Transcripts For CSPAN3 Conserving George Washingtons Headquarters Tent 20161105

We have an engineer and eight textileconservator a conservator with us to talk about the tent. As you will hear many people say, it sometimes take a village to preserve these artifacts. If you have questions afterward, please feel free to grab any of us after the event. We will divide this up into three sections. I will talk about the history of the object itself and when we began to contemplate putting it on to display at the new museum of the American Revolution. Alex will talk about the engineering challenges of taking what was possibly the most historic and significant textile object since the starspangled banner has been put on display in a museum. So, to face the unique challenges of displaying this threedimensional textile object. Virginia will talk about the challenges of conserving that object and preparing it for display. The history of the engineering and conservation science to ensure the longterm reservation of this markable object. I will start with history. Where do we begin . This is an incredible place to talk about this subject. As many great authors will talk about, there is really not a beginning or ending to a story. You just kind of pick an arbitrary point or sometimes if you points and have them all mixed together. A few points and have them all mixed together. You could start outside on 3rd street. , that left at the corner would be where the open plaza that is right in front of the museum of the American Revolution is located. You can make out the front tier of the first test of the American First Bank of the United States. You can make out the front of the bank here. This was the home of a religion newspaper which published an article in 1906 about a fascinating interview that took place with the daughter of general robert e. Lee. She announced that would be sacred relics being sold to a charity. Confederateaid the womens home operating in richmond. If you were to look across the street from us, you would recognize the corner of fourth and chestnut. There is a hotel there now. Sitting on the corner if you were here in 1776, that was this lot. We are sitting right down here. On the corner here was probably the best named shop in the year. Shop in the world. Had placed int Philadelphia Newspapers about the owner had an add placed in a Philadelphia Newspapers about objects for sale. In this involved was also involved in producing froms and flags. This was at the time that the american war for independence was about to begin. This man is another point in our story. Behind me is a building that will be familiar to all of you. It is the Pennsylvania State house or Pennsylvania Hall as we know it today. In june of 1775, the Young Virginian George Washington thed his commission was his commission from the Continental Congress to be the of what wouldhief eventually become the United States of america. Of we will go back to june 1775. George washington receives that commission right here in this neighborhood. Hughes then almost immediately escorted out of villa delphia, writes up the east escorted up of philadelphia, rides and receives a letter reminding him that they expect him to return to virginia and not crowned himself as a caesar or king after the war. That is when he writes his about taking up the role of soldier and not letting down the role of citizen. This is a map that was done by a british officer of the siege of boston. This is the backdrop to that appointment of washington. You can see both british occupied austin here, and the ring occupied boston here,. Nd the ring of fortifications this was the destination that washington was headed to in the summer of 1776. Any harvard people in the audience, you will likely recognize what is now the campus at harvard. This is a portion of those lines committed by general washington himself. Commanded by general washington himself. Developed as the battles of lexington and concord. Tens of thousands of english troops rushed in and bottled up the british in washington. That would happen would happen quickly in the season. That was not the case. 76 7075 andf 1776, it was clear that this war would continue for many seasons. Washington set for this painting in the neighborhood here in the spring of 1776. It was commissioned by john hancock. It is now in the brooklyn museum. Ofwill be here at the museum the American Revolution and we open. When we open. If you can see the ribbon over , it was the gentleman actually in the front tier that located the original sash. So, that is the only remaining in located east of his uniform that we have found in will be displayed in the museum when it opens. Joseph reed we have a wonderful letter from George Washington to reed. As fall turns into winter in 1775, reed comes back to washington to act as a liaison for congress. They try to get organized for the next campaign. There is a wonderful letter that washington writes in the march of 1776 that really connects to washington as the citizen so ldier and republican general that will stay with his army they dont know at the time, but eight long years before returning home. That, after i have once got into a tent, i will not it. Quit in march 3 ofen 1776, and that letter sends reed on a request to get some camp equipment set up for washington. That brings us across the street to fourth and chestnut. What you see on the left from the washington papers is the original receipt for much of that equipment to joseph reed. Reads to making a large dining marquee and making another large marquee with eight withtent of picking t ofrge chamber ten picking. On the end, you can see one with an entrance there. On the bottom, you can see what one of those double front with look like. In fact, we know that washingtons first set of marquees he had one of each. He had a office tens and another tent within and to end entrance. Washington would use these pair of marquees as is mobile field headquarters through the excessive campaigns in the war for independence. Ofs is another painting walter stewart. There is a wonderful vignette in the background that gives you a sense of scale between the nts and asoldiers te marquee tent in the back that would have been occupied i either the commander by either the commander of the regiment or a field officer. Washington used that set up tents through the campaign of 1776. You all know the painting of Washington Crossing the delaware. The usual practice would have been to go into Winter Quarters sometime in the fall. You only stayed out in the field of 1776 into january of 1777. The tent got a lot of hard use. By the spring of 1777, we see many soldiers and officers in and