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Uncovering General George Washington’s bedroom…as it really was
For the next week, Wethersfield’s Webb-Deane-Stevens Museum is restoring woodwork within historic bedchamber where the Revolutionary War’s final campaign was planned
WETHERSFIELD, Conn. (December 18, 2009) – The northeast bedchamber on the second floor of the late Joseph Webb’s Wethersfield, Connecticut home (now part of the Webb-Deane-Stevens Museum) is one of the most significant places in our nation’s history. It was here, from May 19-24, 1781 that General George Washington met with French General comte de Rochambeau to lay out a joint military campaign against the British that would end the war and ensure independence for our nation’s founding 13 colonies.
General Washington’s bedchamber is now undergoing restoration and renovation work that will help visitors better appreciate the decorating aesthetic of the Colonial period, the care, attention and resources that the Webb family lavished on their home’s interior and the skill and artisanship that tradesmen of that period dedicated to their craft.
“We often believe that our forbearers in the 1700s lived within very drab, beige and grey decors,” said Webb-Deane-Stevens Executive Director and Curator Charles Lyle. “However, recent paint analysis at the Webb Deane Stevens Museum and at other historic colonial sites around New England is revealing that those who had the money to showcase their homes chose to live within much more colorful, even flamboyant environments. The restoration of Washington’s bedchamber at the Webb House will give visitors a more realistic glimpse into how those who could afford it during Colonial times really decorated.”
During a historic paint analysis at the Webb House in 2006, Brian Powell of Building Conservation Associates made an exciting discovery. The woodwork in the bedchamber where General Washington slept for five nights in 1781 had originally been finished with a faux cedar graining, artificial in appearance but very much the haute style of the day in England and Europe.
According to conservation/historic design expert and Woodstock, Conn. resident Marylou Davis, who is conducting the restoration project, wealthy families in the 1750s such as the Webbs often traveled to England, admired the lush Baroque aesthetic of British and European homes during that time and brought these posh decorating ideas back to their colonial New England homes.
After the American Revolution, the newly independent colonies supported the development of American industries in the production of wallpapers, floor coverings and furniture manufacturing, a tribute to our own aesthetic that trumpeted independence along with a more modest décor than that of England or Europe. Thus, the ornate cedar graining in Washington’s Webb House bedchamber was covered up with a staid reddish base color.
Led by Davis and using ground ochres or clay-based paints identical to those used in the 1750s, the restoration project now underway involves the accurate recreation of the original paint finishes in the bedchamber. The graining, in imitation of cedar, is being done on all woodwork elements following the bold grained striations that are visible under layers of the newer reddish over paint. The work includes the shutters, window trim, corner posts and boxed in beams on the ceiling. Sash, window casings, and the baseboards are being painted dark based upon the historic paint analysis.
The bedchamber’s floorboards are also being stripped to bare wood as was the practice during the 18th century.
The bedchamber’s flocked red original wallpaper will remain intact; however, a replica panel - which is being manufactured by Adelphi, a historic wallpaper manufacturer - will be placed in front of the bedroom’s back wall after the paint, finish and floor work is completed. The original wallpaper, manufactured in England and painstakingly applied to maximize the opulent design, retains the look of cut velvet. The replica panel will help visitors envision the room’s vibrant walls as they appeared in General Washington’s day.
The museum expects to complete restoration work in Washington’s bedchamber in April, said Lyle. “We’re looking forward to welcoming visitors on weekends in April to see the results of our efforts and add yet another chapter to the Webb-Deane-Stevens’ 300 year history.”
REMINDER: Webb-Deane-Stevens holiday tours continue to January 3
This month, the Webb-Deane-Stevens Museum continues its Three Centuries of Holiday Décor, Hospitality and Tradition tours! The three homes of the museum have put on their holiday cheer with tours that re-create the festivities of centuries past. Beautifully decorated trees and lavish party displays will get you in the holiday spirit! Guides will discuss the history of Christmas and New Years’ traditions. After the tour, browse the Webb House gift shop for uniquely crafted holiday gifts. Tickets: $10 per person, $8 per person for museum members, Greater Hartford Arts Council “Let’s Go!” cardholders or groups, $5 for children and $25 per family (Two adults and children). Tours will be held through Sunday January 3: Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.; Sundays 1 p.m. - 4 p.m.; tours close at 2 p.m. on Christmas and New Years Eves
For more information, call the museum at 860-529-0612.
About the Webb-Deane-Stevens Museum
Located in the heart of Connecticut’s largest historic district, the museum, which consists of three authentically restored 18th-century homes, brings Wethersfield’s rich history to life, from the American Revolution to the early 20th century. The museum includes the 1752 Joseph Webb House, which served as George Washington’s Revolutionary War headquarters in May 1781, when he met with French General le conte de Rochambeau; the 1766 Silas Deane House, built for America’s first diplomat to France; and the 1788 Isaac Stevens House, which depicts life in the 18th and 19th centuries through original family objects and includes a new children’s museum.
The Webb-Deane-Stevens Museum, located at 211 Main St., Wethersfield, is open daily - with the exception of Tuesday - from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., May through October, and on Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., November 1 through April 30. Three-house tours cost $8 for adults and $4 for students and children ages 5 to 18. For information about current exhibits, upcoming events or Museum School classes, call (860) 529-0612 or visit www.webb-deane-stevens.org.
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