Article

Restoring Bunker Hill's Fence

Closeup of two bars of an aged, wrought-iron fence painted black. In the background of the photo, out of focus, is a crew member wearing a hard hat. In the foreground is the crew member’s hand, wearing a glove and using a steel wire pad to brush the fen
Paint sticks better to rougher surfaces, so crew members use wire pads, steel wool, and wire brushes to scuff up the old paint on the fence in preparation for a new coat.

Student Conservation Association photo, A. Lueth

The Student Conservation Association Massachusetts Historic Preservation Corp (SCA HPC) has been restoring the wrought iron fence around the Bunker Hill Monument, applying a new coat of paint to bring it back to its original quality. The project began in 2023, with each subsequent year’s crew repainting one of the four sides of the fence. As of 2024, two sides have been painted, and the project is slated to be completed by 2026.

Site History

Illustration of a hill with a tall obelisk at its peak. The hill is surrounded by a wrought-iron fence, and there are several people standing and walking on and around the hill. Buildings are visible in the background.
The Bunker Hill Monument as it stood in the mid-1800s. The fence in the illustration is not the one that stands today, as the current fence was installed in 1870.

Boston Public Library

The Monument sits on Breed's Hill, the site of the Battle of Bunker Hill, one of the earliest battles of the Revolutionary War. Constructed from 1825 to 1842, the Bunker Hill Monument commemorates the soldiers who fought in the battle.[1] The park's iron fence was originally installed in 1843, followed by a new iron fence in 1870, the one that still stands today.[2]

Learn more about the Bunker Hill Monument and the efforts to preserve the Monument over the years.

Project Overview

The bottom portion of a wrought-iron fence. Three bars and three floral decorations are visible. The fence is covered in lichen and the paint, formerly black, is now dark grey after weathering. The bottom portion of a wrought-iron fence. Three bars and three floral decorations are visible. The fence is covered in lichen and the paint, formerly black, is now dark grey after weathering.

Left image
One of the bottom portions of the fence BEFORE painting was completed.
Credit: Student Conservation Association photo, A. Lueth

Right image
One of the bottom portions of the fence AFTER painting was completed
Credit: Student Conservation Association photo, A. Lueth

Over time, the paint on the fence has started to deteriorate, leading to rusting and other damage. Each group of HPC crew members have begun this project by removing any paint that had begun to chip off. They use wire brushes and steel wool to scuff up the old paint, which allows the new coat of paint to stick to the fence better.

A crew member wearing a hard hat, gloves, and an N95 mask squatting at the bottom of a wrought-iron fence. The fence is dirty and has chipping paint in a few spots. The crew member is holding a drill with a wire brush attachment up to the fence.
A crew member using a drill with a steel brush attachment to clean the fence and scuff up the old paint.

Student Conservation Association photo, A. Lueth.

A black wrought-iron fence from a side view. A thick pillar and several smaller bars of the fence are in view, with a floral pattern along the bottom of the fence. The fence has some spots of rust-colored paint applied to it.
The primer (rust-colored) after being applied to the fence. It is applied just to exposed metal and rusting areasand prevents further rust from forming.

Student Conservation Association photo, A. Lueth

The crew then washed the fence with TSP solution, a cleaning agent, to remove the buildup of grime and dirt.

To complete the project, the crew applied an anti-rusting primer to any exposed metal or rust to prevent further rusting, followed by a topcoat of thick, black paint.

Section of black wrought-iron fence. At each end is a decorative pillar, and there are 22 bars between the pillars. The tip of each bar alternates between a straight spike or triangular spike. The bottom section of the fence has a floral design.
A section of fence after painting is completed.

Student Conservation Association photo, A. Lueth.

Contributed by: Greg Bsales, SCA Historic Preservation Corps Crew Member

Footnotes

[1] Kristen Heitert, Archaeological Assessment and Overview: Bunker Hill Monument (Pawtucket, RI: PAL Publications, 2009), 38. NPS.gov.

[2] Kristen Heitert, Archaeological Assessment and Overview: Bunker Hill Monument (Pawtucket, RI: PAL Publications, 2009), 39. NPS.gov.

Tags

Boston National Historical Park

Last updated: September 5, 2024