Beaumont, TX; Feb. 15, 2023 – The third week of the McFaddin-Ward House electrical upgrade finds most of the third floor work complete.
The teams from Oak Grove Restoration Co. and Newtron Electrical Services spent much of the week determining how to navigate the new wiring to the various light fixtures on the third floor. Light fixtures in the West Bedroom and Third Floor Bathroom were particularly difficult to access and required extra attention to find avenues to run wiring. By the end of the week, Newtron had roped in all third floor receptacles and light fixtures.
Removal of the door trim in the Third Floor Bathroom revealed the room’s original sea gull wallpaper preserved underneath. A precise reproduction of the paper was made by wallpaper expert Laura McCoy during the 2004-2006 renovation after staff discovered a large fragment of the original bathroom wallpaper behind a medicine cabinet.
By mid-week, Oak Grove had shifted gears from the third to the second floor, installing protective covering on the floor and furniture and labeling all light fixtures in preparation for their removal. As protection continues to be a priority, Oak Grove built a special wooden support equipped with load-spreaders that will be used to suspend the fragile chandeliers and ceiling fans after removal to ensure their safety and avoid putting weight on the more delicate parts.
The curatorial team focused efforts on removing portraits, paintings, and various wall hangings throughout the house and transporting them to the Collections Building. All removed items are being condition-reported and stored on the Collection’s shelves until they can return to the house.
