Colonial Williamsburg Digital Library

BULLHEAD ROOM (16'-8" x 15'-10") North-East Room

The framing in the walls of the Bullhead Room, and most of the rooms in the building, is basically original.

The south door and trim are new, although the verticals of the frame are original. These iambs had been relocated in later eighteenth century alterations, but were found to have come from this location and were returned to it. The west door, frame and trim are new, framing indications only remaining to indicate its original location and size.

Only the frames and part of the trim of the two windows are original, the backbend and sash being new, copied from old examples within the building. All first floor windows had their lower sashes hung with sash cords and weights. The original sash cord, pieces of which were found, has been reproduced.

The baseboard in the room is new, copied from original material within the building. The chair board is basically original, patched as necessary. The peg strip is new, its original existence and location indicated by marks in the framing and original lath. Its design is copied from existing examples existing in other buildings in Williamsburg.

The fireplace and panelled chimney breast are new. The shape of the fireplace opening was determined by remaining original brickwork within the chimney. Evidence also existed that the fireplace had a marble surround, so a new one of proper design has been put in place. The panelling over the fireplace is designed to match a pattern of eighteenth century nail holes in the brickwork of the chimney. The cornice with the pulvinated (convex) frieze is new, adapted from an eighteenth century example. The small built—in cabinet to the right of the fireplace is partly original, although the door and frame are new.

The plaster in this room, and throughout the building with one exception on the second floor, is new. Its surface has been roughly worked in imitation of original plaster found in the building. What original plaster remained at the time of restoration was in such poor condition that it could not be saved, with the one exception already noted.

The flooring is largely original of random width heart yellow pine.

The paint color in this room, and all of the paint colors throughout the building, are copies of original colors found on original woodwork by paint investigation. The color is Blue—Grey #1255, and matches the first color applied. It is applied over a primer simulating the original Spanish Brown primer, this applies to all the trim colors throughout the building.

MR. PAGES ROOM (15'—8" x 18'—8") South—East Room

The unusual shape of this room evolved through the shed addition. The original rear room of the first building was wide and shallow, its rear wall Page 9 lining with the existing cased beam in the ceiling. When the shed addition was built this rear wall was ripped outs and its single window relocated in the east wall of the new shed. This alteration proved a trial to the structure of the building because, when the rear wall was removed the second floor (and hence the roof truss at that point) dropped noticeably at that pointy putting great strain on the structure. The framing condition has been corrected in the restorations although some sag still remains in the ceiling.

The small west door and its frame and trim are news the old location sizes etc. indicated by the original framing. The north door is new, as noted above, but the verticals of the frame are original.

All windows., frames and trim in the room are news the originals having been removed in the nineteenth century.

Much of the baseboard in the room is originate patched and pieced out as necessary. The same is true of the chair board.

The fireplace and surround are entirely news the shape of the fireplace obtained from original brickwork in the chimney. The marble surround is news of appropriate design.

The plaster in the room is new.

The pine flooring is largely original, pieced out and repaired as necessary.

The paint color is green #45, and matches the third eighteenth century color applied.

STAIR PASSAGE (9'-0" x 25'-0")

Sometime in the second quarter of the nineteenth century the interior arrangement of Mr. Wetherburn's Tavern was drastically altered. The original staird was completely removed as were the west wall of the stair passage and the large chimney behind it, and the eastwest wall between the Middle Room and the Chamber. Anew stair hall was created across the front of the houses partitions were rearranged to suit the new plans and much original work was discarded. This alteration was done to make the building more suited to residential use. Most of the elements of this alteration remained in place until the acquisition and restoration of the building by Colonial Williamsburg,, when they were removed and the original arrangement of partitions recreated.

The framing of the walls is largely original with the exception of the west wall where the framing and the brick chimneys whose back forms part of the walk are new.

Both the front and rear doors are news although the iambs of the front door and parts of those of the rear door are originals as explained in the notes on the north elevation. The rear (south) door is unusual in that it is a nine-panel doors three—panels wide and three high. The door is hinged back upon itself Page 10 at the third point, in order to clear the underside of the reconstructed stair landing. This is the only arrangement by which a door of the width indicated by the framing could open fully. The four doors into the four rooms off the Passage of the first building are entirely new, those in the west wall being located to reflect those in the east wall, where remaining framing indicated the location of the removed originals.

