Washington, District of Columbia

The Old DC Courthouse (also known as the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, Building D) was designed by George Hadfield in 1820. It was originally constructed to serve as City Hall within the District. In April 1868, the statue of Abraham Lincoln was unveiled, commemorating the three-year anniversary of Lincoln’s assassination.

Over a period of three years beginning in 1916, the building underwent several major reconstructions. These included the installation of a new roof, mechanical and electrical systems, floors, architectural interiors, and a new limestone cladding of the exterior façade. In 1923 The Joseph J. Darlington Memorial Fountain, comprised of a white marble basin and Carl Paul Jennewein’s gilt bronze sculpture The Nymph and the Faun, was installed in the landscaped yard to the west of the courthouse.

The exterior of the Courthouse had experienced overall soiling on all surfaces as well as biological growth on windowsills and other areas. Gypsum crusts were found on the undersides of window and door openings, cornices and other protruding horizontal elements. There was also evidence of iron and copper staining beneath metal architectural elements. In addition, many of the ornamental lighting fixtures had been over-painted, presumably in an effort to stop corrosion.

Conservation Solutions, Inc. (CSI) performed the following work at the Courthouse site: 1. research and review of previously produced documents including the Historic Structure Report; 2. the completion of interior and exterior cleaning and stain removal tests; 3. analyses of metal and wood decorative elements; 4. a painted finishes analysis. The majority of the testing consisted of cleaning and stain removal tests, mortar analysis, paint sampling and microscopic analysis, and finish investigations of the metal lighting fixtures and wood flooring. All testing was performed under controlled conditions. Each test was documented before, during, and after testing. Alternate treatments were tested using the same controlled methods. All areas subjected to chemical testing were rinsed thoroughly and the pH of the material was checked repeatedly during rinsing until the material tested neutral. Testing procedures were performed in a methodical manner by category of condition or location, and the results were documented in a cohesive treatment report that included treatment recommendations.

CSI also developed relocation and conservation plans for The Joseph J. Darlington Memorial Fountain, The Nymph and the Faun sculpture, and the Abraham Lincoln statue.

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