JOHN HARRIS MANSION

CLIENT
Dauphin County Historical Society

LOCATION
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

STRUCTURE
Built in 1766, the three-story stone and timber framed structure consisted only of what is today considered the main part of the house.  In the 1860s, a two-story addition was built, the parlor floor was dropped three feet, and a bay was added. A second bay in the library, was added in the 1920s. The primary stairwell was altered twice, in 1830 and again in 1860.  An elevator was installed early in the 20thcentury. 

CHALLENGE
S. Harris Ltd. was retained to conduct a conservation assessment of the Mansion and its outbuildings.  The project was contracted under the Conservation Assessment Program (CAP), administered by Heritage Preservation.  The purpose of a CAP study is to assess the site and collections of a museum… in this case, a national historic landmark building and site, housing a collection of 18th and 19th Century artifacts as well as the archives of the local historical society.  To be covered in the study, are such issues as staffing, building and facilities, climate control and environment, collections and collection policies, exhibitions, storage, and emergency preparedness.  Only limited time and resources were available.

SCOPE OF SERVICE
  • Evaluate the interior, exterior, and overall site for problematic conditions.
  • Meet with the staff to review site-related issues and how the collections are housed.
  • Report any concerns requiring immediate attention to the staff.
SOLUTION
  • Provide an illustrated report detailing the conditions and issues noted throughout the site.
  • Provide photographs documenting all conditions observed.
  • Provide matrices detailing each condition by location, issue, recommended treatment, and priority. 
HISTORIC STATUS
The John Harris-Simon Cameron Mansion is a National Historic Landmark.