FREMONT - The Hayes Presidential Center is in the final stages of its four-year restoration of the home of 19th U.S. President Rutherford B. Hayes. To allow work to progress, the Hayes Home will not be open for tours.
The temporary closure is to begin Jan. 24 and continue through Feb. 29.
The Hayes Museum and Hayes Library are not affected. Both continue to be open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and noon-5 p.m. Sunday.
During this stage of the restoration process, historically accurate wallpaper is to be installed in the downstairs and upstairs hallways, as well as in the stairwell. The butternut and black walnut stairs in the Hayes Home extend three stories from the center of the downstairs hall to the glass-sided lantern at the rooftop.
Experts from Historic Wallpaper Specialists in Johnsville, Tenn., need to erect a network of scaffolding in the halls and stairwells. In keeping with 19th-century standards, the workers will apply sizing to the walls, followed by a layer of muslin, the main wallpaper and then decorative frieze papers.
Center officials consulted with historic restoration experts to re-create the wallpapers selected by Rutherford and Lucy Hayes for their home. Black-and-white photographs of the home's interior taken during the Hayes' residence provided guidance for patterns and placements.
Entries in the family's diaries as well as stories published in newspapers of the time aided in selection of colors.
The wallpapers then were re-created using papers, inks, and methods employed in the 19th century.
Restoration of the home is made possible thanks to a $400,000 federal appropriation. Businesses and individuals from throughout the country have contributed, and the state contributed $500,000 from its capital improvement funds.
The Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Center is located at Hayes and Buckland avenues in Fremont. See www.rbhayes.org for more information.
