The Mark Twain House & Museum
John Canning & Co. restored the finishes in the Mahogany Suite of the Mark Twain House.
PROJECT DETAILS
The Mark Twain House was the home of Samuel Langhorne Clemens, also known as Mark Twain, and Olivia Langdon Clemens and their family.
The Mahogany Suite was their guest quarters where the family would host their guests and close friends. Prior to the restoration, the suite had been closed to the public since 2000. John Canning & Co. restored the architectural woodwork, plaster, and reinstated wallcoverings. The mahogany woodwork was stripped and refinished to the original woodwork to its historic intent. The plaster had sustained serious water damage in several areas and was repaired and restored. The historic wallcoverings design, which included spider web and bee features and dates back to the 1850s, was installed throughout the space.
The Mark Twain House is one of the first 100 properties in the nation to be designated a National Historic Landmark.
“The restoration work completed by John and his team was of the highest caliber and resulted in a stunning room of impeccable historical accuracy. Previously it had been empty, underutilized, and detrimental to our interpretation plan. In addition, the museum saw an increase in visitation after the grand opening of the Mahogany Suite. This room is now an important asset when interpreting the life of Samuel Clemens and his family in late 19th-century Hartford for visitors and schoolchildren. The restoration of the Mahogany Suite has added to this asset immeasurably.”
— MALLORY HOWARD, ASSISTANT CURATOR,
THE MARK TWAIN HOUSE & MUSEUM, HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT
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 GALLERY
BUILDING FACTS
- Location: Hartford, CT
- Built: Circa 1874
- Original Architect: Edward Tuckerman Potter
- Style: Victorian Gothic Revival
- Status: National Landmark
AWARDS
- 2021 Bulfinch Award for Historic Preservation, ICAA New England Region
- 2021 Traditional Building's Palladio Award for Restoration and Renovation
- 2020Â AIA Connecticut Elizabeth Mills Brown Award of Excellence For The Mahogany Suite At The Mark Twain House
- 2020 Preservation Connecticut Award of Merit For The Mahogany Suite At The Mark Twain House
- 2020 Traditional Building’s Palladio Award For Craftsmanship
- 2020 Bulfinch Award for Craftsmanship/Artisanship, ICAA New England Region
- 2018 AGC BuildCT Small Renovation Award
 SCOPE
- Historic Color Matching
- Plaster Restoration
- Historic Woodwork Restoration
- Wallcovering Installation
PROJECT TEAM
- Architect: David Scott Parker Architects
- Contractor: Downes Construction Company