tinental army increasingly as the war goes on, foreign officers account this image of washington among his soldiers in the tents. Wonderful painting of the general having set his tent among his soldiers. It is a wonderful gesture because typically a commander is a distant presence. There was a lot of turnover of officers rotating back home in the winter. Washington state in the field. Painting really captured the image that comes through many of the written accounts during the war of washington in his tent, writing his dispatches among his shoulders among his soldiers. That continues through the campaign of 1777. Theres this very famous painting the march 2004 that will be on display in the news ford thatch of valley will be on display in the museum of the American Revolution. Story that has a lot of ferocity to it that washington remained in that marquee. He made an implicit promise here. This is from his general orders issued two days before the march forge. Lley partake int he would the hardships and every inconvenience. At the army is getting ready to leave, it appears that original set of marquees appears to be wearing out. Driesmpus never really out after the wet seasons. It begins to rot and fall apart. Early in 1778, we have a welldocumented process in which a new set of marquees was produced in pennsylvania by the Quartermasters Department and was liberty him just a few days after the army marches out of valley forge. Of South Carolina remarks on our truly republican general. Of beating a dead horse to repeat that phrase, but we have this image of washington in the tent washington, the republican general. He becomes such an important political ideal that is Holding Together that revolutionary movement. He is fascinating to people throughout the world even in europe. We also should remember that washington was not the only occupant of these marquees. This is an image a painting by john trumbull. ,ou can see in the background that is a symbolic representation of william lee who accompanied washington throughout the war. He was an expert horseman. There is anyone whos book we would like to read about the war of independence, it would be william lees. He was so used up by the physical experience. He suffered physically tremendously through his service. He was the only enslaved person that washington freed immediately upon his death in 1779. Lee he freed in his will. William lee lived under that campus canvas with washington. It is an important piece of architecture. Of isou need to think this tent as a piece of architecture. It is made up of rooms. It is made of canvas, but it is every bit a house of washington as mount vernon is. So, this is washington again. You can notice a trope developing here. This is commemorating the successful siege of yorktown in 1781. British a surrendering soldier in the back between a french and american soldier. Again though, it Shows Washington as the American General in the tent in the field. This is one of the complex, engraved maps of the siege. You can see, this is a detail representing washingtons headquarters during that siege in september and october of 1781. Foreign officers increasingly are echoing these comments about washington and the significance of washington remaining in the field. One of the most explicit examples is from this officer that commanded a french regiment sat was part of rochambeau forces that marched other the way down to virginia in 1781. This is the following summer of 1782. The last significant in cap meant of the Continental Army. Mind pointat her camp across from west point. It was really the last time that the whole kit and caboodle was together. Washington was offered the chance to live in a home rather than the cap, but he instead chose to stay with the soldiers in the camp. This is the image of washington at the end of that eight year war of independence. This is an image of washington that he sat for in rocky hill at new jersey. The last intent meant of the Continental Army in the last encampment of the Continental Army in 1783. Washington himself called it not but very like. The family considered it to be one of the most accurate depictions of washingtons appearance. Becauseve this painting unlike many of those other this Joseph Wright portrait really captures the appearance of a man that has come through quite a long journey. Here you see it can see the echo of the impact of staying in that tent in that field. This painting originally hang writedown on 3rd street. Down also be right down on 3rd street. It will also be on display at the museum of the American Revolution when we open. It is almost keeping with the trend of other president ial those before and after portraits. It really displays the weight of being commander in chief. I think you can see it on washingtons face here. To bring the story. Oh, that commission which he 1775 to june of ircle, thestory full c commission which he received in june of 1775 he exchanges one house for another in the christmas of 1783. Did you like that transition . I cannot quite line them up perfectly. So, on the one hand there is the that is putent away, but it is also such an important test even in the. , it is recognized as having it is such an important even od, it isme peri recognized as having such significance. As washington right to a nephew that is overseeing operations at mount vernon, he asks him to pull all his old equipment out, to air out the tent, to went down devo mentos, and to care thethe to wipe down momentos, and to care for the equipment. I do not think this was him just being frugal. I think even washington himself saw that there was significant to these old tents and items. The story moves to another generation of the family. You will all likely recognize of Edward Savage painting the washington family that was painted at the time of his presidency. On the left, you can see his adopted son. This is Martha Washingtons National Natural grandson from Martha Washingtons first marriage to her son, jackie, who died shortly after yorktown. Who would become the custodian of those military equipment items after the death of Martha Washington in 1802. This is him in the early 19th century in the military uniform. I was taken to Arlington National cemetery as a kid to the tomb of the unknown soldier. Home inactually the arlington that was built by his son. N for when Martha Washington dies in builds arlington house. He brings into that house many of the items that had been at Mount Washington these relics. That included those old tents. In the upper right, there are some newspaper articles or 1808. At about 1805 there is an annual sheep shearing competition being held. He was trying to