Name/Title
Staircase Stringer FragmentEntry/Object ID
2022.15Description
Wood fragment of a staircase stringer, possibly pine or oak. Irregular triangular shape, partially painted with top layer of white and older bottom layer of green. Four nail holes, two with extant nails, along angled right ride. Two fragments of decorative trim remain, one circular and one curved.Dimensions
Height
1-1/2 inWidth
9 inLength
3-3/4 inProvenance
Notes
This block of wood was once part of the stringer of a staircase built in the expanded Henry House by John Henry (1796–1868) in 1832. The staircase was built in the entrance hall of the two-story Greek Revival-style block built to the west of Patrick Henry's original home.
The staircase was later moved to the expanded Law Office under Lucy Gray Henry Harrison's (1857–1944) ownership, circa 1910, during which time a second floor was added to the building. The building was then known as the caretaker's cottage. The staircase stood on the western wall of the Law Office until its removal during the principal restoration of Red Hill by PHMF in 1961. Historical photographs (95.24.2 & 95.30.1) show the staircase and its iconic swirling decorative stringer trim in the Law Office.
Several large fragments of John Henry's staircase (78.31) were stored in the carriage house at Red Hill, but these were deaccessioned and destroyed on March 26, 1992, as they were in extremely poor condition. Red Hill staff discovered this final remaining fragment while cleaning the building on November 13, 2022, and accessioned it into the collection.