Jefferson National Expansion Administrative History

¹This summary of the Old Court House restoration is from David G. Henderson, Historic Structure Report, Old Courthouse, Architectural Data Section, Phase II: Exterior Preservation, Sept. 1985, pp. 10-13, hereinafter cited as Henderson; an excellent physical description of the building is included on pp. 14-31. An in-depth narrative of restoration efforts between 1940 and 1960 is included in John H. Lindenbusch, Historic Structure Report, Historic Data Section, Part I, and Historic Grounds Study, Old Courthouse, Jefferson National Expansion Memorial; Denver, Colorado: Denver Service Center, National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, 1982, hereinafter cited as Lindenbusch, pp. 227-237.

²Henderson pp. 10-13.

³Henderson, p. 11.

⁴Ibid.

⁵Henderson, p. 12.

⁶"Preliminary Draft, Jefferson National Expansion Memorial Administrative History," (Undated), John A. Bryan pp. 26-28; see also pp. 34-41 for further details of the 1950s restoration, including information on the courtrooms. A copy of this important document is located in the JEFF Library Vertical File, VF-JNE-050. See also Lindenbusch, pp. 232-235; and two important files of memorandums from Walter Nitkiewicz to Chief, Museum Services, JEFF, October 20, 1977 and March 23, 1978, copies in the JEFF Library Vertical File, VF-JNE-079 and 080.

⁷Lindenbusch, p. 234.

⁸Henderson, pp. 12; 27.

⁹Henderson, p. 58.

¹⁰Henderson, p. 58.

¹¹Personal inspection of the Old Courthouse, by JEFF Historian Bob Moore, with Maintenance Mechanic Lonnie Collins, February, 1992.

¹²Henderson, pp. 13; 52.

¹³The size of the block was approximately six feet long by two feet wide by 1-1/2 feet high.

¹⁴"Survey of the Condition of the Old Courthouse, JNEM," by David Arbogast and Thomas Busch, Historical Architects, and Richard Ortega, Architectural Historian (Engineering); Omaha, Nebraska: MWRO, NPS, December 5, 1975. A point-by-point study said the Courthouse was "greatly in need of repair," and recommended cleaning damage in the basement, third floor, and also the dome; see JNEM Archives, currently uncataloged material, Office of the Superintendent Records, post-1968.

¹⁵Development/Study Package Proposal, January 23, 1976, Federal Records Center, Kansas City, Missouri, Files 79-89-0007, Box 2, H3015 and 79-89-0006, Box 9, D22.

¹⁶Henderson, p. 32.

¹⁷Ibid.; a detailed discussion of the building's condition may be found in Henderson, pp. 32-45.

¹⁸Ibid., and JEFF Statement for Management, 1984, p. 14, JEFF Files D18, Planning Program.

¹⁹The lantern consisted of "a windowed base, a colonnaded and glazed center section, and an elaborately worked dome topped by an elongated gilded sphere and a 45' aluminum flagpole." The dome-shaped roof of the 40' tall lantern was topped with copper shingles which gave it a scaled or "pineapple" appearance. An excellent description of the lantern may be found in Henderson, pp. 29-31 and 42-45.

²⁰Henderson, pp. 112-132; Jefferson National Expansion Memorial Administrative History, 1935-1980, Sharon A. Brown, JEFF, 1984, pp. 180-181.

²¹Henderson, pp. 29-31 and 42-45.

²²This was an entire railing system, including a top rail, its balusters and a bottom rail.

²³Henderson, pp. 131-132; also Decorative Paint Analysis of the Old Courthouse, Spring 1985 report on contract #CX-2000-4-0015, Conrad Schmitt Studios, p. 69, JEFF Library, Ref. 333.71 CON; Telephone Interview with Ranch Building and Utilities Supervisor Ray Kunkel, Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park, conducted by JEFF Historian Bob Moore. Kunkel was an employee of Denver Service Center (DSC) and participated in the removal of paint layers inside the lantern in 1980; see also Lindenbusch, pp. 234-235.

²⁴Memorandums: Arthur C. Allen, Chief, Division of Museum Services, JEFF to David Henderson, DSC, October 20, 1977 and Walter J. Nitkiewicz to Arthur C. Allen, October 6, 1977, Vertical File, JEFF Library, VF-JNE-080; and Nitkiewicz to Allen, March 23, 1978, VF-JNE-079. The latter memo describes in detail the investigation and the exact methods employed in removing individual paint layers from the murals.

²⁵Telephone interview with Ray Kunkel.

²⁶Henderson pp. 121, 127-130.

²⁷Memo from Regional Director, Midwest Region to Manager, Denver Service Center, February 21, 1980, Federal Records Center, File 79-89-0003, Box 5, D22.