encourage the. Ompetition to buy local it was pretty strong although it back into this era. He would bring out one or both of the tents, and he would decorate them with flowers and portraits, and there would be 100 people seated under the canvas. Early on, you can follow the evolution of the reporters as they get bored from yeartoyear. Initially, they would report the whole speech, and then after five or six years, they would make it much more abridged. Through 1812, 1820s and 1830s, they had a new sort of life commemorating George Washington. They were stored in a large duffel bag that will be in the museums display. This is an image of George Washington custis who lived long enough to be photographed. This was shortly before his death in 1857. There is also a handwritten story here of the tents that he wrote. He was not only just a collector, but he also interviewed people that had known his grandfather. We have this wonderful pen portrait of how the headquarters had been managed. It came from a man that would have been a part of washingtons 100 men guard kobe a security ail, and also took care security detail who would also take care of the equipment. Need a quiet place to go, you need in office to go to. So, he would set up one of these tents near the home, and he would order that he should not be disturbed while he was in the canvas. That is the first time that i read that and i thought about the shape of the tent. We started playfully referring oval. Tent as the first of course, no connection to the white house oval office, but it is kind of a metaphor for what the space was for washington. The first real danger to this tent happened in the 1840s went some elements of it started to georgerate enough that washington custis started cutting up pieces and presenting them to people as souvenirs. First pc giveaway of the wasfirst piece the giveaway for part of the inner sleeping chamber. He presented it to the National Exam that is now the smithsonian in washington. Garbled. Ry is a little managed to track down maybe half a dozen of these pieces that are now living in different historical societies. In this case, this one belonged to a National Historical society in new york. They were very skeptical about it. They kindly put it on loan to us. Virginia was able to compare a thread count, and it absolutely i believe we have located on the original object where it was cut off. So, in the 1850s, were not sure what was going to happen. It could have turned into these little patches of a quilt. However, George Washington daughter in and his robert e. S marries lee. When the troubles between the north and the south iraq in the 1860s north and south erupt ground thats, this is occupied by union troops at the beginning of the civil war. 1861 ort is likely from 1862. 10th ervation of the the second the preserver of the tent or the second preserver of the tent is this woman. An eagle eyed volunteer spot this photo on ebay as a stereoscopic image, and they were able to identify selena gray. Chambermaid for mary lee. She lived in the house, and she was entrusted with the keys to all the locked rooms where all of these items have been stored when robert e lee and the rest of the family fled arlington. In those rooms were things that cannot easily be taken. The tents, military equipment, civil where, portraits, and other such things were stored in those rooms in arlington. Onen day, someone was day, someone was visiting and washingtonsmartha plates smashed in the lawn. She turned things over to a sympathetic general. In 1862 ordersho that these roots be taken to washington, d. C. For is that a commercial pause for everywhere. They were taken in while the grounds of arlington were becoming a burial place for the fallen. They were taken into the patent office. T patton the union was sort of claiming the mantle of George Washington by the physical possession of these are objects. These objects. Here they are on display. You might recognize the duffel bag in this image that was brought here for the centennial exhibition. There is the washington chest that is now on display at the smithsonian. Despite Mary Custis Lee arguing that this was not property of robert e. Lee that it was her personal property that she had inherited, it is night not until 1901 when the family received when the items are returned to the family. The last surviving child to robert e. Lee was miss Mary Custis Lee. She died in 1918. She was the last surviving child. Early 20th century, after the return of these items to the lee family, she eventually becomes the sort of custodian. Annas to the researcher of that she is a recent graduate who did of anna in the back she is a recent graduate who did her thesis on Mary Custis Lee. She carefully selected where these items would be placed after her death. Fortunately, for us in philadelphia and people around the nation, she interviewed right down the street there. In this evening bulletin article and in a subsequent article in the richmond paper, you can see right here she actually had the photograph taken of the tents taken out of business sony and and out of the smithsonian and taken on the lawn. She was kind of advertising that she was looking for proposals for an appropriate institution to take these and reserve the tents. Preserve the she thought there was no place where she would like to see one of these tents than in independence hall. Am a that she did not think mount vernon was the place for these. Actually, explicitly said that she did not think mount vernon was the right place for these. That takes us into the 20th century. On the right is a picture of Mary Custis Lee and 1914. This is just a few years before her passing. In a correspondence that stretched over several years, the man on the left raised enough money to put enough money down on a 5,000 purchase price. These are some letters that are in our collection at the museum of the American Revolution. He was a master of the kind of fundraising that we still all target u. S. He would write these letters that we still target you all with. It would write these letters to possible donors, and he was eventually able to raise that some of money to secure its place. There is actually an image of a case that was built that was so large he could only display the roof there. Caseis a custom display showing it original installation. He would actually sell tickets. , and the pay . 15 removal of the ticket would it was later raised to . 