The baseboard, chair board and peg strips in this Passage are all new, located by indications in the framing and copied from existing examples.

The stair is a reconstruction. The size, location, slope, etc. of the stair were indicated by various marks in the floor, ceiling and walls. The details of the stair are copied and adapted from an existing original example of the same period in the Benjamin Walter House in Williamsburg. The stair is pine, with a natural finish poplar handrail.

The plaster in the stair passage is new.

The flooring near the front door is new to the building, the rest being original, somewhat patched and repaired.

The paint color is Dark Brown #168 and matches the second eighteenth century color applied.

MIDDLE ROOM (16'-8" x 15'-10" North Center Room

The framing of the north wall is largely original, but the framing of the other walls is almost entirely new, the original having been removed or relocated in the nineteenth century alterations.

All of the doors, their frames and the trim are new.

The west window frame on the north wall is original, but all sashes and trim we news copied from old examples within the building.

No original trim existed in this room, and consequently the baseboard, chair board and peg strips are news copied from existing old material in the buildings and matching that in the Bullhead room across. the hall.

The fireplace and panelled chimney breast are new, as is the chimney behind it. This chimney vas removed in the nineteenth century alterations, and the chimney now in place is a copy of the corresponding eighteenth century chimney across the passage. The details of the chimney and the panelling are adapted from the corresponding features of the other fireplace. The marble fireplace surround is adapted from fragments of an original example discovered in the archaeological excavations. The cornice with its pulvinated (convex) frieze over the chimney breast is a conjectural reconstruction copied from examples of the period. The small built—in cabinet to the left of the fireplace is copied from the partially original example across the Passage.

The plaster in the Middle Room is new.

The flooring is about one—half original and one—half new.

The color is Blue—Grey #1255 and matches the first eighteenth century color applied.

THE CHAMBER (16'-8" x 8'-7") South Center Room

The framing of the south wall of the Chamber is largely original but like the Middle Room,to the north the framing of the remainder of the walls is mostly news the original framing having fallen victim to the nineteenth century alterations.

Both doors in the room are new, as are their frames and trim. Their locations correspond to the matching openings in the rooms across the Passage.

Both windows with their frames and trim are new. The south window corresponds to the one which was removed from the south wall of the small south room across the passage when the shed addition was built. The small window in the west wall matches that in the east wall of the small south room across the hall. When the western addition was built this window was left in place, and evidently functioned as a pass through from the bar in the western addition to the remaining eastern portion of the building.

No original trim remained at the time of the restoration and thus the baseboard and the chair board are news copied from old examples within the building.

The fireplace, surround, and wood mantel are news as is the chimney behind. Details are adapted from the fireplace in Mr. Pages Room across the Passage.

The plaster in the room is new.

The pine floor is largely new.

This room will be used as an office and lounge for the hostesses and will not be seen by the visitors. There is a small kitchen unit against the west wall and an electric panel on the south wall east of the window.

The paint color is light Ivory #1221, and matches the first eighteenth century color applied.

GENERAL

All of the rooms so far have been part of Wetherburn's first building and its small shed addition to the rear. At this pointy however we complete the first floor rooms in the first buildings and proceed to those in the western additions of the 1750's. These consist of a small entry a large public dining room and a small bar in the rear entry. The pine trim in these rooms matches that in the rooms in the first building.

NORTH ENTRY (5'-2" x 8'-4" )

The framing of the north and west walls and the south wall (actually the north face of the large chimney) is original, but the east wall is new material, the original having fallen victim to the nineteenth century alterations.

The doors with their frames and trim are new, as is the transom over the north door.

The baseboard is new, copied from old examples in the building.

The plaster is new.

The flooring is mostly original.

The paint color is Dark Green #667, matching the second eighteenth century color applied.

THE GREAT ROOM (25'-8" —— East—West 25'-0" North—South) West Room

This large room comprises most of the first floor of the western addition and seems to have been the reason for it.

The framing of all the walls in the room is almost totally original. The framing of the ceiling is original, reinforced with steel necessitated by instability and a noticeable sag in the second floor.

Both doors in the east wall are new, as are the frames and trim.

