Fanthorp Inn State Historic Site in Anderson closed temporarily on September 24, 2023 to prepare for an extensive restoration project. Many of the original items and antiques were either taken off site for safe storage or moved away from work areas and tarped.
The crews from Phoenix 1 Restoration and Construction began the project on October 9. The project is primarily focused on the exterior restoration of the structure: siding, windows, roof, and paint. All of these elements will either be restored or replaced.
On the first day of the project, Phoenix 1 removed every window and door from the building. Each pane of original 19th-century glass was carefully labeled to ensure its correct placement into the new window casings.
Following this, the crews began stripping the paint off the exterior siding underneath the porches. This original siding, dating to the 1840s, will remain in place for future generations to see. During the process of stripping off layers of lead paint, pencil markings were found intact and, in many places, legible.
These markings include people’s names, full sentences, carpenter’s marks, and arithmetic. Interpretive and project staff are discussing ways to preserve and display these markings for future guests to experience.
In November, the construction crew installed a new cedar shake roof on the inn. The new windowsills are now in place, and painting under the porches has begun. The removal and replacement of the exposed exterior siding began in early January.
Fanthorp Inn staff are grateful to the crews from Phoenix 1 Restoration and Construction for their skilled and diligent work while also keeping the project on schedule. We look forward to welcoming guests back to a brand new 190-year-old inn.