Monument Restoration

Gordon Monument, Wright Square - 1883

Savannah, GA

Thorough and Precise

Years of atmospheric grime, biological growth, and gypsum crust left the William Washington Gordon Monument in Savannah, Georgia in dire need of careful restoration. The City of Savannah hired Landmark Preservation to inspect and restore this impressive, 19th century memorial to the founder and president of the Central of Georgia Railroad. 

This project presented several unique challenges. The gypsum crust on the limestone capitals and pediment resisted most conventional cleaning methods, but the carved details also required a gentle approach. The situation of the monument on one of Savannah’s most prominent squares also presented the challenge of maintaining a safe environment for the hundreds of pedestrians walking around the site every day. 

Thorough inspection of the monument - and careful consideration of the challenges present - resulted in our decision to utilize a micro-abrasion process. This specialized, eco-friendly process was powerful enough to remove the black gypsum crust, but gentle enough to not damage the surface texture of the carved stone elements. The results are a remarkably clean monument that was able to be restored with minimal impact to the surrounding area or interruption to pedestrian access.

In addition to the cleaning, our responsibilities included:

• Repointing of the historic masonry base