A sampling of repairs needed at the Lincoln Tallman House, according to a new report:
Immediate priority
$350,000—Roof and gutter replacement
$130,000—Brick chimneys
$46,000—Masonry wall stabilization and repair
$34,000—Cupola
$32,000—Privy foundation wall stabilization and repair
$26,000—Gutter reframing and soffit framing repair
$3,000—Salvaging threatened ornaments
Near-term priority
$519,000—Masonry superstructure repointing
$189,000—Masonry foundation restoration
$130,000—Portico restoration
$65,000—Reinforcing or rebuilding stone retaining wall
$55,000—Storm window refurbishment
$51,000—Conservatory restoration
$33,000—Water management
$3,000—Resetting stone steps at conservatory stair
Long-term priority
$413,000—Masonry foundation restoration
$210,000—Carpentry work on soffits and friezes
$45,000—Carpentry work on carriage porch
$20,000—Site work
$16,500—Cast iron crow and sill restoration
JANESVILLE — The historic Tallman House needs $2.5 million in repairs, some of which must be done immediately to avoid damage to the building or its image, according to a new report.
The city-owned building is suffering from years of neglect, and a portion of the foundation is in danger of imminent collapse, according to the report.
In addition to repairs, the report recommends the historical society, which operates the house museum, revamp its programming to increase community awareness.
Finally, the report recommends a maintenance program to prevent future deterioration of the more than 150-year-old home.
The $18,000 report was commissioned by the city and authored by Engberg Anderson, a firm that specializes in historical architecture and restoration.
“Today, the house is at a turning point,” the report reads. “Several major condition problems are threatening the integrity of the building.”
The list of maladies tell the story:
-- A collapsed stone foundation.
-- A failing roof and leaking gutters.
-- Rotting soffits.
-- Inadequate site drainage.
-- Peeling paint.
-- Wood that is weathered, mildewed or rotten.
-- Eroding mortar joints.
-- Cracked and missing ornamentation.
-- A bowed retaining wall.
-- French doors that allow wind-swept rain into the home.
-- Chimneys that need pointing at the very least. Gravity alone holds the cage onto one chimney cap.
Although foundation walls have held up well over the years, insufficient or improper water run-off management and delayed maintenance have taken their toll and threaten not only the historic fabric but, in limited areas, the stability of the building, as well, according to the report.
The most immediate problem is a collapsed stone foundation wall in the privvy, a condition the report termed as dangerous.
“… A complete collapse of this portion of the foundation wall is imminent,” according to the report. “All signs point to water damage resulting from repeated or long-term neglected failure of the downspout.”
Consultants could see daylight through the foundation wall.
Two focal points most recognizable to residents are in danger of falling apart. The carvings on the portico, or front porch, are cracked and broken. The cupola finial is rotted, and the top could break off.
“Restoration of the portico will require the fabrication of in-kind replacement pieces for heavily deteriorated hand-carved ornament and trim in addition to a complete refinishing with quality primers and paints,” according to the report.
The report doesn’t even consider the carriage barn, which the city council several years ago learned has serious structural problems.
Over and over, the report lists the cause as a lack of maintenance. Some repairs, in fact, caused problems because they were done incorrectly or with the wrong materials.
Restoration that was done as the result of a fundraiser in 2006 has been lost because there was no money continuing maintenance and repairs, according to the report.
The report recommends qualified specialists do future repair and maintenance.
The needed repairs are ranked in priority to stop ongoing damage and buy time for the city to raise funds for a full restoration.
Money has been tight
The Tallman family gave the property to the city in the 1950s on the condition that the home be operated as a museum. The city will pay about $50,000 to the Rock County Historical Society for operations in 2009. Richard Ellingson, historical society board president, estimates that last year’s operations cost about $70,000, including staff and heat.
The extent of needed repairs surprised Ellingson and city staff.
Brad Cantrell, city liaison to the historical board, said the house has stood the test of time but now needs attention.
He suspects that the actual bids will be less than the estimated $2.4 million.
When asked about the reported long-term neglect, he said:
“Obviously, money has always been very tight and, I think, it’s just not been a high priority. I think that’s one of the reasons why money has not been spent there.
