What’s new in the Sarah Jordan Boarding House?

Chances are, when you visit the newly reopened Sarah Jordan Boarding House in Greenfield Village, you won’t notice many changes to the circa-1870 duplex since the last time you visited.

The conservation effort has returned the 10 public rooms to much the way they looked before the building was damaged by fire in January.

In the late 1870s and early 1880s, the Sarah Jordan Boarding House was home to many of Thomas A. Edison’s unmarried employees in Menlo Park, N.J. It was one of the earliest buildings brought to Greenfield Village.

“As fires go, we were pretty lucky,” says Mary Fahey, chief conservator at The Henry Ford, adding that the fire had been burning for only about 20 minutes when it was reported, and firefighters arrived quickly to extinguish it.

In some areas of the home, damage was minimal and most of the furnishings inside the house survived the fire, says Jeanine Miller, The Henry Ford’s curator of domestic life. The Sarah Jordan Boarding House contains 806 artifacts. Of those, 33 have been replaced since the fire.

Most of the damage was caused by smoke, soot and water, Mary says, with the most visible damage being to the front of the building.

Walk into the Sarah Jordan Boarding House today and the sights and sounds — even some creaky floorboards on the second floor — probably are much as you remember.

So what has changed? A number of small artifacts — such as hair brushes, a doll and some linens — have been replaced. Wallpaper patterns in Sarah Jordan’s parlor on the main floor and in the north bedroom upstairs have changed. As for large items, a different table sits in the boarders’ parlor on the main floor, a new dresser and bed furnish the north bedroom upstairs and a different bed is in the south bedroom upstairs. The large items that replaced those damaged in the fire are all from The Henry Ford’s collection.

Conservation efforts began immediately after artifacts were removed from the building, Mary says. Thanks to the many staff members who either returned upon hearing of the fire or stayed at work into the evening, it took only about two hours to empty the house after firefighters determined that the structure was safe to enter, she says.

Artifacts were photographed in their damaged surroundings. Then, the items were moved to the Guild Beer Hall in Greenfield Village, where The Henry Ford staffers bagged and froze small wet artifacts made from organic materials such as fabric, leather and paper. Freezing halts deterioration and prevents mold growth until time is available to clean, dry and conserve the artifacts. Other damp items were blotted with absorbent paper and allowed to air dry with aid of fans and a dehumidifier.

With damaged artifacts, there’s a gray area between conserving original pieces and restoring items, Mary says, adding that because of the level of damage, five of the artifacts are more restored than conserved.

For instance, the original finish on the wash stand in the north bedroom upstairs was severely damaged, so conservators had to remove the original finish and replace it with shellac. Because the finish was removed, the piece is now considered to be restored.

The pitcher and bowl that rest on that wash stand, though, were conserved. The pieces — darkened by smoke and soot and coated with plaster dust — were brought back to their original condition by vacuuming, dusting with a soft brush and wiping with alcohol and water, Mary says.

The Sarah Jordan Boarding House is along Christie Street in the Edison at Work district of Greenfield Village. Mrs. Jordan, distantly related to Edison’s wife, lived on the north side of the main floor and boarders occupied the south half and the second floor.

During the conservation efforts, Mary says, a modern-day occupant has taken up residence on the second story. When you visit, check the window of one of the small bedrooms upstairs: You’ll see a sprawling sparrow’s nest. “It has been there since spring,” Mary says. “No one wants to kick out the babies.”

This is a guest post from Tom Fetters, media and film relations intern. This will be Tom’s last blog post, as he has taken a full-time job in Milwaukee! Congrats Tom!