The Case of the Vanished Bench? PART III
In 2020, I did two posts on what I believe is the vanished stair hall built-in bench.
Before reading this new post (and when you have the time), I suggest you get some wine out, and re-read the first two posts. They are rich with information. And, remember, Restoring Ross always goes better with wine.
A TIMELINE
Circa-1930
After Scott Mouse, Sr. purchased the Cross House he converted the second floor to apartments. This necessitated the shrinking of the main stair.
The 1894 second-floor stair hall. The top of the image is north, and the exterior wall has three stained-glass windows (extant). In the middle you see a large rectangle. That is an opening to the main level. The stair was built as drawn, except for the few steps hugging the north wall. These steps were actually built around the corner a bit, hugging the east wall.
This is a circa-1930 blueprint of alterations made to convert the house into apartments. The drawing shows how the original expansive stair opening was significantly shrunk to add two kitchens.
The sections of the stair which were removed in the process were, it seems, moved into the attic. This is important.
CIRCA-1950
After Scott Mouse, Jr. took over the house, it was converted to a motel, and the basement was later converted into five more motel rooms. This required a new stair to the basement.
You are standing on the first floor looking down the new basement stair. Far right is an 1894 newel post, which had been stored away in 1930. It is attached to a length of 1894 balustrade, also had been stored away. And, see that little curved bit just above the far edge of the balustrade?
It is this. This is its south face.
And its brutalized north face.
The piece was part of this. And this whole section was hacked off during the 1950 alterations. (The stairs to the right were not constructed as such.)
CIRCA-1962
The parts of the stair which were removed in 1930 were, it seems, stored in attic. And some parts were removed from the attic in 1950 and reused for the new basement stair. Additional parts were removed at this time and were, presumably, stored in the attic with the other parts.
Then there was a fire in the attic. Quite bad, as this charred all the roof joists. And one section of balustrade was blackened.
But what happened to the other stored stair parts?
2014
I removed the 1950 basement stair, and stored the section of 1894 balustrade, newel post, and carved bit. I also recreated the original expansive stair opening, ringing it with a 2×4 railing.
2018
I reconstructed the 1894 stair by using most of the parts removed in 1930.
2020
Based on existing evidence and the 1894 drawings, I created this conjectural drawing showing what might have been a bench under the staircase, removed for the 1950 basement stair.
2022
I created a template of what have been the lost second of the paneled wall.
And this would have been, presumably, the carved hand rest.
You can see the lost section of the paneled wall. What I do not understand is why this section was removed for the 1950 basement stair? It would have remained in place after the bench was removed. Just think how much easier things would be for me today!
THE BIG QUESTION
During all the many changes to the main stair, it is clear the effort was expended to minimize damage to the historic fabric.
When the Mouse family altered the stair in 1930s, rather than discard the sections removed, they stored them away. When the Mouse family create the basement stair in 1950s, they accessed the stored bits to finish off the new stair. At the same time they removed, I think, the 1894 bench. And other stair bits. It makes sense that the family stored these pieces along with the other pieces stored in the attic, right?
Then came the circa-1962 fire. I know a balustrade section was blackened. (Presumably, a light sanding could restore the section.)
But…what happened to the other stored parts?
Did they burn?
In order to rebuild the roof after the 1962 fire, it makes sense that the stored stair bits were removed from the attic. Where were they then stored? Under the 1950 basement stair? I do not know. And the previous owner, Bob, has no memory of where the blackened balustrade was in the house. And I do not recall where I found it in 2014.
The missing parts include:
- Sections of several newel posts.
- One bottom newel piece.
- An 8-foot-long section of balustrade.
- The “lost” bench. This would be a seat and front panel.
- A “lost” carved hand rest for the south side of the bench.
- A short section of the ‘sweep’ above the south hand rest.
- A small section of the paneled stair wall, adjacent to the first two steps.
If these parts survived the 1962 fire, they were likely still in the house when Bob purchased the house in 1999. As Bob is a packrat extraordinaire, he would not have thrown the parts away. Over the years he owned the house numerous house bits ended up being moved to his many other properties, like the famous west screen doors, which Bob graciously returned (and numerous other house bits).
In talking with Bob about the lost bits this week, he stated that he would not have recognized the parts as being from the main stair. He never knew about the possible existence of a lost bench until reading my blog post about it. He also agreed that if he removed the parts from the house…drum roll-please…he would still have them. “I never throw anything away.”
Another possibility: The Mouse family has a history of using salvaged building parts in various buildings they constructed. Did they take the removed sections of the Cross House stair and incorporate them elsewhere?
In short, is it possible that these bits might be extant…somewhere?
Oh, the thought is painfully tantalizing.
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Fascinating and tantalizing!
I hope Bob Rodak has the various bits in areas where he has found things before:-)
Maybe the Mouse family might’ve remodeling and want to remove pieces that may have been in the Cross House originally? It would be serendipitous, but a sweet idea!
Can’t wait to hear about the progress!
Here’s hoping now that you’ve jogged Bob’s memory he might remember or come across the missing pieces. Hope they turn up. Meanwhile, you may have to take up wood carving as a hobby.
Reading your blog is a detective novel. I do hope you find the missing pieces and are able to restore the bench. Perhaps if they aren’t found, do you intend on having the parts rebuilt?
I love this kind of post. I’m sure this kind of mystery helps keep you motivated when the baby step method seems tedious and long. I hope the missing parts turn up!
So cool and mysterious. 🙂
Mr. Mac Taggart Esq.’s most excellent blog has had so many fascinating twists and turns, I shouldn’t be the least bit surprised if all the missing bench parts turn up squirreled away behind the lincrusta along with substantial portions of the extremely late Col. H.C.Cross himself!
Hopefully they will turn up; I also hope that your luck runs better than mine. My outcome would be that the original pieces would be found about 3 weeks after I had installed [expensive] reproductions of them…
I remember going up and down those stairs in the 70s helping someone move from a second-floor apartment to the basement. Little did I know that I was stepping through a time portal, or a ghost bench, on my trips.
Every time you resurrect a lost feature, I marvel at your diligence and imagination. It will be so satisfying to see this piece return to the Cross House.
What a colossal puzzle, and you have figured it out little by little over the years. I do hope the missing bench and pieces show up. The bench will look so elegant under that staircase.