All of the window sashes, their frames, and the trim are original, patched and repaired as necessary with the following exceptions: The west window on the south wall was made into a door in the nineteenth century. The sash now in place there, and the lower part of the frame and trim are new. There is much original glass in the original sashes. Also, the trim of the center window on the north wall is new.

The baseboard and the chair board are new, copied from remnants of the originals found in the building.

The upper portion of the marble surround of the fireplace is original to the room. The lower portions, however, are new. The originals were: removed long ago and fragments of them were found by archaeological investigations in the front and rear yards. These fragments provided information as to the molding profiles of these originals and were copied in the pieces now in place. The marble surround may have been intended to carry a narrow shelf, matching several others in Williamsburg, but there is evidence that such a shelf was ever installed. The brick hearth is new.

The plaster in the room is new.

Most of the flooring is original with the exception of the northwest Page 13 corner, which is largely refloored.

The color is Dark Green #667, matching the second eighteenth century color applied.

THE BAR (5'-2" x 8'-4")

The framing of the walls of this room,with the exception of the east wall, is largely original, somewhat patched and strengthened. The north wall is formed by the south side of the large chimney.

The door to the Great Room with its frame and trim is new, but the door to the rear porch is original, as is its frame and tram, patched and repaired as necessary. It is the only surviving exterior door,,and has been useful as a precedent for several reconstructed features in the building. The transom sash above the door is original.

The baseboard is new, copied from old examples in the building.

The bar consists of a broad shelf with a low panelled wall and door under it. The small space behind the bar holds a rack for barrels and the north wall has shelves and hooks for bottles, glasses, etc. A vertical sliding wood grill closes the bar when not in use. Marks were found in the flooring indicating the location of the bar. The other features were adapted from an English tavern print by Rolandson.

The east wall, which was the exterior wall of the first building, is sheathed with new flush beaded boards, those which were installed when the western addition. was built having disappeared long ago. The window in this wall is new, and the original was left in position when the addition was built, probably for use as a pass through.

The plaster is entirely new.

The pine flooring is mostly original, rather heavily worn by foot traffic to and from the Great Room, the bar, and the kitchen in the rear yard.

The paint color is Dark Green #667, matching the second eighteenth century color applied.

GENERAL

The pine trim in the second floor rooms of the first building matches that of the first floor rooms except that the chair board is not used. The baseboard is beaded as it is on the floor below. The trusses mentioned in the section of framing are visible in the sloping walls and are cased with flat boards having ½" beads at the corners. The dormers are typical and simple, and the only decoration being flat beaded trim around the sash, beaded corner Page 14 boards where the dormers intersect the sloping ceiling, and a wide window stool with a gedroon—profile edge. In the oldest portion of the building, the dormer sashes were not hung with sash cords and weights.

Where new trim was needed it was copied from existing original examples in the building.

The ceiling height throughout the second floor is approximately 7'-10".

As on the first floor the fireplaces are plastered, as were the originals.

THE ROOM OVER THE BULLHEAD (16'-8" x 21'-7") East Room

The framing in the walls and the sloping ceilings is almost entirely original, much reinforced with new material as it is throughout the second floor of the building.

The door to the Stair Passage is new, as its frame and trim, the size and location having been determined by indications in the original framing.

The dormer sash is all new, but the framing, window frames and parts of the trim of the north dormers are original as is the dormer framing. Only the framing of the south dormer is original, the remainder being new.

The baseboard is new, copied from old examples in place in the building.

The plastered fireplace and chimney is entirely modern, although the plan of the fireplace itself was evident from old brickwork remaining in the reworked chimney. The fireplace is a reconstruction of one which was installed in 1785 when Humphrey Harwood tore down the original chimney in this location (probably because of its poor condition) and rebuilt it. In the rebuilding he brought the flues for the first floor fireplaces up in such a way that a typical fireplaces flush or parallel to the wall., could not be built. Thus the unusual angled fireplace was constructed, the strange angles over the fireplace being the flue slanting back into line and the plaster reverse slope a method of supporting the chimney above.

The beams projecting from the sloping ceilings are the truss members referred to under "gaming", the casings for which are largely original.

The plaster in the room is new with the exception of the east wall which retains its eighteenth century plaster. When the first building was built there were two windows in this wall. Shortly after it was built, however, a small tenement or shop was built on the property immediately to the east. This building blocked the windows and they were removed at that time, thus the wall is covered with eighteenth century plaster of two dates that in the window locations being slightly later than. the rest of the wall. These windows have not been replaced, since the tenement next door may be reconstructed in the future.