25. Crowd funding way, the tent was secured and display at the washington Memorial Chapel in valley forge for nearly a century. There were also souvenir postcards, as well. He had it photographed in the snow. Conservators will not allow us do that anymore. So, that is the history of the object itself. Thisi begin work on project about tenures ago, we had the tents. Itd been displayed for many the chapelonly at but also at the Valley Forge Historical park. There had not been a lot of new, primary research of tracking down the historical sources about its production and use. Where different parts of it that were no longer associated with it had gone. One of the problems was that no one really understood which bits that ended up at arlington house went with which bits. The challenges you would hear about is how the items became scattered. So, we started a survey and research roger to look at. Look at period sources and images. So, we had images of these marquee tents. Sourceslook at period such as these receipts. We also started cataloging going out to collections whether it was just a little fragment of cloth or a pole or other pieces, we started cataloging. Every we found every reference we could find in the washington papers. Theres just a lot of good Old Fashioned thumbing through books that happened with this. So, we fleshed out a great context for the tents. When you are seeing here is the original roof of the sleeping what you are seeing here is the original roof of the sleeping and office tent. We reunited all the sections of the polls that no one quite realistic to all part of a single set. This is the first time they had all been together since likely 1909. This is a great example of a section of tent on display at yorktown battlefield in virginia. Interpretficult to the tent, because it kind of looks like a wall tent. The question had always been this goes back to 1909, no one quite understood what this piece was. Through our partnership with the National Parks service, we were able to go in and examine it. That actually turns out to be because of the marks on the top and being able to associate those with iron bands on holes poles, we realized we were looking at a multiroom structure. This is a tent that stood inside the marquee. This was a drawing created during our process that illuminates how all the pieces work together. It is verywas hard to persuade people that had portions of the tent to let us borrow them all and put them together. It is one thing when we had theories, but these are very delicate textiles and not all have survived. So, we thought we would do a little experimental archaeology. So, we parted with the department of historic trades. We turned the secretarys office into a tent shop. We recruited these men and women who are talented sewers. I believe one of them is in the back. Putr, but your hand up your hand up. There he is. So, we spent a summer reconstructing the tent. It was a wonderful Public Education project, and it enabled us to figure out how it all went together. Here you see it on its first test day set up out on the lawn. This will set us up for alex in virginia, but if you notice there is basically an upright pole on both sides that were known as standard. Every thing else is supported via tension. That are tied to go intolly stakes that the ground. You can break this down into a tiny pile of baggage, and it can go up very quickly. You can see the inner tent, and the walls can be let down. It is all under tension. It can shed went beautifully, but when it is as old as it is, it cannot really do that anymore. So now, we can walk around it and really appreciate this piece architecture that washington and william lee would have lived in. There is all set up. Think washington would recognize this tent now if you were to come see it set up here we also set up. Processreplicated the for some of the items stored inside the tent. We received one of the original, folding camp stools. We now have all of these pieces. We even have some replicated mander in chief guards garbs. We brought this all down to shoot the film that would accompany the display of the tent. It is really a complete package. You an idea of the weight of the historical significance of honest when i think back significance upon museums andback on the first display of the starspangled banner. I do not quite think there has been something of this complexity ever put on display. Ironically, the starspangled banner and the tents were put on display many years earlier. Great is with this feeling of responsibility that we turn to a Structural Engineer to say, how are we going to make this thing look like it is set up without actually tying it up anywhere at all . So, i turned it over to alex now. The real brains behind the operation. [applause] thank you all for coming tonight. Hearing scott described the history of the tent ask me feel even more honored to be a part of this team. As scott mentioned, my name is alex. I and a structural designer. The engineers that designed the entire structure of the museum itself that you see out the window. So, while we were working on establishing the foundation, scott called us and asked us if we would like to we said, what type of structure . He said support for George Washingtons actual tent. We were very excited to be part of this and supporting an artifact that was going to be displayed within the museum. The way the tent as scott described would have been supported is with the two main lells and a rich ridge po and 30 ropes wouldve pulled the tent type. Couldveno way we possibly put the artifact into that much attention. It wouldve ripped. We were given a lot of challenges for the team. They did not really know how big the tent was. We could lay it down flat and get general dimensions, but it was difficult to measure the height of the tent, the west the with without setting what we could do. I would ask, we were all asked to design a structure to design a structure for a shape we do not fully understand. Another challenge that we had here was that they do not want to see the structure. The audience sitting in the theater looking at the tent should not be able to see any kind of structure within the tent supporting it. We cannot really build a plywood box and put a tent over because we did not want it to look like an igloo. We what it it to look like it was draping a naturally and pulling the tension where it needed to feel the tension. Lets me see if we can get this started. Do you want to go back . [no audio] alex i think i put the computer to sleep. [laughter] engineering does that sometimes. Another engineer. [no audio] alex we might have to take a brief intermission while we get it working. We will be right back. Does anybody have questions . [indiscernible] do you know the reason for that . As inery complex code andy culture with stance there is period manuals with how ,o stand and a fashionable aristocratic