GAR Museum curator says renovation left artifacts dusty, hardware discarded; calls for cleanup and stewardship

Wendy Joseph, curator of the Grand Army of the Republic Museum, told the City Council’s Veterans Committee that ongoing elevator and renovation work has left artifacts and exhibit spaces heavily coated with construction dust, some antique fixtures discarded, and several conservation and access issues unresolved.

"The building remains coated with the residue of a year and a half of heavy construction, embedded in every surface, crevice, and artifact," Joseph said. She described white plaster dust on century-old red velvet benches, bookcases full of volumes covered in dust, windows removed and not fully reinstalled, and antique door hardware found in the trash.

Joseph said she had not been permitted on-site during construction and that construction meeting minutes stopped being shared in the spring. She said promised protections were limited in implementation: "Zipper barriers were unzipped for convenience, turning my office into a corridor for workers." She reported the elevator phone lines had failed inspection and that the main entrance glass door remained unrepaired after the fire department forced entry during a false alarm because a fire access key box was not installed.

Committee members asked about the contractor and city oversight. Joseph identified the general contractor as Bill D'Andreaux and said that city staffer Laura Stockfish had responsibilities "taking care of the stuff that officially had to go on." When asked why she was not allowed on-site, Joseph said she believed liability and insurance issues were cited as the cause; she later said she had been told she was not on the city's or the contractor's insurance.

Council members expressed sympathy and pledged assistance. Councilor McLean and others asked Joseph to provide a written summary and to email the committee with details so staff and elected officials could follow up. A council speaker who read a submitted letter emphasized the GAR Museum’s historical significance — noting the building dates to 1885 and that Post 5 was an early integrated GAR post — and asked the city to help prioritize artifact preservation and storage planning.

No formal vote or directive on contracting or remediation was recorded during the committee session. Council members and the committee said they would help coordinate follow-up and urged the curator to provide an itemized list of needs and access requests so the city could triage preservation work.

Joseph closed by asking for partnership in restoring the museum: "Reopening the GAR is not simply a matter of certificates and timelines, but of stewardship. We must ensure that the facility is not only functional, but worthy of its legacy before we welcome the public again."