This multi-year project has the largest scope of those being funded by the Pride & Preservation Campaign.
In the summer and fall of 2017, Brucemore staff and Trustees contracted with OPN Architects, Cedar Rapids, to perform a comprehensive Mansion Condition Report.
The report outlined a crucial need for preservation of the exterior of the mansion to mitigate water infiltration, which has caused damage to exterior elements and poses a significant risk to the interior. Many important features of the mansion currently show critical deterioration.
- Phase I completed in April of 2019 stabilized and restored the enclosed Service Porch.
- Phase II completed in March of 2020 focused on the roof and south façade of the mansion, specifically the windows and doors, brick, masonry, roof cresting, and slate. Stabilization of the structure focuses on fixing the systemic causes of deterioration rather than only symptoms.
- Phase III completed in December of 2020 focused on the east and west façades, including all windows and doors, the the west porch, and the porte cochere on the south side.
- Phase IV completed in January 2022 to preserve the North Elevation and complete work on the porte cochere on the south side.
- Phase V completed in December 2022 on the south and west porches; the windows of the Grant Wood Sleeping Porch; and the breakfast porch, which sustained additional damage during the 2020 derecho.
- Phase VI completed between November 2023 and May 2024 involved re-installing the roof crests that had been removed in 2020. Original material was reused where possible with replicas created elsewhere.
Brucemore received one of 10 “Preservation at its Best Awards” for “Best Community Effort” in the state at the Preserve Iowa Summit in June 2020. This award recognized over 500 donors, contractors, staff, and volunteers who ensured this project’s success. The organization also received a Certificate of Merit for this project at the Excellence in Iowa History Awards presented by the State Historic Society of Iowa Board of Trustees in 2023. Read more here.
Thank you to the donors to the Pride & Preservation capital campaign, The Hall-Perrine Foundation, McIntyre Foundation, Iowa Economic Development Authority, and National Trust for Historic Preservation.
A closer look…
Wood and copper flashing deterioration let water and other environmental elements inside the mansion, which can cause damage to the irreplaceable collections.
Painting should be completed cyclically to ensure a long lifespan for the original materials
The gutters on the mansion are made of copper while a portion of the roof is covered in slate. These are only two of the many different materials characteristic of the Queen Anne style, which make preservation challenging
The Brucemore skylight is original to the mansion. It allows sunlight to shine down into a closet on the third floor. The Linn County Historic Preservation Commission funded a portion of the skylight restoration.
In 2017, OPN Architects completed a comprehensive piece-by-piece analysis of the mansion. The final report outlines the preservation need of each façade and the roof.
The decorative metal cresting was removed from the roof for repair and preservation
Contractors built a temporary staircase on the east side of the mansion to allow exterior access to the roof. This reduced the potential for interior damage.
Preparation on the interior aims to protect furnishings, wall covering, and collections pieces.
The original Brucemore skylight that provides light into a third floor closet was restored in the fall of 2019
Contractors working on the windows on the third floor landing that overlooks the Formal Garden.
The flat roof on the south side of the mansion had to be replaced to prevent leaking and potential water damage to rooms below.