The flooring is mostly original.

The paint color is Buff #659, matching the second eighteenth century color applied.

STAIR PASSAGE (9'-2" x 16'-9")

Framing for partitions around the Passage are new with the exception of the east wall. The nineteenth century stair hall disrupted the original floors and walls in this area and almost all work in the area is new.

Both doors in the Passage are new, as are their frames and trim.

Only the framing, window frame and stool of the dormer window over the stair is original, the remainder being new. The truss casings are largely original.

The baseboard in the Passage is new. The ledge around two sides of the stair well is an unusual feature occasioned by the stair being narrower than the Passage in which it was built, and was probably used for access to the dormer window.

The stair, as noted in the first floor notes, is entirely new. The shape, size, slope, etc., being determined by marks and indications on the framing. The details of the stair are copied and adapted from an original example of the period in the Benjamin Waller House in Williamsburg. A pair of small batten doors at the landing provide access to a small storage closet over the rear portion of the first floor passage behind the stair.

The plaster in the Passage is new.

The floor is also new to the building, as much of this space was used as the well of the nineteenth century stair.

The paint color is Dark Brown #168, matching the second eighteenth century color applied.

THE PORCH CHAMBER (9'-0" x 4'-6") North of Stair Passage

With the exception of some of the framing of the sloping ceiling and part of the east wall, the framing in the walls of this root is new.

The door, its frame, and its trim are new.

The frame of the dormer window and part of its trim is original. The remainder, including the sash and stoop are new.

The baseboard is new copied from old examples in the building. The truss casing is original.

The plaster is new.

The pine floor is new, as the nineteenth century stair well was cut into this area.

THE ROOM OVER MIDDLE ROOM (14'-3" x 13'-0") South Center Room in First Building

The framing of the walls in the room is basically original with the exception of the north end of the west wall, and the north wall which has been refrained with old material.

The closet door in the east wall and the hall door in the north wall are new, as are their frames and their trim.

The frame of the dormer window and its stool are original, the rest is new.

The baseboard is new, copied from old examples in the building. The truss casing is largely original. The fireplace is entirely news the original having been removed with its chimney in the nineteenth century alterations. The wood mantel and shelf is simple, adapted from local original examples.

The plaster is new.

The flooring in the south portion of the room is original, that in the north portion being new to the building.

The paint color is Red #759, matching the third eighteenth century color applied.

GENERAL

The rooms thus far on the second floor have been within the first Page 17 building built by Wetherburn. From this point on, however, the rooms form part of the western addition. Architectural investigations have shown that, as first built the second floor of the western addition comprised one large room, floored, trimmed and lathed but not plastered, and with the dormer sash and trim left unpainted. Sometime after the completion of the wing the second floor was partitioned into three rooms and a small Passage, and the rooms were plastered. The pine trim in the wing matches that in the first building. The only difference being that here the purlins (see the section on Framing) are exposed in front of the plaster; whereas, in the first building they were concealed behind it. Sash weights and cords were used on the second floor of the addition, as they were on the first floor.

THE SH... (16'-3" x 21'-7") South Center Room in Western Addition

The framing of the walls of this room is almost entirely original, with the exception of the north portion of the east wall.

The hall door in the east wall is entirely new but the door in the west wall is an old door found in the building. Its frame and trim are new.

The north dormer framing, window frame, stool and trim are original, the remainder being new. In the south dormer only the framing and the stool are original, all the rest being new.

The baseboard in the room is largely original, patched and repaired. The truss casings are also original.

The fireplace is original, as is a part of the arch over it. The simple wood mantel and shelf is new, adapted from local original examples.

The plaster is entirely new.

The floor is largely original with some patching near the two doors.

The paint color is Mustard #1408-W, matching the first eighteenth century color applied.

GENERAL

The small Passage and two rooms left in the second floor of the western addition will not be open to the visitor. They are intended for Hostess and mechanical uses, and therefore the finished floors, etc. are not necessarily restored to their original materials. The original flooring from these rooms was used for patching and replacement of worn or missing portions of the remaining flooring in the building.

SMALL PASSAGE (3'-2" x 10'-6")

This small Passage was originally constructed shortly after the wing was constructed, as noted above. It served to give a measure of privacy to the two end rooms.

