The Museum of Ashe County History is expected to move into a “new” home this Fall, the historic 1904 courthouse in Jefferson, N.C.  The preservation has proved a long and painstaking process and we are working on the final details.  One of the main issues we are trying to sort through is what color to paint the interior walls of the first floor.  Based on pictures of the courthouse around 1910, it appears that the walls were left as unpainted plaster and paint doesn’t show up until a photograph from ca. 1935.  So we are trying to determine what color they would have painted the walls closer to 1904, had they done so.  We don’t think that simply leaving the plaster as is would be an option, nor is the method of letting people smoke cigarettes indoors to achieve that historically-accurate yellowing effect. 

 

We have a few paint chip charts from Sherman Williams (Victorian, Arts and Crafts) and our historic preservation architect suggested they would have painted the walls a dark color (like a terra cotta) and a darker trim.  However, we think it might be best to go with something lighter and more neutral if we can justify the choice as historically appropriate. 

 

We are leaning towards painting the walls an off-white or beeswax color, with a white (or other light color) trim. Does anyone have any experience restoring historic courthouses from the period?  I’ve looked through photos of similar courthouses, and contacted the sister courthouse in a nearby county to see if they have any evidence of wall colors, but so far it has been to no avail.  Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

 

Cheers,

 

Natalya Hopper, Intern

MACH