weighing to carry oneself. Way to carry oneself. Scott yes, maam . Was it waterproof. Scott that is an excellent question. There is no applying waterproof substance of any sort. One of the challenges, could they put the wax on it board linseed oil. The problem is they harden and when the tent moves, it weakens the fibers and it falls apart. Were madeese tents from sail cloth. Fabric, if you weave that isc with the weft slightly larger diameter, if you can imagine it creates channels or groups and it will shed water quicker. On ships that are sailing as if youre the south atlantic this week, you want to the water not to waterlogged the sails. Sophisticated technology that will shed water quickly. When in that fabric is under tension and tightly woven fabric , if any of you are old enough to camp in tents, if you remember as long as they were stretched tight, boot do not but to do not touch them. That is the case with this tent. Making a replica as we had it in the rain. It sheds water. You will feel like youre in a vegetable mr. Mister. It is quite efficient. You will notice and some of the photographs of the replica and in that portrait of washington at yorktown there is a flame looking design in red or blue at the top and a that is a cap. The one place of that tent comes into contact on the ridge pole. That is a painted linen color to cover to shed the water. It works quite well and no further substances have to be applied. Yes, peggy . Where was it woven. Scott this is a big mystery. This is a two hour talk. Surviving tents [laughter] the dining tent of washington and the sleeping ten t, there are marks on various places of the fabric. Probably about 400 or five roger yards donut producing 500 yards gone into producing. As you would find in clock and it is clear it was a mixed bag of cloth. Probably all imported. We do not see anything we see that we think is domestically produced. In theas a lot going on colonies especially up to the lead up of the war. Inside of the roof of washingtons tent, there is a circular stamp that will probably be a carved wooden block carved with ink that testified all of the defied all of the tents to decipher it. Verse, it may be something that has out of egypt or asia, which was producing linen for export in the period. We are working on that. I have given away the big secret. Somebody will write a book. There is a bit of a mystery about where the fabric was produced. We think it was maybe captured. A lot of privateers that were ying all merchants. Philadelphia was the biggest port. Possible that was part of philadelphias connection with the world and the existing stock of that fabric that was here. Still a little bit of a mystery. Probably not woven here in philadelphia. Did we solve it . I think so. Alex thank you for your patience. I think the biggest challenge for supporting the tent was the conservators wanted to see this natural drape and the tent it would normally sat. We cannot put any tension into the fabric. They wanted to siege raping but do not want any they wanted to see trading a not any tension. By thisred i this photograph. You can see how the fabric is drapingural, naturally and have the curvature we were looking for. Of course, i went back to the office and worked with our team and put together design sketches and gotten them over to the working group which was us in another a number of people. This was the original design. We needed a structure like an umbrella. That was built out of aluminum, the material that we chose that could provide it adjustability to make up for all dimensions we do not know. It needed to be up to get longer, taller and rotate to support the handle points which we could not measure. We do notsame time, want to touch of the fabric too much because we do not want to see the structure projecting through the fabric. We only touched the fabric at 25 points around the bridge excuse me, around the tent. Where we reach out and we support this subtent. It was an idea we came up with to put a membrane structure over top of the aluminum and be a second tent, which would support the artifact. Building essentially is a giant on umbrella with a membrane structure and once it is completely erected, we carefully place the artifact over top like a tablecloth. Evolvingour continuous concept. We have this that we reach out and each can rotate up and down and rotate side to side and be elongated because these are telescoping members. This was our final design concept. It is an enormous on umbrella. If youre interesting in seeing a picture up close, we have a board you can see after the talk. Each piece is finally adjustable. Was adjustable because we do not know the height of the tent. Telescopingribs was but also was supported with hinges so they could rotate. The gray part of the structure is oppositely directed threaded rod, which i have to credit with my boss. Direction,ten in one the stretcher gets longer. If you tighten loosen and the other direction, it gets shorter. It allows the ribs to move. What we were striving for is something the museums staff couldnt just with the just one tool, a socket wrench. Procedure erection procedure was first to build the aluminum and then the be installed over that. And then the artifact would be very carefully traced over the dachshund traipsed over the draped over the subtent. And then we could hook all of the ropes. We threaded the ropes through a grommet and then theres a little hook on the Aluminum Structure that you tie. The ropes are purely asked that it. Anything todo support the tent. They can be removed when we need to clean the tent. The audience when they view the tent in the display, they cannot see any of the structure. If you were inside, you would see the umbrella. Possesses a photograph from the inside of the tent was the Aluminum Structure was constructed and you can see each of the ribs. As theysee the ribs only touch of the tent at those discrete points. Canou look around there you see the hooks where the rope would come through and they would be tied off. Of thea few more photos completed Aluminum Structure. Castwas during our first test where we set up the Aluminum Structure and you can see it does have that draping shape evil without the ropes even without the ropes. I like this photograph because you see the ropes hanging golf a it is like an illusion that it is floating in space. Replica of the ent,fact on top of the subt and in this photo you can see on this side you have ropes coming out and touching and where they touch, you see the tension point. That is what you would see. Over here, you see that point and there is no rope. The only location we provided that stretch was at the rope, the