By Susan Jacobson, Class of 2008
The restoration of the Grand Army of the Republic (G.A.R.) Hall and Rotunda has not only revealed the full beauty of these rooms but has also uncovered new facts about the design of this area. For years, we have been crediting the design of the intricate dome in the rotunda to Healy and Millet. And we have been WRONG!
Recent research done by Tim Samuelson and others has revealed that the Tiffany Glass and Decorating Company played a much more active role in the design of the G.A.R. than originally reported, and that while the G.A.R. dome was produced by Healy and Millet, the colors and design were not theirs.
So it is time to get our facts right about who did what.
The design of the ornamentation throughout the Cultural Center was the work of Charles Coolidge, of Shepley, Rutan and Coolidge. The color scheme throughout the building was the work of Jacob Adolph Holzer of the Tiffany company. Holzer not only selected the luminous gold, turquoise and blue color scheme of the Tiffany mosaics in the library but also the newly restored rich reds and greens on the walls of the G.A.R.
The coloring and glass details for the G.A.R. dome were also the work of the Tiffany company. However, when the contract was put out for bid, Tiffany lost on cost and the contract was instead awarded to Healy and Millet, the Chicago stained-glass art firm. Thus, Healy and Millet created the various colors of glass, cut them to the required shapes, assembled them into leaded panels, and then installed them – according to specs that been prepared by Tiffany.
With the restoration of the G.A.R., the dome has been repaired and cleaned, and a new transparent glass cover installed, allowing natural light to illuminate the area. The restoration also removed the gray paint that had covered the walls of the rooms since the 1970’s revealing the richness of the red walls in Memorial Hall and green in the rotunda, all part of the Tiffany color scheme.
These rooms truly illustrate the collaborative nature of building design: architects, artists, and artisans all working together to create a space of lasting beauty.
Restoration of the G.A.R. was done under the direction of architect Gunny Harboe. The project cost $!5.4 million and was financed by a gift from a foundation that wishes to remain anonymous. The newly restored rooms should be on everyone’s must-see list!
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Thanks so much Susan. Interesting information. Can’t wait to see it!
Thanks, Susan. I remember when the memorial hall had Civil War relics on display. I wrote high school research papers in the library and when I needed a distraction I would visit the memorial.
Thanks, Susan. A nice summary of what Tim Samuelson was talking about at the opening weekend. Isn’t the dome just glorious? And, now, perhaps, you’ll add this dome to the Tiffany tour. A good option, if you can do it within the time frame.
The Tiffany tour has always gone into the GAR, only then it was mainly to point out the difference between a restored dome and an unrestored dome. Now we will definitely include these rooms!
Susan,
Thanks. I was at the talk but didn’t take any notes. I’m so glad you have summarized everything in a clear fashion!
Delta
Thank you Susan! It’s gorgeous!
Thanks, Susan. Informative and interesting. And it’s beautiful It’s fortunate it’s been restored and we can take tours to see it.
Thank you, Susan, for interesting and useful information. The GAR hall is even more beautiful in person. I have a question, maybe someone can answer it: are the new wall sconces replicas of what was once there? or “close-enough” replacements? the wall sconces throughout Cultural Center are “rams horns”. I always notice light fixtures, ;-D Thanks
Thanks Susan— and to Tim for uncovering the details of who did what! Cannot wait to see it.
Carol M– Education Guide
Susan, thanks for this interesting update.
Seems to me we can’t cite the Bradley dome as the largest Tiffany dome any longer. Now it’s the GAR dome.
Thanks for clarifying the design/production details Susan. Very clear recap. Beautiful photos too..