) and Mr. John Sligh (DSC-TNE). In addition to the further examination of the samples taken by Arbogast, the committee took some twenty additional samples.

In order to examine the color of the exterior stucco, major samples measuring approximately thirty-six square inches each were taken by sawing from the east facade of the main block between the south pilaster and 206/W2, and from the east facade of the south wing in the panel under 115/W1. These samples extended back to the brick surface of the house itself. The samples taken near 206/W2 gave a complete section of plaster beneath the 1964 lath and plaster overlay; that from under 115/W1, however, gave no historic plaster. Mr. James Askins, when removing the samples, observed that the stucco layering in the corner of the pilaster and surface of the east facade where he took the samples showed that the pilasters had been stuccoed before the rest of the facade. This sampling consisted of a 6 x 6 square on the east facade beside the south pilaster south of 206/W2 and a similar-sized square next to it, and at 90° to it, on the north face of the south pilaster.

The committee's report (Appendix II) may be examined at the end of this report. While the examination of paint layering is tedious and particularly tiring to the eyes, it will be maintained here that the task of counting layers of paint and matching their colors to the Munsell system is a task which can be accomplished by any moderately knowledgeable person. Mr. Arbogast and the enumerated committee took a great number of samples from the house, examined them at length, and compared their findings to the evidence presented in the historic photographs of 1864. The paint colors as used in the 1981 repainting of Arlington House are the product of examination of diverse samplings and the constant questioning of findings. As such, these colors are the best that present knowledge can offer and, while not wholly definitive due to crucial absences of historic fabric, they represent a decided move toward 1861 authenticity.

Exterior Paint — Proposed Treatment

Should it be necessary to clean the stucco surface at Arlington House in the future, it is recommended that a study of available techniques be performed at that time. It is also recommended that surface stability be checked as sandblasting, if at all possible, should be avoided. Cleaning of the wood parts should be done by hand scraping.

While a great deal of sampling and investigation of paint took place in 1980-81 in order to choose the present house colors, it is recommended that samples continue to be taken and investigation proceed when possible to further refine these findings. When dealing with a structure as complex as Arlington House, where a good deal of historic fabric is missing, it is difficult to ascertain exactly when further investigation is no longer needed. It is certain that with the correct attitude toward investigation and the value of historic discoveries, valuable information affecting the future interpretation of the house will continue to surface.

The final decision regarding the types and variety of marbles to be simulated can only be made after a marbleizer is engaged by contract to do the work. This craftsman, in conjunction with the architectural and curatorial staffs at Arlington House, will interpret the information provided by the historic photographs of 1864 and decide what marble types were probably present on the house during the Lee period. It has been tentatively recommended that the portico columns be represented as Carrara and the entablature, portico raking cornice, and wing cornices be simulated as Sienna. It has also been decided, until better evidence is presented, that the east facade of the house under the portico and the two pilasters differ from the north or south walls of the main block, which are the same as the walls of the north or south wings. The pebble-dash rusticated bases of the north and south wings differ from the facades of the house and the echini of the columns, and perhaps their capitals differ as well from the entablature. The sandstone sills directly under the lower sash of each of the semi-circular arched windows in the north and south wing are darker than the surrounding areas, or their continuations in either direction. Also the wooden sills, and perhaps even the windows themselves of the second floor east facade under the portico, are much darker than those on the wings. It is obvious that the cornice at the west end of the portico from the south was in the process of being marbleized and the process was roughly stopped at that point. It is recommended that this interesting effect be reproduced by the marbleizer.

It is recommended that, in doing this marbleization work, the craftsman follow as nearly as possible the outstanding details as clearly perceived in the photographs of 1864. It is also to be kept in mind, however, that the cameras of that period could not capture all the detail that was probably present on the house, particularly as the photographs were taken at some distance from the structure. It will, therefore, be necessary that the craftsman use his professional judgment and knowledge of marbleization in the nineteenth century in the execution of details which could not be revealed on to us by early photography.

There has long been some question as to the nature of the paintings in the recessed panels above the first floor windows and front door under the portico. While many felt these paintings depicted realistic scenes, others felt they represented yet another marble type. Examined under low magnification, it was evident that these paintings were indeed realistic scenes very much like those in the center hall and above the doors on the servants' quarters. It appears that the panel above 108/W1 pictures a single animal, a sheep or a dog, in a landscape. The panel next to it over 108/W2 is not as clear, but seems to hold several small figures, also in front of a landscape; they appear to be wild turkeys, or some other bird, but the scene cannot be fully ascertained. That above 112/W1, while visible as a panel for the most part, is not decipherable as a painting. Unfortunately the panels above 111/D2 and 112/W2 are blocked by columns and their contents can never be known from the photographs. It is recommended that further efforts through detail enlargement and magnification be undertaken to establish more clearly what is represented in the three visible panels. Should it ever be known what is represented in all five panels, they should be restored as nearly as possible. As was noted earlier, the layer of plaster on which these paintings existed is no longer found inside the panels.

It has not been satisfactorily established exactly what color was on the shutters when the 1864 Russell photographs were taken. It is recommended that the historic shutters undergo further investigation until this important color is firmly established.