Even though we have been closed to the public, we still had to deep clean each historic building to prepare for the season. Members of the Visitor Services team along with Collections Manager Susan Baker worked tirelessly to prepare the Turner-Ingersoll Mansion and Nathaniel Hawthorne Birthplace. Each room and each object were carefully inspected for any build-up of dust, dirt, or pests. Staff worked from top to bottom of each room to dust, vacuum and clean the floors. They used low-suction vacuums and a touch of Murphy’s Oil Soap as necessary.
Our staff always likes to report that projects like this go off without a hitch, but this month’s projects were not the case. After the staff completed their work in the Nathaniel Hawthorne Birthplace, some large pieces of plaster gave way on the staircase. The preservation team sprung to action and emergency repairs have started. Because working with historic plaster creates dust and debris, the staff returned to clean every surface and object again.
When cleaning and inspecting a collection of leather-covered wooden trunks, staff spotted furniture beetles. They took immediate action, wrapping the trunks in plastic and isolating them from the rest of the collections. New pest traps were installed and a stepped-up monitoring system is now in place.