rope grommets. Of ouranother picture test. We wanted to make sure it would work before we reached the real artifact. We were pretty happy. One final image i wanted to share before i handed over to virginia. We did an analysis of the stresses within the subtent. We wanted to make sure when we stretched the fabric which we chose to be led in that did the fabric would not rip. To make sure it would not stretched too far. As we put in the tension into the lenin, it stretched about an inch or so. We wanted to make sure that we could make up for that difference in length and the nts pot structure tet structure. In this diagram, areas are red indicate high levels of tension and blue wouldbe locations that would feel compression or be naturally draping. With that, im going to turn it over to virginia to talk about the conservation and the preservation of the artifact is self. Thank you. [applause] virginia good evening. I am very honored and happy to be part of this team. T was an amazing process we are going to tour our fourth year of the tent team. You recognizes as George Washingtons marquee that was purchased from Martha Washingtons greatgranddaughter. As a conservatory, i cringe at this photograph. Outside in it a protected environment, under tension and in the snow. But, just to make myself feel better, i think of it as a before treatment photograph. Psychological. Really, in these photographs, there are Important Documents because it tells us that the addition of the tent at this time and what survived. We have the roof and one of. Hree walls one is existing and the other 2 we do not know where they are. My job is to stabilize the tent so it can be displayed. The strategy of conservation very simplistically is invisible, reversible, anonymous. Invisible means whatever i do should not be seen at the distance but to integrate it into a hole so you can appreciate as statically. When you get up close, you should babe to see what i do. If i do is so well, it is almost a deception. You do not want to how far fraud or fakery. You want to appreciate it and here it is, it has holes, it is old. The second is reversible. Everything i do have to be undone without damage to the object. You have to understand the materials and techniques and applied them carefully. I cannot impose my opinions on what the tent should look like without proof. You have to understand is historical and social context and working with him museum, museum, they did the work for me. They said, this is what we found. No problem with being anonymous. The textile told us what it was meant to do. This tent is large. By best guesstimates, it is 22 feet along, 15 feet wide. Every time we measured it, we came over the different dimension. If you stretcher or do not, it changed. Changed. 2 do know it is 88 yards of different widths of the roof. The single wall is made of 22 yards of linen, so that the three walls wouldve of been 66 yards of linen. The scalloped edge that you can see right here is actually a scarlet, handwoven wool. Means there are two layers of fabric wound around each other, interlocking and 2 roles of hand stitching with linen thread. When washington had in this tent was suspended the walls from the inside of the eye with sees iron cook and materials and you can actually see wrong one. Hold on. Here . U see the stitching and can you see the shape repeated . These are the original hook and eyes the museum owns. They were removed. We decided not to put of them up again because they put on a new stress. I will tell you our solution later on. Conservation aims to retain this much original material as possible and there were about 350 losses in the roof. About 230 losses or breaks in the walls. There were several strategies used to stabilize them. And those small losses, i custom died nylon netting to match of of the linen and i will put a small patch over every loss and stitch the three layers together with polyester thread. I had to put my needle through the weve 2 weave to never puncture. Readingwhy i wear glasses. This stabilization prevents anyone original material, for writing around the fraying around the edges from getting lost. An example of one of the losses. If you look really, really carefully because my dyeing is spectacular, there is some netting. We are not pretending the tent is perfect. It has holes. Because were not trying to make the tent a new, we not restoring get. Thats a big point i tried to remind people, we are conservators. We do not want to make in new again. The age is what makes it interesting. We are conserving what is original. Those areas that had more severe structural issues like in the validates valance here. I put cotton but need and stitch them tick but need beneath and stitched them together. There were those jacada tears in tears in theagged roof. I put a piece of fabric beneath the netting and you can see the edges are aligned to match up the weave structure and it is more planar and less disruptive. Very large areas of concern and there was a 12 by 12 inch loss in the corner of the wall and there was a 30 by 30 section at the roof along the ridge pole. Strengths needed more than the nylon netting would actually offer. We had to have another approach. As a sidebar, i love that they partlly found the original of data loss and it is owned by yale university. Unfortunately, their records do not know when it came into their collection. It is a bit of a mystery. We will not reintegrate into the tent, it will be a teaching tool them tool. People toallow understand it a little better. In order to stabilize these losses, we had a High Resolution digital image taken over the linen next to the loss. Philadelphia universitys Imaging Department printed it on a separate using a heat process. Heat transferring process. This is an outtake, so to speak. This is not a perfect color match but pretty good. You can come up and a look at it. This the weave structure. If you would like to see another example, you can check scotts tie out because i made him a tie from one of the pieces. Lets see the other thing is is aackground of my slides photograph taken of the digitally printed photograph of the polyester fabric. You can see the weave structure. Example of the scale. We first had to get the photograph to the correct scale and then we worried about the color matching. It also shows you that linen is not a single color. Ancient,t has to write striation. And varyingghts amounts. You cannot put a single dye favorite. To thiswhat went technique to print the actual weave structure on the tent and compensate that way. Intern is standing near you can make it out. That is the loss. It integrates a enough that you do not notice. Process