AIC-PMG Winter Meeting 2025

The Wayside, a historic home in Concord, Massachusetts, is renowned for being the residence of several prominent 19th-century authors, including Louisa May Alcott, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Margaret Sidney (Harriet Lothrop). In 1965, the house became part of Minute Man National Historical Park, marking the first literary site acquired by the National Park Service.

This presentation will focus on the ongoing efforts to preserve and conserve the collection of photographs permanently displayed in the house.

The walls of The Wayside are adorned with artwork, documents, and family photographs, many of which have been on display since their original placement by the owners. In 2023, a project was launched to address the conservation of framed paper artifacts on display. A team of paper and photograph conservator, along with object conservators, working through CCI Industrial Services, LLC, was contracted by the National Park Service for this task. The conservation work took place at the Historic Architecture, Conservation, and Engineering Center in Lowell, MA.

This presentation will delve into the decision-making processes behind the conservation efforts, considering the unique qualities of the artwork, its contextual significance, and the specific requirements of preserving it within a historic house setting. The collaborative efforts between conservators, curators, and National Park Service Project Inspectors will be a key focus.

The aim of the talk is to introduce the collection and highlight the factors specific to The Wayside that influenced the conservation approach. The presentation will be accompanied by images of the house and examples of the treatments undertaken.