The Underwood-Bissell Mansion

The Underwood-Bissell Mansion This is a complete account of the renovations that have. . .and will take place in restoring this grand ol' lady to her former grandeur.

December 2015Christmas
08/11/2022

December 2015

Christmas

Halloween 2015
08/11/2022

Halloween 2015

November 15, 2015 To add stability. . . Crown molding has been secured to the walls and ceiling with 5 inch lag nuts 24...
08/11/2022

November 15, 2015

To add stability. . . Crown molding has been secured to the walls and ceiling with 5 inch lag nuts 24 inches apart. Reconstructing parts and filling in cracks of the plaster crown molding by hand was finished. After it was secured, the crown molding was sealed with Kilz and the paint color sample has been applied. (The almond color above the window)

October 14, 2015Picked the paint for the trim in the library. Uber Dark green. Interesting note. . .,the plaster on th...
08/11/2022

October 14, 2015

Picked the paint for the trim in the library. Uber Dark green. Interesting note. . .,the plaster on the walls were beyond repair and I had tear most of it down. When I did. . . I found the original front of the house and the door entry that Abraham Lincoln came into. This room in the the center of the house. If you look closely. . . You will see the two former windows (which I am making shadow boxes and the long header board at the center which contained a double door. The crown molding has huge pieces of plaster and it cracked and almost fell. . . But I was able to get it back up and secure it. I'm keeping and sealing the exposed brick and huge book cases with rod iron latter to reach books! Going to be so pretty after it's done!!!

October 2015. First attempt on remodeling the formal living room. Again. . .the blue didn't stay around long but the ...
08/11/2022

October 2015. First attempt on remodeling the formal living room. Again. . .the blue didn't stay around long but the chandelier has.

Post from October 11, 2015

"For 8 hours . . . I dealt with this chandelier and plaster medallion. No light or electricity had ever been placed onto this medallion. Needless to say I had my doubts if I could get it up. But I did!!! The chandelier is 5' x 5' brass."

It was later found that where all of the ceiling lights and medallions were in the house. . .there was a gas pipe. The gas pipes, which have been cut off from any gas source, are still in the ceilings and I had to go around them to get the electricity installed.

September 2015. First attempt on remodeling and painting the dinning room. Needless to say. . .the red didn't work out...
08/11/2022

September 2015. First attempt on remodeling and painting the dinning room. Needless to say. . .the red didn't work out.

A few more before pictures
08/11/2022

A few more before pictures

In 1975, the St. Clair County Historical Society selected the Underwood-Bissell Mansion as a Landmark House and this pla...
08/11/2022

In 1975, the St. Clair County Historical Society selected the Underwood-Bissell Mansion as a Landmark House and this plaque was given to the previous owners. This newspaper article was found in the SCCHS's archives of the announcement of the Landmark House honor. The article states that Moses Carter, Belleville's first dentist, built the house in 1857, but later research has shown that William Underwood, the first St. Clair County circuit judge, owned and built a structure on the property in 1840.

Between July 15 and October 1, 2015, I cut and pulled out all of the brush, bamboo, and crap trees around the property a...
08/10/2022

Between July 15 and October 1, 2015, I cut and pulled out all of the brush, bamboo, and crap trees around the property and started landscaping at the Underwood-Bissell mansion. Look at this beauty who was hiding under a canopy of green!

Prior to 2014, the Underwood-Bissell had to go through some MAJOR structural stabilization. The former owners of the pr...
08/10/2022

Prior to 2014, the Underwood-Bissell had to go through some MAJOR structural stabilization. The former owners of the property had to deal with a tree growing out of the roof of the house and ivy that had destroyed the mortar between the bricking on the north-east corner of the house. (First two photographs taken by Nichole Irene Hettenhausen. . .Third from Zillow after stabilization was complete.)

We acquired the Underwood-Bissell on July, 15, 2015. Below are the pics from Zillow.com when she was for sale. Great ...
08/10/2022

We acquired the Underwood-Bissell on July, 15, 2015. Below are the pics from Zillow.com when she was for sale. Great starting point to show the condition she was in when we got her. . .and compare how far she has come!

08/10/2022

Welcome to The Underwood-Bissell Mansion's page. I have been restoring the 180+ year old Underwood-Bissell Mansion for little over 7 years and have tried to document my restoration on my personal FB page. This page is an attempt to show the progression, heartaches, joys, mysteries, and shear "insanity" of taking on a project like this. Hopefully. . . hundreds years from now. . .the next owners will see my historic account of remodeling the Underwood-Bissell from 2015 to the middle of the 21st Century.

Enjoy the Ride!

Address

215 Abend Street
Belleville, IL
62220

Telephone

+16187991088

Website

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