Missing Rooms and Millions of People

As one of the first historic house museums in the nation, time and millions of visitors took their toll on the Boyhood Home, and by the 90s, major work to preserve the home and keep it safe for visitors was vital. 1990 and1991 saw a fourteen-month restoration. The home was stripped down to its interior timbers. Slowly the timbers were pushed to a plumb condition and new planks sistered to them for strength. Two rear rooms, one up and one down, had been removed in the 1880s. The foundation was extended, and these two rooms were reconstructed. Once straightened, the work to put the home back together started. A pair of fifth generation wood joiners prepared the wood trim and windows for the home. Materials were obtained to match the original dimensions of wood used. The home was rededicated on May 18, 1991.