The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
Gillette Castle to get a facelift
‘Painstaking’ process called for disassembling portico stone by stone
EAST HADDAM — Visitors to Gillette Castle State Park might have a tough time spotting the most recent dramatic change at William Gillette’s eccentric, century-old home that serves as the attraction’s centerpiece.
Everything atop the “Seventh Sister” hill seems as rustic as ever, according to a press release. However, some might note that a century of deterioration is being halted around the structure’s sheltered vehicle entrance — also known by the French term “porte cochere.”
The recent work on the building’s north elevation ended the second phase of the state’s three-part capital improvement effort at the park, funded through a $2 million allocation in 2019 by the bonding commission. The funding also will pay for additional work in 2022 on the building’s west and south elevations to restore its veranda and resurface its terrace, according to the news release.
Many years of deteriorated masonry conditions had caused overhead stones to fall from the underside of the building’s main portico entrance, posing a potential hazard to park visitors, Park Supervisor John Hine said in a prepared statement.
“It was necessary for the state to engage with engineers from CME Associates to find a solution to hopefully last another 100 years,” Hine said.
Baltic-based Mattern Construction was awarded the contract as low bidder and began work in late May, with work wrapping up in late August. Stones that Gillette’s own construction crews had set in place in the early 20th century were removed, labeled and meticulously preserved, Hine said.
The “painstaking” process called for disassembling the portico stone by stone, the park said. Each stone was marked with a number and transferred to a nearby staging area, where they were laid out in the exact same location and orientation.
“By mid-June, during the demolition phase, engineer Mike Culmo determined that the original columns supporting the portico roof were structurally sound enough to support a heavily reinforced concrete roof structure,” Hine said. “That resulted in a reduced scope of work that equated to a significant cost savings to the state,” he added.
“The State Historic Preservation Office wanted to ensure that the finished product was identical to the original structure,” Hine said, crediting Mattern’s superintendent Rodney Young and project manager Noah Brenckle for the task’s successful completion.
“They ensured that every stone was documented, marked, and then replaced in its exact location in the original structure,” Hine said. Modern methods and materials were used under the stone facade to increase the structure’s longevity, he added.
Each stone cast into the roof slab was cleaned and the joints repointed, followed by work on a retaining wall at the portico’s front. Final steps included installation of a zinc-coated copper roof and soldering of all seams, according to the park.
“As the park’s representative for the state, I am very pleased that we have a finished product that holds true to William Gillette’s vision and again will last for generations to come,” Hine said.
The work was part of a multi-phase funding package approved by the State Bonding Commission for improvements at the park, which is nestled between the towns of East Haddam and Lyme along the Connecticut River. The overall project has included reconstruction in 2020 of a large retaining wall and handicap-accessible staircase.