“We’ve been trying to do some very minor improvements to stabilize the building and the roof, and you only can do that so long until some major improvements are necessary.”
Degrees of support
The next step is to bring the report before the council, whose members have shown varying degrees of support for the Tallman House.
Cantrell hopes the community continues to support the historic structure, which he calls a Janesville icon.
When Cantrell first learned he would be working in Janesville, his college professor in Illinois noted that Janesville was home to one of the most outstanding house museums in the Midwest, Cantrell recalled.
“I didn’t know anything about Janesville, but I knew about the Tallman House,” Cantrell said.
“Janesville is filled with historic buildings, but we have few of this high quality, and I think it’s really important to the history of the city to make sure that buildings like this are preserved.
“My hope is that the community, even strapped with unemployment and dollars that are very, very scarce at this time, would embrace (the Tallman House) and say that this is important.”
Madge Murphy, executive director of the society, said the Tallman House is the city’s heritage, a grand house that also has the Lincoln connection.
“It’s something for us to be proud of,” she said.
“I’ve lived here and watched things disappear. We all look at the parking lot that was the Myers Theater.
“I don’t think anyone wants the Tallman House to disappear.”
Change in mission needed: Experts
The Lincoln Tallman House must reinvent itself while maintaining its original function as a house museum, according to historical experts.
House museums across the country are scrambling to find ways to attract visitors as attendance drops along with funding. Annual attendance at the Lincoln Tallman House has been at about 4,300 the last several years.
The house’s collection—much of it original—is important to show a slice of life from 1855-1870, said a team from Engberg Anderson. But that focus is limited and is not economically and culturally viable, according to a report commissioned by the city and authored by Engberg Anderson, a firm that specializes in historical architecture and restoration.
“Low number of visitors and low profile in the public eye have arguably contributed to a low priority for municipal funding,” the report reads.
To simply restore the building without taking into account its use would likely result in a repeat of history, according to the report.
A balance should be struck between preserving the artifacts and making history come alive and be relevant.
“Such continued relevance in the public eye can only help with future funding,” the report reads.
The authors suggested festivals, themed gatherings and receptions. The carriage house could be restored to include a catering kitchen. Re-creating a Lincoln-Douglas debate or abolitionist rally could emphasize the Lincoln connection.
Richard Ellingson, president of the Rock County Historical Society board, said the society has started to expand its programming and is continuing to look for ways to enhance the building’s use.
A recent speaker on Lincoln, for example, filled the two first-floor parlor rooms. The board is expanding the Tallman Arts Festival to two days and has decided to open the house to small gatherings, such as club meetings.
“The board is definitely looking at ways to open the house up,” Ellingson said.
Brad Cantrell, liaisons for the city, agreed with the report’s conclusion.
“I think programming is going to be a key to maybe the future funding stream for maintenance,” Cantrell said.
“It needs to be more of a part of the community, and there needs to be a reason for people to go back.”
Only the finest for the Tallman House
Don’t we all wish we had a roof that lasted 150 years plus?
Unbelievably, the tin roof at the Lincoln Tallman House is the original, put on before the mansion was finished in 1857.
The roof is one of the things that’s so special about the structure, which wowed a team of historical experts with its lavish detail, best-of-the-best materials and state-of-the-art construction.
The architects’ subsequent report was filled with such words as “superb” and exemplary.”
William Tallman was a lawyer working out east when he bought 4,476 acres of Wisconsin Territory in the late 1840s and moved his family to Janesville to keep closer watch of his holdings.
Construction of the home at 440 N. Jackson St. began in 1855 on a 3-acre bluff overlooking the Rock River on what was then the north edge of Janesville.
High-quality materials included Milwaukee Cream City Brick, cast iron on the windows and black walnut doors with hand-carved panels.
The original cost was $33,000 in gold. Additional work finished in 1870 brought the total to $42,000.
The Tallman House roof outlasted even that on Monticello, one of the architects told Madge Murphy, executive director of the historical society.
The terne, or tin-plated metal roof is an “incredible example of mid-19th century building technology,” according to the report.
The team recommends that the roof be replaced with a painted copper roof.
