Converting The Manning House
from a modern office complex back to its historic beauty was a painstaking
effort requiring hands-on management and countless hours of dedication by
Manning House CEO, Colleen Concannon.
Red Room after
.
Although Ms. Concannon speaks of discovering the hidden
river rock and mantle of the Red Room's fireplace with great pride, she regrettably
notes, humorously, that no monetary valuables were uncovered during the
restoration. The Crests of the Concannon and O'Conor families are shown in
the picture on the right.
Restoration of the Red Room was
perhaps everyone's favorite project. Although the room took over ten
months to complete, the artistry of carpenter Mike Maynard's workmanship is
evident. Great efforts were taken to preserve and protect the original red
wood covering the walls and ceiling of this magnificent room. Piece
by piece the room was dismantled, the wood hand sanded to remove the 60+ year
old gray wash, and each piece of wood was carefully placed back into its
original position.
The one-story ceiling installed in the Turret over 60
years ago was removed to reveal the grandeur of this two story circular
room. Guests are often asked to speculate why the Turret has a small door
located 15 feet from the floor. The door had a purpose when it was built
in 1907, but few have ever guessed its utility without assistance.
