Near the Hearth Where it Happened
In the winter of 1856-1857, James Buchanan and his nephew, James Buchanan “Buck” Henry, remained holed up in the library at Wheatland. Having recently won the Presidential Election in November 1856, Buchanan remained absorbed in preparations for his inauguration in March. With his nephew taking dictation, Buchanan sat in his chair in the library and began to draft his inaugural address.
Outside, the winter winds knocked on the library’s windowpanes with bitter threats to bring in the chill. Buchanan and Buck, however, remained warm by the stove situated on the slate hearth along the east wall.
Fast forward to the present day, a stove in the library no longer keeps Wheatland warm during cold Pennsylvania winters. Nevertheless, in ongoing efforts to keep true to contemporary documentation of the household’s furnishings, like this illustration of Wheatland’s library published in Frank Leslie’s Illustrated News in March 1857, a non-working stove rests upon the very hearth that once held Buchanan’s stove.
As is often the case, time and elements wear down historic houses, including the slate hearth. Resulting primarily from water damage that came through the fireplace some forty years ago, the slate began to delaminate from retained moisture. While the fireplace has since been closed off, the damage to the slate has already been done. Eventually, the slate needed to be replaced.
That “eventually” finally arrived this year. With the generous donation of Mary Catherine West given in memory of her brother, James Buchanan Henry IV, LancasterHistory recently completed the library hearth restoration project.
The Library Hearth Restoration Project
With the expertise of Arlan E. Hurst from A+ Masonry in Millersville, PA, a new slate hearth can now be found in the library. Hurst first carefully matched the slate and its color to the original slate. On the day of the restoration, Hurst and other masons from A+ Masonry arrived at Wheatland. They first removed the original slate and deteriorating mortar. After removing all extraneous debris, Hurst laid in new mud before setting two slate pieces on top. With a few taps of a mallet to ensure the slate was level, the project was complete. For extra stability, Hurst also restored several bricks in the firebox.
Why This Matters
The library hearth restoration project at President James Buchanan’s Wheatland is just one of the many ongoing preservation efforts here at LancasterHistory. Restoration projects like these ensure good stewardship of Buchanan’s home so that future generations of visitors can learn more about our nation’s fifteenth president.
Next time you stop in the library at Wheatland, take a moment to pause by the hearth, the centerpiece of the library, or what Buchanan called his “inner sanctum.” Try to imagine heat emanating from that stove as Buchanan dictated his fateful inauguration speech that set a precedent for his singular term– one that ended in a broken union on the brink of a Civil War.
