Large scale pedimented door surround of painted softwood and replaced slate, from the George Ross mansion built on the NW corner of Duke & E. King Sts., Lancaster. Doric Order doorway with full treatment of the entablature. A projecting pediment rests on two fluted, engaged columns flanking a recessed, arched doorway with raised panels at sides and top. A keystone is centered at top of door casing. Fanlight with tracery above doorway. Bold moldings at cornice of pediment decorated with mutules. Triglyphs below.
"This painted doorway is the most elaborate now known to survive from pre-Revolutionary Lancaster County", states John J. Snyder.
Provenance
Removed by Ross' gr. granddaughter Ann Coleman Hopkins Lightner when house was razed in 1851 or 52 to make room for the oldest section of the present Lanc. Co. courthouse. Reinstalled at Lightner mansion at corner of N. Duke & Lemon Sts. Removed when house was razed in 1963 and given to LCHS.. Then placed on permanent loan with the Heritage Center where it was installed in the Masonic Lodge in 1977. Transferred Dec. 1997 to Heritage Center. Removed in 2000 and reinstalled at 7 W. King St. in museum lobby in 2002 where it is now on loan to Lancaster City.
Generally intact with presumed replacement parts due to multiple usage. Any replacement parts not visible under multiple coats of paint. Some missing elements such as circular pieces of "leggo block" moldings under cornice and part of projecting portion of the right capital. There is no door and slate is not original.
Object ID
G.97.45.1
Place of Origin
Lancaster
Credit
Heritage Center Collection, gift of Lancaster County His
Large iron box lock from Conestoga Cotton Mill #3 gate. Very long rectangular box has four screw holes for securing to gate and two very small butt hinges attached with screws to back edge. A projecting hollow key escutcheon is riveted to front of box about 5" from one end. Key would be inserted into lock through escutcheon.
In addition, there is an iron latch plate with L-shaped projection mounted onto face of plate, for receiving a lift latch bar. It has five screw holes for mounting on gate.
Depth or thickness is box lock only. Overall thickness including projecting handle holder is 3".
Condition
Fair
Condition Date
2014-10-07
Condition Notes
Expected strong weathering, resulting in surface pitting, rust, white paint residue and 3 significant cracks branching out from one screw hole near latch holder. Latch plate is extremely worn with apparent missing sections. L-shaped projection has lost its original surface due to grinding. Interior of box lock also ground away in sections.
Light orange-brown brick with one dark face and consistent quality clay. Dark face shows much scratching, including very promnent I A one right side (or J A for John Andre, British officer). From fireplace of Caleb Cope house, 27 N Lime Street, Lancaster, where John Andre was a prisoner of war. Initials include those of of John Andre, Thomas Cope, and others.
Push and pull plates from the double doors to the main ballroom of the Hotel Brunswick: A= pull plate with handle ('89187' on back); B= push plate ('89187' on back);
