The Stanton House Historic Structure Report, Women's Rights National Historical Park

Yocum, Barbara; Building Conservation Branch, Northeast Cultural Resources Center-National Park Service

This historic structure report is the product of an exhaustive documentary, architectural, and archeological investigation of the Stanton House. Research on the site commenced in 1980 when Dr. Paul Grebinger of Eisenhower College conducted an archeological dig of the missing east wing. A report on the findings of the dig was entitled "The Domestic Economy of Elizabeth Cady Stanton: Her House and Its Artifacts." Shortly thereafter, a report on the history of the house was written by Corinne Guntzel for the National Park Service. This report was entitled "History of the Stanton House" and dated June I, 1982. National Park Service research commenced in June 1982. The first step was to record the existing conditions with black-and-white photographs and detailed site drawings. Architectural drawings were prepared by the Historic American Buildings Survey. A search was also begun at this time for early photographs and other historical documentation on the site. This search focused on sources most likely to produce specific information about the building; these sources are listed in the bibliography. Architectural investigation of the house began in July 1982. Assisting in this work was a National Park Service restoration crew under the supervision of Exhibit Specialist John T. Darcy. It was found that the Stanton House had been extensively remodeled in 1902-03, during which many pieces of the old building had been reused in new locations. Historic doorway architraves, for example, were found to have been reused as wall studs, and pieces of an old mantel as floor joists. Reconstruction of the historic appearance of the house therefore involved removing the later alterations, carefully studying the pieces, and reassembling the historic assemblage. In many ways, this work resembled a jigsaw puzzle. Additional archeological work was undertaken on the site and in the basement in 1983. The information thus compiled will enable the National Park Service to accurately restore the house to the period 1847-62. The conclusions drawn here were based on the best and most complete evidence available at the time the report was written. However, it is possible that additional evidence may come to light in the future, particularly documentary information. Such information may contradict-or confirm-some of these conclusions.

The Stanton House Historic Structure Report, Women's Rights National Historical Park

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