Indiana plans work at Corydon’s old Capitol site
The list of nagging maintenance problems at the Corydon Capitol State Historic Site has grown longer with the years — electrical outlets shorting out, the Constitution Elm stump decaying and water standing after heavy rains in front of the old stone Capitol building.
The elm stump — a vestige of the enormous tree where historians say early Hoosier leaders sought shade while they crafted Indiana’s constitution two centuries ago — received much needed attention during the last week.
Now officials intend to unveil more about renovations for the historic town square in preparation for Indiana’s bicentennial celebration in 2016.
Administrators at the Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites have scheduled a meeting July 30 to outline plans for $920,000 in improvements, funded with public and private money.
Their presentation will touch on upgrades for drainage to address runoff and standing water, electrical lines and boxes and water lines. Consultants will be on hand to discuss the projects, including measures for preserving the Constitution Elm Monument, said Laura Minzes, deputy director of historic sites.
Jeremy Yakeley, executive director of Harrison’s Convention and Visitors Bureau, said the improvements for electrical boxes and wiring will be most welcome. Work crews have encountered electrical shorts while preparing for the pre-holiday Light Up celebration and other events.
The work “is going to make the square a lot more user-friendly,” said Laura Van Fossen, program developer at the historic site.
Preservation work on the Constitution Elm began last Friday and concluded Tuesday morning, drawing widespread interest from residents and Daughters of the American Revolution’s Hoosier Elm chapter. DAR members and others had urged the state for years to repair the roofed stone monument surrounding the stump before everything crumbled.
The live tree stood north of the original state capitol building, and after disease killed it in 1925, large chunks were sold as souvenirs. Part of the trunk was placed in a sandstone shelter on High Street in 1937, and sometime in the 1960s, officials estimate, the trunk was coated with black creosote and holes were drilled and filled with more creosote to ward off insects.
Despite its retro look, it’s been a popular stop for tourists and school groups.
The state museum contracted with Philadelphia-based Arnold Wood Conservation for $19,300 to save what remains of the stump. Owner Lori Arnold and an assistant spent four days stripping it of creosote and paint found on top.
The pair also uncovered old graffiti and damage where youths carved their initials and hearts into the wood. They also tore out concrete that had been used to fill missing spaces in the trunk and fitted wood from a 200-year-old elm log that the company found in Pennsylvania.
They coated the trunk with tung oil, which will protect the wood and keep insects out for the time being, Arnold said.
Although there was evidence of termite and long-horned beetle damage, the creosote actually provided some protection over the years, she said.
“I feel like we really did good conservation work,” Arnold said, adding that dozens of people stopped to talk with them about their work last weekend.
Everyone seemed to feel a personal connection to the tree, she said.
The state has more plans for repairing the shelter. They also are conducting an analysis of the trunk, and will lay out details for long-term preservation and the overall renovation project.
The meeting is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. July 30 at the Wright Interpretive Center, 126 E. Walnut St. in Corydon.
Reporter Grace Schneider can be reached at 812-949-4040. Follow her on Twitter @gesinfk.