beginning to end of all parts of the conservation project took 525 hours over a years time. 5 hours. Ted 52 it was pretty good. [laughter] virginia if i say so. The roof and the wall are now packed up and in storage until we put to the tent up in january. We had to be careful of packing get so there were not folds or bends because of the linen is fragile. As hearty as it is, it is also fragile. It took us a day to pack it up. When the tent is displayed in the museum, it will be in a dedicated space behind of plexiglas wall. It is far different from the 1911 photograph i showed you at the beginning where it was outdoors under tension in the snow. This brings us to the second part of my involvement in the tent and that was the archival and accurate display of the marquee. Scott had a team to tackle the project. Team members including curators, Structural Engineers, a tent maker and a project manager. Andmission was to support accurately represent George Washingtons 18thcentury field office. The collaborative spirit of the group was amazing. The philosophy was very simple fact that the tent tromped all. What ever it needed, whatever idea you had, you gave it up. If somebody had a better idea, it you went for it. Develop aas to display system for a large, portable, dynamic textile that was meant to be held up under tension with poles and ropes in the outdoors and displayed within a static interior environment without stress. Appearyou make a tent under tension while on display when it is fully supported and under no tension . First, the Structural Engineers created a brilliant design for an indivisible support that will probably tension a sub tent. I searched for the appropriate fabric. The criteria we wanted for the subtent was chemical stability and a little bit of grip so when ent it was the subt supported by the friction and low creap. Extensive investigation and elimination of a natural and Synthetic Fibers and several rounds of physical tests, a 12 ounce linen fabric was chose for the subtent. And then, you have a usingsional tent maker the linen fabric that we tested for based on the measurements and Detailed Analysis of the patterns in construction and alterations. And then you test it twice. Before the first and second tests, we revised the subtent design because we wanted to add another layer of adjustability. Thats what we put at the lacing in. We put in cotton tape along the seams because we do not want the scenes to stretch. We wanted to eliminate the stretch but allow it to be able to be adjusted to the artifacts actual size. While we know the dimensions basically, but they changed every time we didnt, we do not know how it will react. We needed to be prepared because we were only going to do it once. As scott mentioned, a replica tent was made with Colonial Williamsburg and we refer to it as our stunt double. We also identified the elements use and the display that may be of concern. One was the way we were going to hang the walls from the roof. Originally, we had at the hook and eyes. We used rare earth magnets which are very strong, reversible and noninvasive. Clicks purse, it is what hard and fast. Conservative they are a true. Vators dream come another example of the way we adapted the structure of the tent to be archival is what alex mentioned is the rope only under the pretense of tension. They hang limply. Just hanging down. It hooks inside and goes through it is like a fishing rod and ties up. There is no tension on the tent. We designed a trolley that will go around to the tent fully to help in the installation and maintenance of the tent. With the museum opens in 2017, the marquee will be the centerpiece through a remarkable groups people. You will understand when you see it, it is displayed accurately. It will also be used as a teaching tool in the museum and scott will continue and tell you more about that. [applause] scott very quickly, i promise. The future. We are beginning exhibit installation and the museum right now for an april 19, 2017 opening. The tent will be displayed, the secondfloor gallery, about 16,000 square feet of core exhibition and the tent will be presented in his own object field. Its own temperature enclosure. 100seat auditorium. The tent will be behind retractable screens when you come in. If you can imagine, projection screens in front of the tent, that allows us to satisfy another of the conservators demands. Any light is damaging. You can control for uv, but essentially when you are light and an object, youre causing damage. You want to minimize the amount of light that hits the object. A couple of ways you can approach that. You can put a very low light level on it that has a long haul. That is the approach you see at the smithsonian. The hallwayown where they lower the light level where your eyes adjust and candles and it looks like the object is popping and glowing in front of you and you going alone journey back where you bring your eyes up so youre not stumbling or blinded. We decided which only light the tent were when it there are eyeballs on it. At the smithsonian, lights are on when the museum is open whether theres one person, zero people or 100. By putting it in its own enclosure, it tells the story much of what i talked about at the beginning. Understanding the history of the object and its significance. What are the parts are that you cannot see anymore. By the time you are revealing the object, you are prepared to take it in. Only expose and get the light for a short period of time during each show cycle. Were in the process of development that in a film with our Media Partners and look forward to greeting all of you next april in philadelphia. Thank you very much for your attention. [applause] scott if there are any free. Ons, feel were happy to answer questions as long as you have any. Yes . Recreated the inner tent scott yes, in fact we recreated the inner tent. We took the dimensions off and were able to establish how that all worked together. That was the great part of their replication process. The great thing about this tent team, it could accommodate if sometime in the future the decision was made to reunite these partners. Somebody cut one wing of mount vernon, when it we think its a good night wouldnt we think its a good idea to put them back together . It can be placed and it would complete all of the surviving element of that tent. Aspect of this replication is we have been able to set it up in a very cold late november weather. We had it out in blazing sun or when it is raining. , it is veryable modern in its approach. It is the founding cap into gear here. Manufacturing, come see us. That comehe poles part. If it is cold out, you can and