²⁸"Current Events at the Old Courthouse," September, 1980, Nancy Hoppe, Park Technician, copy, historian's files, JEFF, published in "Gateway Today," the JEFF newspaper, Summer, 1981. This article was based on personal interviews with Thomas Busch and restoration crew members in 1980. In addition, Tom Busch kindly reviewed the article for accuracy for this administrative history, on September 30, 1993.

²⁹Henderson, pp. 46-50.

³⁰See Henderson, pp. 59-63 for details, and suggestions on the inspection of the cornices.

³¹Letter, June 27, 1978, Regional Director Merrill D. Beal to Executive Director Robert Garvey, Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, Washington, D.C.. The Missouri State Historic Preservation Officer recommended against the use of reproductions made of fiberglass as replacements for deteriorated cornice stones. See also Myra F. Harrison to Merrill D. Beal, August 4, 1978; both letters in File H42, Historic Preservation Programs 1978, 1979, & 1980, JNEM Archives, uncataloged box, Office of the Superintendent Records, post-1968.

³²"Completion Report — Exterior Rehabilitation and Partial Restoration of the Old Courthouse, October 21, 1981," in File H42, Historic Preservation Program Overview — Old Courthouse, JNEM Archives, uncataloged box, Office of the Superintendent Records, post-1968, hereinafter cited as Completion Report.

³³Ibid.

³⁴"Current Events at the Old Courthouse," September, 1980, Nancy Hoppe, Park Technician, copy, historian's files, JEFF.

³⁵Memo, Associate Regional Director for Planning and Resource Preservation John Kawamoto to Superintendent Jerry Schober et. al., on the use of the walnut shell process to remove existing paint from exterior stone surfaces; see also letters, Kawamoto to Fred A. Lafser, Missouri Department of Natural Resources, of March 27, June 18, July 24, and September 9, 1980; File H42, Historic Preservation Programs 1978, 1979, & 1980, JNEM Archives, uncataloged box, Office of the Superintendent Records, post-1968.

³⁶Henderson, pp. 53-54.

³⁷Henderson, pp. 63-68; 133-135.

³⁸Trip Report to Assistant Manager, Midwest/Rocky Mountain Team, DSC from Historical Architect, Cultural Resources Branch, Midwest/Rocky Mountain Team, DSC, November 18, 1981, File 79-89-0004, Box 1, H3015, Federal Records Center.

³⁹Henderson, p. 136.

⁴⁰Completion Report, October 21, 1981, JNEM Archives.

⁴¹ St. Louis Post-Dispatch, November 21, 1982, JNEM Archives, Newspaper Clipping Files.

⁴²Three XXX forms, September 9, 1982: Package No. 160, Park General, Roof and Roof Drainage Repairs, Project Types 36 and 91; and report, Evaluation of Roofing, Skylights and Associated Water Penetration Problems, dated July 28, 1982; JNEM Archives, currently uncataloged box, Office of the Superintendent Records, post-1968.

⁴³Ibid.

⁴⁴Contract, Schuster Engineering, Inc. CX-6000-3-9004, JEFF Files D5217, Contracts, Construction Contracts.

⁴⁵For more on the anchored rock bolts see the memos of June 21, 1985, and February 12, 1986, in JEFF File S72, Procurement.

⁴⁶See JEFF Files, S72, Construction Contracts, Schuster Engineering, Inc. CX-6000-3-9004; see also Specs on work, August 30, 1983, and Weekly Field Reports, Specs and Monthly Reports, especially for January 16, 1985, which are included in the same folder. See JEFF Files, D2623, Reports, Situation, for the "Completion Report, Exterior Rehab and Partial Restoration of the Old Courthouse — Phase I, Package 201, P.T. 21, Contract CX6000-0-9003," which includes photos of the project.

⁴⁷Narrative Statement, Contract CX6000-3-9004, Exterior Rehabilitation of the Old Courthouse, April 15, 1986, Completion report, Project Supervisor, DSC to Superintendent, JEFF Files S72; includes photographs.

⁴⁸Ibid.

⁴⁹Between April 30 and June 5, 1984, seven letters were written to the contractor about the dust. On June 11, Denis Zavadil, vice-president of Schuster Engineering, claimed that an intensive investigation on their part had determined that the problem was caused by exhaust fans in the dome being on. In a reply on June 13, Shaffer said the fans had not been on during the time in question; letters, Federal Records Center, File 79-90-0002, Box 6, H3015.

⁵⁰ St. Louis Globe-Democrat, September 18, 1984, "Man Accused of breaking into Old Courthouse." Alfred J. Vital of Silverwood, Louisiana climbed the scaffolding and entered through a window; he was apprehended onsite. JNEM Archives, Newspaper Clipping Files.

