6 windows from Rockliffe Mansion are being restored to their original form
HANNIBAL, MO. -- Rockcliffe Mansion in Hannibal has been under new ownership for about three months now.
After spending more than $500,000 to purchase the property, the new owners are putting more money in to restore it even closer to its original form.
KHQA's Jarod Wells shows you what project they are trying to cross off the to-do list.
Rockcliffe Mansion co-owner Warren Bittner said, "Well we're working on right now, restoring the stained glass windows."
Some of the more than 100-year-old windows have been broken for at least 40 years.
Bittner said, "They're Tiffany stained glass. Luckily the pieces of the stained glass were retained in the basement."
Those pieces are now in the hands of Phyllis Snodgrass, owner of Glassworks in Quincy. She is working to restore the six windows that were falling apart.
Snodgrass said, "Trying to match the old glass and old texture, reletting."
The windows come from atop the staircase, the Morris Room and the front entrance way. And they come with quite a few challenges.
Snodgrass said, "Duplicating the pattern is a big challenge. That's where you start. Then everything is taken apart and cleaned to get all the 100 years worth of crud off and then reassemble."
The work can be very tedious.
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Snodgrass said, "You take one piece out, clean it, put it back in, take another piece out, put it back in."
In the end, it will bring the mansion one step closer to its original form.
Bittner said, "You can see it's kind of a sore thumb at the moment. So getting this back in place will hopefully add to its integrity. But this is just scratching the surface. We have a whole lot more left to do here at the mansion."
Next on that list, painting the outside of Rockcliffe Mansion.
Co-owner Warren Bittner said tours have been picking up during the past month.
Guided tours are given every hour starting at 10:00 a.m. daily.
The last tour of the day begins at 4:00 p.m.