Beyond the Law: Ray Pallas, Restorationist
| Publication year | 2012 |
| Citation | Vol. 27 No. 1 |
Winter 2012 #7. Beyond The Law: Ray Pallas, Restorationist
VOLUME 27 , NUMBER 1, WINTER 2012
by Daniel J. Murphy
Ray Pallas not only has a love of American history; he lives and works in its midst. Seeking to find a new home for his law office, Pallas purchased an early 19th century home in the heart of Westbrook. The building was rich in detail-including a unique curved ceiling that likely was designed by a shipbuilder-but also in need of extensive renovation. Undaunted by the challenges ahead, Pallas and his wife, Pamela, embarked on multiple restoration projects to help bring the home back to its past form. It is during one of those projects that Pallas made an extraordinary discovery: underneath multiple layers of wallpaper, the interior walls were graced with extraordinary folk art murals. The paintings depicted not only local scenes, but also naval battles from the War of 1812, including the U.S.S. Constitution sparring with British frigates. Since making their discovery, the Pallas family has spent countless hours restoring the murals, preserving a rare glimpse into Westbrook's past for future generations. Pallas sat down with the Maine Bar Journal to discuss his interests.
MBJ: Please tell our readers about your pastime.
RP: We have been restoring an old building, along with historic, museum-quality murals that we discovered by accident. My background is in United States history, particularly the early American colonial and federalist period, while my wife happens to be a European historian. When I became aware that this particular building was available, I recognized that it had to be a Greek Revival building that would ft into the period between the presidencies of James Monroe and Andrew Jackson. I purchased the building without any indication that there were any murals in it. It was pretty austere. Once my wife saw the interior of the building, she immediately said, "Oh, we've got to restore this building to its original condition."
MBJ: tell our readers about the murals that you discovered.
RP: When Pamela said she wanted to restore the interior of the building, I said, "You have no idea what you're talking about, because that's a major undertaking. It can take years and years and cost a lot of money." She said, "That's alright. We can do this over time." We weren't into it a week when she came...
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