⁵¹"Final Inspection of Exterior Rehab, Phase III, Package No. 201, Contract No. 6000-3-9004, Schuster Engineering, July 28, 1985;" JEFF Files S72, Procurement (Construction Contracts). See also letter from Chief Contract Administration Director Robert W. Laubenheim to Schuster Engineering on deficiencies in the existing contract, especially on the delay of the installation of the wheelchair lift; November 18, 1985, JEFF Files S72; Project Supervisor Jerry Shaffer to Schuster Engineering, June 18, 1985 on deficiencies in the contract; the memo on completion of the punch list of April 16, 1986; and Laubenheim to Schuster, all in JEFF Files S72, Construction Contracts, Schuster Engineering, Inc. CX-6000-3-9004.

⁵²Task Directive — Old Courthouse Interior Dome Repairs, June 1983, Paul Newman; and XXX forms with memo, Superintendent Schober to Regional Director, MWR, JEFF Files D18; St. Louis Globe-Democrat, February 6, 1984, p. 8A, "Plaster, safety repairs in dome are part of Old Courthouse plan;" St. Louis Post-Dispatch, February 6, 1984, "Old Courthouse Dome Will Get New Interior Plaster and Paint," JNEM Archives, newspaper clippings file.

⁵³Contract #CX6000-4-9006, Package #229, JEFF Files, S72.

⁵⁴"Decorative Paint Analysis for the Old Courthouse," Conrad Schmitt Studios, New Berlin, Wisconsin, Contract #CX6000-4-9006, two files, JEFF Files, S72, Procurement (Personal Services); a copy of this document is in the JEFF Library, Ref. 333.71 CON.

⁵⁵Ibid., pp. 3-5. Six separate periods of decorative design were discovered; 1862 (pp. 9-29); 1870 (30-31); 1880 (32-74); 1905 (75-104); 1920 (105-115); 1955 (116-123). Extensive photographs and mylars of paintings and design elements were stored at the Denver Service Center.

⁵⁶See "Survey of Murals, Old Courthouse," Feb. 1985, Richard Trela, Conservation of Works of Art, Provo, Utah, for a detailed analysis of each mural. Copy in Curator's Office, JEFF.

⁵⁷Contract #CX2000-4-0015, Package #229, JEFF Files, S72.

⁵⁸Modification #1 to Contract #CX2000-4-0015, Package 229, October 15, 1985, JEFF Files, S72.

⁵⁹"Decorative Paint Analysis for the Old Courthouse," p. 1; interview with JEFF Facility Manager Bob Kelly, March 26, 1992, conducted by JEFF Historian Bob Moore.

⁶⁰"The Courthouse, Research, Documentation, Restoration," Conrad Schmitt Studios Inc. promotional folder, OCH Interpreter's files.

⁶¹During one of these arguments, Project Supervisor Les Bowman had to step between workmen about to "come to blows;" see "Weekly Field Reports," project supervisor Leslie L. Bowman, JEFF Files S72, Procurement (Construction Contracts), Midwest Construction Company, CX-6000-4-9004.

⁶²Letter from Midwest Construction to NPS, July 12, 1985, JEFF Files S72.

⁶³"Weekly Field Reports," Dec. 1, 14, 27, 1985, Jan. 4, 1986, JEFF Files S72; the subcontractor, Gus T. Handge & Sons Painting Company, held up the work of the Cassidy Plastering Company between December 2 and January 6 during their strike. See also final inspection report, January 21, 1986, same file.

⁶⁴JEFF Superintendent's Annual Report for 1986, File A2621, JEFF Files.

⁶⁵Memo, Associate Regional Director for Planning and Resource Preservation John Kawamoto to Superintendent Jerry Schober, January 15, 1986, and Superintendent Jerry Schober to Regional Director, MWR, December 12, 1986; Memos regarding XXX form for installation of revolving doors; Superintendent Schober to Regional Director, MWR, December 12, 1986. File H4217 Historic Preservation Programs Overview — Compliance Documentation; JNEM Archives, currently uncataloged box, Office of the Superintendent Records, post-1968.

⁶⁶Interview with JEFF Facility Manager Bob Kelly, March 26, 1992.

⁶⁷Memo, Acting Superintendent Nicky Lindig to Acting Chief, Programs and Budget, MWR, Concurrent review of document, Historic Structure Preservation Guide, Package No. 201B, JEFF Files, D18; interview with JEFF Facility Manager Bob Kelly.

⁶⁸Interview with JEFF Facility Manager Bob Kelly, March 26, 1992.

⁶⁹"Completion Report, Interior Dome Repair," Les Bowman, project supervisor, CX-6000-4-9006, JEFF Files D2623.