The height of the porch ceilings, the angle of the roofs, and the rough location of the posts could all be derived from analyzing paint ghosts. After this information was combined with the porches' 10’ x 10’ footprint recorded by the insurance policy, it was possible to develop a rough design for the ca. 1797 porches. However, because no information on the porches’ architectural details, including the form of the posts, railings, and trim, survived, it was impossible to complete the design. In order to recreate the missing elements the Restoration Team turned to period examples of porches found in Virginia’s Piedmont and Tidewater regions. While porches from the 18th century rarely survive, several relevant examples were found in historic photographs. These examples, including porches from Little England and Marmion, were particularly important because their architectural details appeared to match the physical evidence found by the Restoration Team.
©The Library of Congress (HABS)
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