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Retention of Original Historic Fabric.

During the remodeling and renovations, Ellis retained many of the orginal architectural details that were built by Richard Blackburn, such as the pine paneling shown here. The Ellises used this frist-floor room as a dining room, but in the 18th century the room served as Blackburn’s hall or best room. In addition to its rich paneling, the room features dowel flooring and decorative moldings, illustrating the skills of Blackburn and his carpenters. Today visitors to Rippon Lodge can still see this original woodwork and flooring. These photos are from the 1930s when the Ellis family owned the house. In 1933, the house and gardens were documented in measured drawings and photographs by HABS (Historic American Buildings Survey). Those drawings and photos are available for viewing online at the Library of Congress.