The renovation of the Old Faithful Inn is nearing completion. By fall of 2008 work on all of the Old House rooms--east and west--has been done so that now all rooms in the Old Faithful Inn have been renovated. (The newer Inn wings had already been renovated before this project began.) Work in the lobby is essentially done as well, with the only observable work this fall being occasional finishing touches to isolated areas of the exterior shingling and roofing.
The only major remaining project is the rebuilding of the chimney and eventual opening up of all four fireplaces. In addition, the restroom/shower facilities used by all Old House guests in the east wing have not yet been remodeled.
This summer the clock remained inactive. Last summer an interruption of the electric flow caused it to stop working. During its last major repair, the workings were replaced with a customized works that require one-of-a-kind repairs--yet to be completed.
If you haven't already seen the renovation updates for 2005, 2006, and 2007, you might want to go back and take a look to see just how much has been done during these past three years. In comparison with four years ago, the Inn is now more structurally secure to withstand future earthquakes in this earthquake-prone region, with iron support reinforcements enclosed within load-bearing logs, a better foundation, and hidden sheet rock within the guest room walls adds to the stability and soundproofing. New carpeting, floorboards (less squeaky), sinks, and added electrical outlets in the Old House guests rooms make the stay more pleasant and comfortable without compromising the original atmosphere. The replacement hot-water radiators, recast in original style, are more quiet and efficient. Original-style candlestick lamps and other hardware such as door latches have been added where needed. Wiring and sprinkler systems are now enclosed behind the walls to eliminate the formerly visible patchwork of fixes done over the years. The beautiful new tiled men and women's restrooms on the main level are able to better accommodate the large numbers of daytime visitors who stop in throughout the day.
It's been at times a little inconvenient and at times a little unsightly for visitors and employees at the Inn during the past three summers, with extensive exterior and sometimes interior scaffolding, closed-off areas, workers pounding on the roof and exterior walls at the crack of dawn in the morning, sometimes work going on just outside guest windows, huge blue plastic sheeting stretched across the upper areas of the lobby to catch falling debris (and blocking out the morning and afternoon sunlight), and shortened and frequently changing seasonal opening and closing times for the Inn. It's safe to say the Inn has been often less-than photogenic and at times less-than comfortable in many areas during much of this time. Special thanks are due to the planners and those hard-working men and women for a job well done. And if you were one of the guests or employees affected during these past three years by the renovation project, you too deserve credit and thanks for the sacrifices you made in the effort to save this priceless structure for future generations as those before have done for us.
On a personal note, I must say that it is a little sad to witness the passing of the clanking, hissing radiators, the squeaking floorboards, and the sound-conducting walls. I used to feel these annoyances were nevertheless an extension of the original overnight experience guests shared continuously since the Inn opened its doors. It's a different era now and maybe we're all a little spoiled. But the absence of television, air conditioining, internet connection, and phone lines continues in the Old House rooms, with no announced plan to add them, and with that there's still a link with that past experience.
