Bring Thomas Jefferson's tombstone back to life

1826 On July 4th, the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, political opponents john adams and Thomas Jefferson died several hours later. In their last years, Adams was a federalist and Jefferson was a Republican. They keep a steady correspondence, but their friends don't want to. Adams wrote, "We shouldn't die until we explain to each other." . But with the development of the story, at the last moment of his life, he worried that his competitors would outlive him. "Thomas Jefferson survived" is said to be Adams' last words. Is it the oldest chemical laboratory in America? "But Jefferson died a few hours before him." Adams was buried in the family cemetery in Quincy, Massachusetts. However, the competition after death is good for Jefferson. If only because of his long and unfamiliar journey from the tombstone of Monticello, he went west to Missouri, stopped at the Smithsonian Institution's conservation laboratory two years ago, and returned to the University of Missouri in August of 20 14. Jefferson's tombstone is not a simple tombstone. The founding fathers left a very detailed explanation for the three-part stone carving: the granite obelisk will be located on the granite cube and decorated with marble plaques. 1833 After the completion of Monticello, tourists flocked to see it. Souvenirs began to cut off small pieces of granite base. At that time, an observer wrote that the marble plaque was intact, but after "roughening the monument", it quickly loosened from the granite.

Fearing that the whole thing would be destroyed soon, Jefferson's heirs ordered a replica to be placed in Monticello and donated the original three-part structure to the University of Missouri on 1883. The reason why the tombstone was sent to Mizo is speculative, but one of the reasons is that it is considered to be the first school established in Louisiana after Jefferson bought it. Gilbert stuar's Portrait of the Edge Mountain published in 1805/ 182 1/Thomas Jefferson (National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; Monticello, Thomas Jefferson Foundation Limited, Charlottesville, Virginia; 20 12 in September, Carol Gleason of Smithsonian Institution inspected the plaque in the attic of Jesse Hall of University of Missouri for the first time. (Carol Gleason) 19 The paper pad of a university publication in the late 1980s was found between the support of the tombstone and the inner wooden box (Brittany Hans). These wooden boxes are 19 old newspapers from 1980s and 1990s, including Jung Amerika, a Cleveland newspaper. (Brittany Hance) Tool marks can be seen on the microscopic details of the front (bottom) of the tombstone, showing pink and black inclusions. Conservation scientists discovered calcium, potassium, aluminum and silicon. (Brittany Hans) After being treated by the protector of the Smithsonian Institution, the tombstone shows the green mark of the new and old filler (Brittany Hans), showing the place where the smoke damage occurred. (Brittany Hans) After the final treatment by Smithsonian University scientists, the texture on the stone was marked with a red (Brittany Hans) tombstone. Tombstones and plaques were displayed near the entrance of the main building of the school, but marble fragments were quickly brought in and preserved.

Unfortunately, this building was burnt down at 1892. Broken into five pieces, the edge part is broken, reassembled like a puzzle, and put in a gypsum pound. There is no official report on how it was reassembled or what materials were used. Then, the marble plaque was put in two wooden cases and put in the attic again.

Some broken or even charred fragments seem irreparable. Marble boards put the pieces together and filled the lost places. After repainting the surface to make it look natural, she began a slow engraving process.

The plaque is as new as possible, or as close to new as possible, but the work is not finished yet.

When the University of Missouri approved the project, they also asked for copies of two tombstones. To this end, it is necessary to convene an expert group from the Smithsonian Exhibition Center Office.

Simplifying a process is called photogrammetry, and this process is by no means simple hundreds. Hundreds of photos of plaques were taken from various angles and input into computer programs to generate three-dimensional images. This information is then sent to a computer numerical control (CNC) machine, which engraves the model of the stone on the polyurethane board. There, a silicone mold was used to cast replicas and painted to match all the nuances of the original.

September 20 14, three plaques were sent back to the university of Missouri. One replica is used for teaching, and the other is attached to the original granite obelisk and prominently displayed in the four corners square of the main campus. As for the original plaque? It is proudly displayed in the main building of the campus.

So yes, Mr. Adams, Thomas Jefferson survived.