On the interior, the Abraham Wagener house retains its historic plan and a variety of historic fabric. These features include plaster on lath walls, wood moldings, mantels and paneled doors and window panels. The downstairs floors were refinished and deteriorated plaster ceilings covered with ceiling tile during the 1970's.
First Floor
Front Hall
The front entrance hall is 12' x 14'. The circular staircase was built in 1975, designed by Ephraim Tomlinson II and constructed by Bill Phillips and Dave Simmons of Penn Yan. The treads are walnut and the risers are birch. The handrail was built on site, consisting of 17 laminated strips of 1/8” walnut.
Living Room
The living room is 15.5' x 19.5'. French doors lead to the front porch. There is a working fireplace. The crown molding in the living and dining rooms are molded plaster.
Dining Room
The dining room is 17.5' x 19.5'. French doors lead to the front porch. The southwest corner features a built-in corner cupboard. It is believed that the original stairs to the second floor were located along the north wall.
Study
This room was created by the addition of the circular staircase in the front hall. Previously this room was open hallway. During renovations, there were indications found that there was a corner staircase in this area.
Kitchen
The 13.5' x 14' kitchen wing was added in 1908, which replaced a previous wood framed and sided three-story structure. The room was renovated during the early 1950's and again in 1975.
Second Floor
Hallway
The casement window was added in 1975 to provide light for the new staircase. The ceiling moldings, the same as those used on the exterior of the house, were found in the attic. The hall around the stairs is 8' x 12'. The main hallway is 6' x 19'.
Northeast Bedroom
This 12' x 13' room at one time may have had a corner fireplace, making it the master bedroom.
Northwest Bedroom
This 12' x 13' room was recreated by the construction of the circular staircase. The opening for the previous staircase was along the south wall, with the top landing adjacent to the current bathroom door. The rest of the room was hallway, allowing access to the other three bedrooms.
Bathrooms
The two present bathrooms (1975) take the place of one previous large bathroom and a storage closet under the attic stairs. It is believed that the original staircase from the dining room came up in this area. The window in the rear bath is unique to the two main floors of the house in that the panels do not open diagonally into the room rather they are straight.
Southeast Bedroom
This is the largest bedroom (14' x 19'). Plaster patches on the ceiling indicate that this was originally two bedrooms. Note the living room chimney in the corner.
Southwest Bedroom
This 10' x 14' room is believed to be unchanged. Note the dining room chimney in the corner. A patch on the chimney shows that a stove was once used in this room.
Balcony
Cantilevered from the house, the 6' x 37' balcony is thought to be original. The railing appears unchanged from 19th century photographs. Access to the balcony is between the two chimneys.
Attic
The house originally had a round window in the front pediment. Morris replaced this window in 1908 with a half round, “sunburst” window. This window had deteriorated and was destroyed in a December 1992 storm. A replacement window was made in the spring of 1995 by a Mennonite woodworker in Dundee. The original round window frame remains in the attic.
The south chimney is unique in that the two chimneys that rise through the first and second floors join together as one before exiting through the roof. Over the years many visitors have recorded their names on the bricks. The chimney was reconstructed from the floor up in 1980 after being hit by lightning.
There were two bedrooms (and closets) along the north wall that were removed at this point, as they were built directly on the original floor. These rooms were not original - based on signatures/dates on a beam and a book within a wall, they were not built until at least 1912. Several old bottles and a pair of ladies boots were also found. The walls were covered with a plasterboard, patented 1894. Each room had a door that opened to the main part of the attic, and there was a door between the two rooms. There was a stove thimble in the east bedroom. This stove thimble and the possible bedroom fireplace on the second floor are the only known uses of the north chimney.
Widows Walk
The widow's walk is a 10' x 10' platform on the roof. Morris replaced a cupola with the widow's walk in 1908. The cupola is not believed to be original.
Ground Floor
Original Kitchen
19' x 23'. The quarter-sawn white oak paneling is not original. It was installed by Morris approx 1910. The chimney mass is nearly 18 feet wide. There is a brick lined bee-hive oven to the left of the fireplace opening. Hot coals would be placed in the oven, allowing the masonry mass to absorb the heat. These coals were then removed and the items to be baked, such as bread, would be placed inside. There is a slot above the opening for smoke to escape. At one point a stove was used in front of the fireplace as a chimney pipe was built into the wall above the mantel.
Service Areas
In the wall there is a 1000 gallon watertank, which is unused. Steam heat was installed throughout the house. Some piping exists in the basement and beneath the attic floor for gas lighting, but the source of the gas is unknown.
