Rehabilitation of the Historic Pavilion is Underway

News Release Date:
June 15, 2021

Contact:Amy Bracewell

Rehabilitation of the historic Pavilion at Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site is underway. Through this project, the National Park Service will address the maintenance backlog of this 125-year-old facility that today serves as the park's visitor center.

The Pavilion was built in 1895 to serve as a sporting lodge and guest house. The Vanderbilts, intent on residing at Hyde Park while the mansion was under construction, required that the Pavilion be erected quickly. The task was completed in a remarkable 66 days, facilitated in part by cost-effective solutions inspired by the temporary architecture of the international world's fairs.

One innovation is found in the building porticos. They are supported by brick pillars concealed by decorative columns made of a material called staff. Sometimes described as 'counterfeit marble,' staff is a mixture of plaster, jute fibers, horsehair, and other ingredients. It was employed most notably to form the classical facades of the buildings at the 1889 Paris Exposition Universelle and Chicago's 1893 World's Columbian Exposition. Its use on the Vanderbilt Pavilion is a rare surviving example, and this project will ensure its preservation.

Maintaining the roads and bridges, visitor centers, historic buildings, gardens, and trails that make the park such an incredible place to visit is an enormous task. Addressing the maintenance backlog is a critical focus area of our core mission to preserve parks and provide a world-class visitor experience.

Over its 125-year history, the Pavilion has endured many cycles of maintenance and repair. Most recently, a 2015 project addressed the roof, chimneys, and the skylight. The current project will restore the 'Captain's Walk' roof balustrade, replace missing shutters, repair the columns, doors, and windows, and address damaged or missing areas of pebble dash stucco siding. The wood trim will receive a fresh coat of paint and the pebble dash will receive a protective, breathable lime-wash coating.

'Unlike the architectural counterparts at the international world's fairs, the Vanderbilt Pavilion has been preserved for over a century and highlights the unique innovations used in construction at the time,' said Superintendent Amy Bracewell. 'The preservation of this structure is not only important in its reflection of the lifestyle of the Vanderbilts who lived here, but provides insight into the historic construction materials and methods used in 1895.'

The Pavilion Visitor Center will remain open with limited access during construction. For more information on the park's operating hours and things to do, visit www.nps.gov/vama.

-NPS-

About the National Park Service. More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America's 423 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Learn more at www.nps.gov, and on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

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