Historic Structure Report, Architectural Data: Friendship Hill

Marsh, John; Jacobs, Scott

Albert Gallatin is best remembered for his thirteen year tenure as Secretary of the Treasury during the Jefferson and Madison administrations. In that time he reduced the national debt, purchased the Louisiana Territory and funded the Lewis & Clark exploration. Gallatin's accomplishments and contributions are highlighted at Friendship Hill, his restored country estate. The Gallatin or main house at Friendship Hill National Historic Site is 35-room structure built in five major phases between the late 18th and early 20th centuries. The house is discussed in distinctive sections, four of which are associated with Albert Gallatin. All work proposed is best classified as restoration. The first-floor sections of the brick frame and stone houses will be restored to be safe and presentable recognizing that few Gallatin-associated features survive. Several Gallatin-associated features uncovered during the course of the Historic Structure Report will be framed and presented as in site architectural exhibits used to tell the story of the houses evolution. The second-floor areas and third floor of the stone house will be made safe and presentable although regular visitor use is not contemplated at this time. Later owners had changed rooflines on the brick and frame house and over the stone kitchen. The stone kitchen will be made safe and used as vantage point to display the various sections of the structure. Consideration must be given to long-term weatherproofing of the kitchen and the surrounding components. The state dining room section will be made safe and presentable again no regular visitor use of the second floor is contemplated at this time. The state dining room will be used as the major visitor reception area for visitors to the house. Possibly a window in the butlers pantry will be opened into doorway with stairs and ramp leading up to it. This area will be heavily modernized on the interior to accommodate interpretive needs. The servants quarters will be made safe and presentable and adaptively used downstairs as an audiovisual/multipurpose room. The upstairs will be adaptively used as either office space or additional multipurpose space. The south bedroom wing will be made safe and presentable and adaptively used as park administrative offices and work space.

Historic Structure Report, Architectural Data: Friendship Hill

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