Discoveries

By David L. Cordes, Administrator

2001

As visitors tour Terrace Hill, there are always numerous questions. The most frequently asked questions center around the mansion’s most prominent feature: the tower. Visitors are curious about what is in the tower and how you get to its top. Recent restoration work in the tower has refocused attention there, and some interesting details have been uncovered.

Back in the 1970s, repairs were made to the interior of the tower. Those repairs covered deteriorated plaster walls with Sheetrock that was fastened to furring strips. However, moisture problems coming from leaks in the mansard roof were not corrected, and seepage continued behind the Sheetrock, which eventually caused it to deteriorate also.

In the summer of 2000, the mansard roof, gutters and flashing at the top of the tower were replaced, finally correcting the long-standing moisture problems. At the same time, all of the Sheetrock on the interior of the tower was removed and the plaster walls on the third and fourth levels of the tower were totally restored.

When the Sheetrock was removed, architects were surprised to find that the water damage had uncovered some of the earliest layers of paint. The restoration painters from the Iowa Department of General Services were called, and they analyzed and documented the original paint colors. The walls were a dark gray with a stenciled stripe in a rust color. The wood trim was a lighter color of gray. Because this paint was the very first layer on top of the plaster, it is assumed to date to the original construction of the mansion and the time of B. F. Allen’s residency.

The photo above shows the interior of the tower from the third floor looking up at the beautiful winding stairway that leads to the observation level on the fourth floor. At this time, the restoration of the tower is complete with the exception of the stenciled stripes, which will be applied at a later date.

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