National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior

Resource History and Description of Existing Conditions
Service Pantry (MM&W: Pantry, Farley: Helps' Pantry, Curry: Not listed)
The McKim plan for the Service Pantry proposed a U-shaped, built-in dresser along the
walls on the east half of the room and a sink on the south wall with a central bowl and flanking
drain boards. As built, the dresser was L-shaped on the west and south walls, and the sink had a
bowl on the right and drain board to the left, as indicated by the surviving waste pipe. The sink's
back-splash measured 4'8" from the floor and 5'6" in width. The sink has been removed, and
the dresser on the south wall was removed, painted white, and is now stored, rather than
installed, in the room. The dresser is similar in form to the kitchen dresser on a smaller scale.
The windows have nail holes at the top from an earlier curtain or roller shade. The floor
is unfinished hardwood, indicating that the floor originally had a covering. Chips in the white
paint on the walls reveal an ochre color beneath. The period lighting fixture has been removed
and replaced with modern NPS lighting.
During the Vanderbilt era, the room was used to clean and store the servants'
dinnerware. In 1947, the removed portion of the dresser was moved to the north end of the
Service Dining Room by Superintendent Cooper, who had the room converted to a lavatory. 909
It is currently used for storage.
Cook's Room (MM&W: Boots & Lamps, Farley: Visiting Valet's Room, Curry: Room No. 4)
Though McKim's plan labels this room as "Boots & Lamps," it was never used as such.
As built, a walk-in store closet was added to the east of the room, accessed from the small
vestibule shared with this room; and a built-in closet was added to the Cook's Room. These
changes decreased the size of this room. The built-in closet distinguishes this room from other
servant's bedrooms. Only it and the housekeeper's bedroom on the third floor have this type of
closet, indicating the status of the employee.
The room has the baseboard, chair rail, and picture rail common to service rooms, and
was painted green with white above the picture rail. 910 It is now buff below the picture rail and
white above. The door's textured glass window has been replaced with a plywood insert.
Nailing evidence remains above and below this window for sheers. The doorway has a frosted
glass transom window.
In 1938, the room was furnished with two single iron beds, two oak dressers, two wash
stands, two chairs, and two small oak tables. 911 When asked if the room had desks, Mrs. Farley
said, "Just ordinary tables, square tables and we put a blotter on there and their ink well and a
pen holder, that's all, and all bedrooms was furnished alike." 912
908 Theresa Farley.
909 Theresa Farley.
910 Theresa Farley.
911 Curry Inventory, 105; Hopkins, 42. Snell determined that Curry's "Help's Room No. 4" was indeed
the visiting valet's room, presumably in conversation with Mrs. Farley. Hopkin's inventory uses the Curry
numbering as well.
912 Theresa Farley.
162