The Icelandic Canadian - 01.06.1982, Page 44

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THE ICELANDIC CANADIAN
SUMMER, 1982
house in the summer of 1980. In order to
replace the rotted sill logs, the overburden
of earth around the foundation was re-
moved, revealing for the first time
Stephansson’s original rock foundation.
Next, the old siding was removed up to the
window frames. Because of the condition
of the sill logs, the house could not be
jacked up. The restoration team decided to
build forms for footings and a partial
basement which was then used to support
the raising of the structure. Log craftsmen
removed the rotted logs and replaced them
with new timbers cut and joined exactly the
same as the originals. As in most restora-
tions, a choice between historical accuracy
and practicality had to be made. To lower
the house onto only a rock foundation
would have meant an eventual repetition of
the problem of rotted sill logs. To retain
historical “flavour”, Historic Sites cemented
Stephansson’s rocks on top of the footings
and then lowered the house onto the rocks.
A basement was poured in the same area
Stephansson had dug his cellar and in
February of this year a modem gas furnace
replaced Stephansson’s furnace he had pur-
chased from the Eaton’s catalogue in 1919.
Due to inclement weather, the preceding
work was not finished until late summer.
The winter of 1980 saw a new cedar shingle
roof put on the house and, because of the
deterioration of the old siding, new siding
specially milled to match the historic fabic
was added. Windows and doors were
sealed and active work at the site ceased for
a year.
This does not mean that Historic Sites
Service was idle. The Stephansson House
Planning Team, formed in 1979 and con-
sisting of the historian, planner, facility
director, restorationist and graphic de-
signer, began planning the development of
the Stephansson House Provincial Historic
Site. Considerations concerning historic
landscaping, the size, shape and location of
the parking lot, the type, size and text for
the outdoor displays, the guides’ accom-
modation, the colour of the exterior of the
house, the curtain fabrics and the patterns
for the linoleum, to name but a few topics,
have all been discussed. All decisions
made by the Planning Team attempted to
reflect historical accuracy. This applies in
particular to the historic site, its furnishings
and the dooryard. Stephansson had out-
lined his property with poplar, spmce and
caragana and this area is being left, with no
construction of modem facilities allowed.
The parking log, public washrooms, out-
door displays and administration building
are grouped together on the riverbench
field west of the house and beyond the trees
so that they are not visible from the house.
In January of this year, restoration of the
interior of the house began. All the tongue
and groove wall panelling, which Stephans-
son had used extensively throughout his
house, was removed and put aside for re-
installation. The walls and ceilings were
then cleaned and the bark on the logs
removed so that a wood preservative could
be applied to the logs. The next step was to
insulate the exterior walls. While not his-
torically correct, for Stephansson did not
insulate his home, insulation was installed
to maintain effective climate control, as
well as to prevent heat loss. Once the
panelling was replaced, this, of course,
was not noticeable. Electrical wiring was
another accommodation which had to be
made. Stephansson never had the modem
convenience but Historic Site has wired the
house for easy maintenance. All outlets are
hidden from view. A security telephone,
not to be confused with Stephansson’s
telephone next to the front door, was in-
stalled upstairs.
There is still much to be done before the
site opens to the public. The wall panelling
has to be cleaned and painted or stained.
Window and door frames have to be re-
stored, installed and painted and floor