With the exception of the east wall, all the framing of the Passage Page 18 walls is new.

The doors in the east and west walls are old, although the frames and trim are new. The door in the north wall is new. The door from the Passage into the Hostess rest room has been moved north from its original location so as to block the visitors view of the rest room.

With the exception of the framing, the dormer in the south wall is new.

The baseboard is new.

The plaster is new.

The flooring is new vinyl tile, and is a purely modern convenience in this non—public area.

The paint color is Mustard #1408-W, matching the first eighteenth century color applied.

THE ... EAT ROOM (11'-2" x 10'-5") South—West Room

The framing of the south and west walls is original, the framing of the north and east walls is new.

The east door is an old door, although the frame and trim are new. Its locations has been changed (see Small Passage). There were indications that there was another door in the norms wall opening into the End Room, but this door was not rebuilt in the reconstructed wall due to the prevent uses of the rooms.

In the dormer window in the south wall only the framing and the stool are original.

The baseboard is original on the south and west walls, new on the north and east walls.

The plaster is new.

The flooring is new vinyl tile, and is a purely modern convenience.

The paint color is Mustard #1408-W, matching the first eighteenth century color applied.

Note: This room is reworked to be a lavatory for the hostesses. The partitions around the toilet room, the closet, and the lavatory axe all new and not intended to reproduce eighteenth century arrangements.

THE END ROOM (14'-8"x10'-5") North—West Room

The framing in the west, north and east walls is original, that in the south being new.

The door is new, as is its frame and trim. There may have been another door in the south wall (see The ... Eat Room).

The dormer windows retain their original framing as well as their original window frames, stools and trim.

The baseboard is original on the west and north walls, new on the south and east walls.

The plaster is new.

The flooring is new vinyl tile, and is a purely modern convenience.

The paint color is Mustard #145-W, matching the first eighteenth century color applied.

Note: This room is now used to house mechanical equipment.

EXTERIOR

Brick foundations were found for the large tavern kitchen. The building was approximately 40'-0" long and 16'-4" wide, built roughly parallel to the main tavern building.

The kitchen as reconstructed is in many ways a smaller model of the tavern building. Many of its details were copied or adapted from it, such as its jerkin—head roof shape and its round-butt cement asbestos shingles in imitation of wood. Its beaded weatherboards are adapted from those on the main building, as are the cornerboards. The double hung window sashes are adapted from original examples in the tavern building, as are the typical board and batten shutters and the simple batten doors, one into each room. The simple cornice is typical of service buildings, as are the narrow dormer windows. The detailing of the dormers echoes those on the tavern as does their hipped roofs. The large brick chimney is designed to hold the proper number and size of fireplace flues which would have been in use in the eighteenth century. The chimney cap profile is adapted from those on the tavern building.

The exterior of the tavern is painted with simulated whitewash over Spanish Brown primer.

INTERIOR

The interior of the kitchen is divided into two rooms on the first floor. The division is accomplished by a massive brick chimney with large fireplaces opening into each room. The east room is 12'-6" x 15'-0", and the west room is 16'-0" x 15'-0". Both fireplaces are 8'-2" wide and 3'-2" deep. The arches over the fireplaces are 4'-3" high at the center. The first floor ceiling height is 7'-11".

The walls are of wood studs with brick nogging (infilling) between, all painted with simulated whitewash. The ceilings are plastered and also painted with simulated whitewash: All exposed framing is hand adzed.

The door and window trim is flat, beaded on the inside edge, and moulded with a small lambstongue on the outside. The partition between the rooms is a simple beaded board and batten wall with a batten door. The fireplace hearths are brick. The remainder of the floor is new pine, sawed and worked to match original examples.

The original building had no basement, but in order to house a modern heating plant for the tavern building the kitchen now has a basement. The basement is reached by a ladder in the floor of the closet at the west end of the west room under the stair. This closet and stair is hidden from view by a beaded board and batten wall. The stair is very steep, almost a ladder, with open wood breads and a simple beaded handrail.

The second floor of the kitchen is unfinished with only the insides of the dormers being plastered, since this surface is visible from the exterior. It is a low ceiling garret space, although amply lighted by dormer windows front and back, and by small square casement windows, one in each end wall.