" -I was just talking about wear and tear and this is such a great example. You've picked up the rug in the front hall."

" -And you can see the wear that our visitors, the many visitors that come through, have, have done over the years and------"

" -Yes."

" -were looking forward to having the wood conservator come in. He------"

" -Sure. This is all worn away, but the beautiful parquet. Now this is not from the early 1800's though is it?"

" -No, its not. The, the house underwent some major changes in 1906 and we believe that this parquet floor dates to that period."

" -Okay. So you're talking, moving, packing------"

" -Right."

" -and you know, you still have some of the beautiful antiques that belong here out."

" -We do."

" -What's a, what's the logic? Have you been triaging, what's [unk]"

" -We have. We went through and made a systematic study of pieces that we wanted to have conserved once that we were gonna take with us, others that we were gonna store through this process. And some of them are still here and you can see this beautiful table. Were very proud of this. Its one of our most treasured possessions. We believe that it's a real Lanier table and------"

" -Lanier was a cabinet maker, contemporary of Duncan Phyfe and he made a lot of things with guilded eagles of course, the symbol of the young republic. And this one is in plain mahogany, probably Cuban or Dominican mahogany with a marble top. And that's exciting if it really is a piece by him."

" -It is and were anxious to get to the conservator. Obviously, the marble needs some work."

" -And you've got these wonderful convex mirrors."

" -We do."

" -So things either go to conservation or the storage------"

" -Or the storage."

" -or to the temporary porch."

" -That's correct."

" -Yes."

" -And you can see here, as we've already noticed with the floors are the systems------"

" -Yes."

" -and particularly the mechanical systems."

" -Yes."

" -This is our old style air handler that furnishes this sometimes with both heat and air-conditioning."

" -Only sometimes right. And it probably condenses and leaks and------"

" -It does and you can see the rust and how it's, has worn the floors and also, it's unsightly. It has the beautiful [unk] that we have here."

" -Right. So those are all being removed------"

" -Yes."

" -and new HVAC systems installed------"

" -Yes."

" -along with things like wiring and plumbing etcetera."

" -Exactly, right. We have already removed some of these air handlers and you can see the beautiful paneling that's there."

" -Yes."

" -Other work that we have to do, you can see the layers and layers of paint that had been applied over the years and------"

" -Right."

" -were anxious to restore the crispness and the beauty of the paneling."

" -Well you can see it down here where the molding is still protected by the last 80 years of having those radiation place."

" -Right."

" -I mean, the crispness of the molding is still there. These are all hand plained and the, the paint has been lifted off and you can see the original kinda grey blue paint that was on here. This is gonna be exciting work."

" -It really------"

" -So is, so is the floor. I mean------"

" -That's right. And were anxious where these air handlers have come off, the floors will be conserved------"

" -Okay."

" -And the parquet restored."

" -Sure."

" -Its in that area."

" -Now tell me a little bit about this room. This pink room."

" -Well, this area looks quite different than what it normally does------"

" -Yes."

" -filled with beautiful furnishings. We refer to it as the ladies parlor------"

" -Yes."

" -because it was probably where families that came to visit the governor would stay while business was being conducted across the hall."

" -Across the hall."

" -And normally, we have a very beautiful portrait of Pocahontas that hangs here."

" -Yes."

" -Also, you can see from this mantle piece, the kinds of work that we intend to do------"

" -Yes."

" -on the mantles in the house."

" -This is a, an Adam style mantle piece. Probably original to the early 1800's with the, the decorations are kind of molded decorations------"

" -Right."

" -That have been lost."

" -Because of the layers of paint. Now the room across the hall, you said, was the old governor's office."

" -Was the old governor's office."

" -Okay."

" -So usually the governor conducted business here and this was the office that he had, the room that he had setup as his office."

" -Yes."

" -And I'd like to introduce you to Fred Eckert------"

" -Hi Fred."

" -How you doing?"

" -who is in charge of the restoration of the wood and the mantles throughout the mansion."

" -Now, what do you say about the condition of these mantle pieces?"

" -Well, the, the mantles were stripped in the past------"

" -Yes."

" -by somebody, their best efforts, they used a torch on it."

" -Yes."

" -And removed some samples of the paint from the mantle, [unk] in it exposed a lot of charred compo and charred wood."

" -The composition that was applied there which was an early form of a------"

" -Mixture of sawdust, Hyde glues------"

" -Yes."

" -sometimes plaster."

" -So the torch has damaged that. How was this attached? I noticed you've got some holes drilled there."

" -Originally, it would've been attached with big cut nails into wooden blocks."

" -Yes."

" -This is obviously been often and removed and then put back on again and they've used 20th century machine bolts."

" -Right."

" -With anchors in the mason [unk] ."

" -So are you ready to pull it down?"

" -Yes I think we are."

" -I'll just stay back. Coz clearly, you guys know what you're doing here."

" -Are you ready Greg?"

" -Always a mysterious moment."

" -Anxious to see what's behind here."

" -Yes. Well if it's been pulled down once before------"

" -Yes."

" -it's unlikely there's much of anything. No labeler or cabinet maker sparks."

" -Its obviously federal, its attached on wood."

" -Yes. Look at those wonderful boards. The full width."

" -Yes."

" -Great."