multiple layers. You do not need a fireplace. A stove. K of there was for most of the year unless it is really freezing out, you are quite comfortable. A little bit of sun and a few people and the body heat warms it up. By contrast, if it is cold two weeks ago, we were near yorktown, virginia and it was hot and wonder percent humidity and and 100 humidity and in the 90s. You take the walls off and it acts as a sunshade. Practical,very comfortable ways to sleep. They had figured this out. Our ancestors were not as crude as we thought. In the back . Two questions. Was there mosquito protection . Scott only rubbing noxious stuff on your body or slapping. Zeyre were very fine, gau fabrics worn for mosquito protection. That was a little off and guard avant garde but was known in the tropics. Knowledge, of my with not found any explicit information about washington having any ink like this. It is the beginning of research project. Having anything like this. And a second one. What color was it when it was new . Scott boy, did we fight over that. Lennon is not just one color. It is interesting a longwinded answer. If you remember the big 30 by 30 piece of the roof that was probably cut out during the civil war, most likely a soldier got in there with a pair of scissors, that is had a completely different history since the 1860s from the rest of the roof. When you put them back together, the first thing you notice is the piece that was kept as a relic, not displayed like the int of the tent and not wet the 90s and vacuumed is the amount of fiber loss. If you can imagine each one of those yards sheds a little fiber when it is washed. It is almost like a spider web. A little lighter. The piece the roof piece of that had been cut out and put energy for put in a drawer is heavier and more like a golden than the rest. Probably, originally cannot go back to the beginning slide, in the period paintings, they usually use a white or cream to depict tents. It was probably in their range of bleach white or honey color that often linen would be. They would certainly try to bleach that and start with something as close to white as they could get and over time, it would darken with age. You talked a lot about testing the structure. Or were you able to test the original tent with the structure . Scott this january will be the originale that of the artifact will come in contact with the work we have been doing. So, yeah. Fingers crossed. [laughter] oftt that was the point building than just ability. Is almost anbric organism. It is never the same dimension depending on temperature, humidity. Flat, soat an angle or we had to baby to estimate what the range of that would be we had to estimate what the range of that would be. Untin, the idea is the mo wants to meet the object. There is going to be some pacing like an expecting father in january when we are working on this. We feel pretty good. Wouldnt you say . Discuss theble to nature and extent of funding that made this possible . Scott sure. This is part of 150 Million Capital Campaign for the museum so that everything from the construction of the museum, the design and fabrication of endowment. Erating i am pleased to report were close to finishing that off and expecting conclude that before hand. For this particular part of the project, we had a Wonderful Partnership with the children of the American Revolution and the daughters of the American Revolution. There was a National Fundraising effort to support this exact work we are doing, virginias work on conservation. Support from around the country, very significantly. And the colonial dames. In philadelphia and national society. We have had great cloud funding. Crowdfunding. People donating through our website. It is a project that has captured a lot of hearts and minds. Breaking that up. Tonight, your contributed towards this project by coming and all of the viewers, we would be happy to hear from you as well. You mentioned you had two te nts. Is there any record of what happened to the other . Scott in fact, there is a dining marquee that is a little bit larger. And isaller and wider survived also. It was kept in arlington house. It is not displayed but it is at the National Museum of American History, the smithsonian. It was displayed for many years at what used to be the museum of history and technology before it was renamed. Has not been it displayed in a many decades. Through the records, we feel confident that in surviving tents are the ones made in the late winter of 1778 and used through the rest of the war. Of the two, sleeping and office tent in our collection showed a lot more use. It is obviously through the 19th century, it wouldve received some abuse and use over time. Yetarly as 1824 when life returned, a newspaper article that mentions the sleeping at office tent was in a more degraded condition than the dining tent. We believe that is testimonial to is used. The 94u drive of corridor, there were markers that washington slept. Somewhere in the yard around the house was that tent that was set up and used as his office. The object is self helps to support the condition. You described in the fabric as a linen. I was think of a tent as a maid of a campus. How heavy is the material . Scott scott is the fabric. Describe whenever you of fabric, young to describe the fiber and weave structure. Theou have to describe fiber and weave structure. Theres a lot of mixed terminology and it gets confusing. You have to make a scientific. Sail cloth can be caught in. What it really means is it is a heavyweight fabric. Can be cotton. This is a linen, plain weave. You will not collect anything else but a linen plane wave. It is the most fundamental weve structure. Structure. Everything else confuses the term. You have to get to the scientific basis of it. I do not think that was very helpful. Scott i think that was helpful. I think wee have awarded them out. As might need refreshments. [applause] announcer this weekend on cspan3, tonight at 8 00 eastern on lectures in history, a history professor at Dartmouth College on native American History from the colonial era to westward expansion. These redcoats who presented themselves as allies and friends of the future are clearly our enemies. They are architect they are occupying with troops. Offhe same time, by cutting and withholding gifts and refusing to give gifts and limiting trade with us, that is a declaration of hostile intent. Announcer and later on reel america, the 19 66 campaign between edmund brown and Ronald Reagan meant. My experience has turned me inevitably toward the people, the answers to problems. I believe and put my faith in the private sector of the economy. a believe in the