When the Champlain's operated the house as the Wagener Mansion Resort, they rented the present day laundry room for $10 per night. It was promoted as a “room and bath in the big house”. Evidence can be found of a small staircase in the southwest corner of the laundry room.
First Floor
Front Hall
The front entrance hall is 12' x 14'. The circular staircase was built in 1975, designed by Ephraim Tomlinson II and constructed by Bill Phillips and Dave Simmons of Penn Yan. The treads are walnut and the risers are birch. The handrail was built on site, consisting of 17 laminated strips of 1/8” walnut.
Living Room
The living room is 15.5' x 19.5'. French doors lead to the front porch. There is a working fireplace. The crown molding in the living and dining rooms are molded plaster.
Dining Room
The dining room is 17.5' x 19.5'. French doors lead to the front porch. The southwest corner features a built-in corner cupboard. It is believed that the original stairs to the second floor were located along the north wall.
Study
This room was created by the addition of the circular staircase in the front hall. Previously this room was open hallway. During renovations, there were indications found that there was a corner staircase in this area.
Kitchen
The 13.5' x 14' kitchen wing was added in 1908, which replaced a previous wood framed and sided three-story structure. The room was renovated during the early 1950's and again in 1975.
Second Floor
Hallway
The casement window was added in 1975 to provide light for the new staircase. The ceiling moldings, the same as those used on the exterior of the house, were found in the attic. The hall around the stairs is 8' x 12'. The main hallway is 6' x 19'.
Northeast Bedroom
This 12' x 13' room at one time may have had a corner fireplace, making it the master bedroom.
Northwest Bedroom
This 12' x 13' room was recreated by the construction of the circular staircase. The opening for the previous staircase was along the south wall, with the top landing adjacent to the current bathroom door. The rest of the room was hallway, allowing access to the other three bedrooms.
Bathrooms
The two present bathrooms (1975) take the place of one previous large bathroom and a storage closet under the attic stairs. It is believed that the original staircase from the dining room came up in this area. The window in the rear bath is unique to the two main floors of the house in that the panels do not open diagonally into the room rather they are straight.
Southeast Bedroom
This is the largest bedroom (14' x 19'). Plaster patches on the ceiling indicate that this was originally two bedrooms. Note the living room chimney in the corner.
Southwest Bedroom
This 10' x 14' room is believed to be unchanged. Note the dining room chimney in the corner. A patch on the chimney shows that a stove was once used in this room.
Balcony
Cantilevered from the house, the 6' x 37' balcony is thought to be original. The railing appears unchanged from 19th century photographs. Access to the balcony is between the two chimneys.
Attic
The house originally had a round window in the front pediment. Morris replaced this window in 1908 with a half round, “sunburst” window. This window had deteriorated and was destroyed in a December 1992 storm. A replacement window was made in the spring of 1995 by a Mennonite woodworker in Dundee. The original round window frame remains in the attic.
The south chimney is unique in that the two chimneys that rise through the first and second floors join together as one before exiting through the roof. Over the years many visitors have recorded their names on the bricks. The chimney was reconstructed from the floor up in 1980 after being hit by lightning.
There were two bedrooms (and closets) along the north wall that were removed at this point, as they were built directly on the original floor. These rooms were not original - based on signatures/dates on a beam and a book within a wall, they were not built until at least 1912. Several old bottles and a pair of ladies boots were also found. The walls were covered with a plasterboard, patented 1894. Each room had a door that opened to the main part of the attic, and there was a door between the two rooms. There was a stove thimble in the east bedroom. This stove thimble and the possible bedroom fireplace on the second floor are the only known uses of the north chimney.
Widows Walk
The widow's walk is a 10' x 10' platform on the roof. Morris replaced a cupola with the widow's walk in 1908. The cupola is not believed to be original.
Ground Floor
Original Kitchen
19' x 23'. The quarter-sawn white oak paneling is not original. It was installed by Morris approx 1910. The chimney mass is nearly 18 feet wide. There is a brick lined bee-hive oven to the left of the fireplace opening. Hot coals would be placed in the oven, allowing the masonry mass to absorb the heat. These coals were then removed and the items to be baked, such as bread, would be placed inside. There is a slot above the opening for smoke to escape. At one point a stove was used in front of the fireplace as a chimney pipe was built into the wall above the mantel.
Service Areas
In the wall there is a 1000 gallon watertank, which is unused. Steam heat was installed throughout the house. Some piping exists in the basement and beneath the attic floor for gas lighting, but the source of the gas is unknown.
When the Champlain's operated the house as the Wagener Mansion Resort, they rented the present day laundry room for $10 per night. It was promoted as a “room and bath in the big house”. Evidence can be found of a small staircase in the southwest corner of the laundry room.
