ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION OF SERPENTINE STONE FROM CHESTER COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

 presented by: Kathryn Brown, AIA, Senior Architectural Conservator, Building Conservation Associates, Inc.

Serpentine (serpentinite) is a notably unique building stone from Chester County, Pennsylvania that enjoyed regional building popularity in and around Philadelphia, New York, Washington, and Baltimore. A hydrous magnesium silicate metamorphic rock, its unusual green color and luster expanded the Victorian palette and love of polychromatic masonry popular during the last quarter of the nineteenth century. However, its generally poor weatherability in the city environment and discontinued availability now argue for greater study of its conservation possibilities. This presentation explores this complex material and provide recommendations for future conservation options for serpentine buildings throughout metropolitan areas in the Mid-Atlantic and South Atlantic regions.