HomeParks, Culture and RecreationAnnaburg Restoration

Work continues at Annaburg to stabilize the building and make needed repairs. During 2023, significant progress was made on the interior to repair and upgrade first and second floor spaces for future use, and several projects were undertaken on the grounds to enhance Portner-era features still in existence.

On the front porch:

• Work was completed to remove all modern surfaces and get the porch back to original grade
• A new poured, stamped concrete surface was installed to mimic the pattern of the original
• Old lighting fixtures and overgrown landscaping were removed
• The railings were sanded and painted
• A handicapped accessible ramp was installed on the east side of the home
• Exterior lighting is on order and will be installed soon

Interior work:

• The entire first floor was painted and some walls received minor repair work where the plaster was damaged
• Modern flooring was removed and the original floor exposed, sanded, and stained; losses were filled with wood stained to match the original as closely as possible
• All windows and doors were replaced, and the front of the house was returned to its original three door configuration
• The room on the second floor immediately above the front porch was also painted and the floors sanded and stained
• Interior lighting is on order and will be installed soon

Exterior work:

• The original stone wall that rings the oval drive in the front of the house was uncovered and reset; missing stone caps were replaced with new ones carved by hand
• The trees ringing the driveway that were planted by Robert Portner in the 1890s were trimmed back and will continue to be managed by the City’s arborist
• A new seat wall was installed around the Portner Tower site to help protect the foundation that was exposed during the Phase II archaeology work

Previous work includes:

• Replacement of roof (2020)
• Floor stabilization (2021)
• Temporary HVAC installation (2022)
• Exterior paint removal (2022)
• Installation of windmill on the grounds (2022)

 
A brownstone carving of Anna Portner’s Valaer family crest was uncovered on an outside wall of Annaburg in 2022 when the The Durable Restoration Company worked to remove paint from the house. Robert Portner had the crest placed there in honor of his wife when the house was built. He also had a Portner family crest placed on a tower, which was demolished in the 1980s. The Valaer family crest was saved when the house was converted to a nursing home by framing it and making it a feature in a hallway between the house and the east wing of the nursing home. It was covered up after the nursing home wings were demolished to preserve it.


Annaburg's roof was replaced in 2020 to stabilize the structure and prevent further damage. Some shards of slate from the home's original roof were found in the attic and the color was used to select slate for the new roof. 

Annaburg used to be painted white. Learn why paint was removed to help protect the building.