Boy’s Bedroom Restoration

M18-Second-phase close-up view of some of the varied layers of wallpaper and paint that restoration workers uncovered in the common area. More specifically, the space being displayed is on the south wall of the room’s northern section. Back when the Roedde family lived in the house, the room had served as the boy’s bedroom. As part of the initiative to restore the room back to how the Roedde family had it, workers would apply brown floral-patterned paper on the walls.

M10- Second-phase view of the southwest corner in the common area during the 1980’s restoration project. Whilst it had served as a common area during the boarding and rooming house period, however, the space had in fact been the boy’s bedroom back when the Roedde family resided in the house.

I16- Second-phase view of the ceiling above the doorway leading one into the upper sunroom. During the restoration project in the 1980’s, workers found a section of the ceiling to be covered with plywood. Given its irregular shape, the plywood bore varied dimensions, among which included lengths of 48”, 44”, 73”, and 30.”

I10- Second-phase view of the ceiling in the northwestern section of the common area. At the time that the Roedde family lived in the house, the space was in fact the boy’s bedroom. Here, it is significant to note that in the 1980’s, restoration workers found a piece of plywood in the slant ceiling, which was situated 11” down from the ceiling. With dimensions 18 ¾” X 31 ¼”, the plywood had been installed with round nails.

I8- Second-phase view of the southwest corner in the northern section of the common area. That is, the space functioned as a common area during the boarding house period. When the Roedde family was living in the house, this had in fact been the boy’s bedroom. During the 1980’s restoration project, workers uncovered an 18” X 18” Gyproc square on the south wall pictured here. To be more precise, the square was 11” above the floor, against the doorframe connecting the common area and the upper sunroom.

I8- Second-phase view of the southwest corner in the northern section of the common area. That is, the space functioned as a common area during the boarding house period. When the Roedde family was living in the house, this had in fact been the boy’s bedroom. During the 1980’s restoration project, workers uncovered an 18” X 18” Gyproc square on the south wall pictured here. To be more precise, the square was 11” above the floor, against the doorframe connecting the common area and the upper sunroom.

I4- Second-phase view of the south wall in what was the common area during the boarding and rooming house period. At the time that the Roedde family lived in the house, this space had served as the boy’s bedroom. Here, one can see some of the layers of paint and wallpaper that workers removed during the 1980’s restoration project.

F24- Second-phase view of the floorboards in the western section of the common area. Whilst the overall space functioned as a common area during the boarding and rooming house period, the room had in fact been the boy’s bedroom at the time that the Roedde family resided in the house. Here, it is worthwhile to note that the floor mouldings seen in the outer edges of this photograph had been installed with round nails.

D6- First-phase view of the built-in closet in the common area. That is, the space was a common area during the boarding and rooming house period. However, when the Roedde family had been living in the house, the room had actually been the boy’s bedroom. As part of the restoration project, paint was removed from the door mouldings, exposing the cedar wood of the frame.

D5- First-phase upper view of the southeast corner in the southern section of the common area. Whilst the doorway on the right led into the landing hall, the door on the left led into a built-in closet.

D4- First-phase lower view of the southeast corner in the southern section of the common area. Back when the Roedde family lived in the house, this space was the boy’s bedroom. On the right was a doorway that led into the landing hall. The door on the left led into a built-in closet. During the restoration project, paint was removed from the door mouldings, exposing the cedar wood of the frame.

D3- First-phase upper view of the southwest corner in the common area’s northern section. The doorway in this photograph led into the upper sunroom, which had previously Matilda Roedde’s sewing room.

D2- First-phase lower view of the southwest corner in the common area’s northern section. Back when the Roedde family lived in the house, this space was the boy’s bedroom. The doorway pictured led one into the upper sunroom, which had been formerly known as Matilda Roedde’s sewing room. As part of the restoration project, paint was removed from the door mouldings, exposing the cedar wood of the frame.

C36- First-phase upper view of the northeast corner in the common area. On the left was a doorway that led one into what is now the Collections Room, but was formerly Storage Room #2. The doorway on the right led into a built-in closet. Back when the Roedde family lived in the house, this space was the boy’s bedroom, and the east wall had been patched up such that both doorways led into built-in closets. The doorway on the far right led into the landing hall.

C35- First-phase lower view of the northeast corner in the common area. On the left was a doorway that led one into what is now the Collections Room, but was formerly Storage Room #2. On the right was a doorway that led into the built-in closet. Back when the Roedde family lived in the house, this space was the boy’s bedroom, and the east wall had been patched up such that both doorways led into built-in closets. What is further significant to note is that during the restoration project, paint was removed from the door mouldings, exposing the cedar wood of the frame.

M24- Second-phase close-up view of the east wall in the common area’s built-in closet, more specifically of the pencil marks that had been left on the wall. At the time of the restoration project in the 1980’s, workers came across many handwritten notes in the closet. Interestingly, many of these notes dated back to the period when the Roedde family lived in the house. Today, some museum staff believe that the notes left behind during this era were often authored by Gustav Adolph Jr.

M23- Second-phase view of the south wall in the common area’s built-in closet. At the time of the restoration project in the 1980’s, workers came across many handwritten notes in the closet. Almost all of these notes dated back to the period when the Roedde family lived in the house. The one displayed was dated back to 1917 and appeared to record duck counts. Gustav Adolph Jr. may have been the author of this note, for he hunted ducks as a pastime. Given the connections that could be drawn between the notes found and the youngest Roedde son, one could infer that at some point, after Walter and Bill had moved out, Gustav Adolph Jr. himself had slept in this room.

M22- Second-phase view of the east wall inside the common area’s built-in closet. During the restoration project in the 1980’s, workers came across many handwritten notes in the closet. Most of these notes dated back to the era when the Roedde family lived in the house. Indeed, the one shown here was dated March 23, 1907 and read “Hen setting.” Today, some museum staff believe that these notes were referring to Gustav Adolph Jr.’s hobby of homing pigeons.

M21- Second-phase view of the east wall inside the common area’s built-in closet. During the restoration project in the 1980’s, workers came across many handwritten notes in the closet. Most of these notes dated back to the era when the Roedde family lived in the house. The one pictured here, however, was not dated. According to the workers’ records, the writing appeared to include the word “Rock”, followed by a series of dollar amounts.

M19- Second-phase close-up view of some of the varied layers of wallpaper and paint that restoration workers unearthed in the common area. In particular, the space being displayed is on the south wall of the room’s northern section. Here, one can see how one layer of wallpaper dates back to 1894— a year after the Roedde family had moved into the house. When the family resided in the house, the room had in fact served as the boy’s bedroom. As the original layer of wallpaper was found to consist of a brown floral-patterned design, workers later applied a replicated version of such paper on the walls.