Mansions in Clinton
June/July 1983 Riverboat Days Special p. 3 & 38 "Old houses and old folks are
gettin' scarce," an old-timer
said as he talked of the grand mansions that sprung from the rich soil of
Mississippi River towns a century ago.
And using a gnarled hand to brush a tear from his eye, he said, "It sure is
sad." Steamboats puffed up and down
the Mississippi in the mid to late 1800s, and lumber mills sprouted along its
winding banks. The riverboat
captains and lumber barons prospered as business thrived, and much of their
wealth was evident in their
magnificent homes. Many "old houses" have disappeared, victims of fire, decay
and neglect. Of those remaining,
few can compare with the elegance of a bygone era reflected in the George M.
Curtis mansion, now the Clinton
Women's Club, 420 5th Ave. S. The Women's Club will open the massive hand-carved
oak doors of the mansion
for tours of the historic landmark from 1 to 4 p.m. July 2. CLINTON'S LUMBER
business flourished in the
1880s, and the Clinton Daily Herald of 1883-84 made frequent mention of the
business and social life of the
lumber barons. Curtis, founder with his brother Charles L. of the George M.
Curtis Co., frequently was among
those mentioned. His elaborate advertisement for his "Sash and Blind Factory"
appears on the front page of each
issue of the Daily Herald, and a "minor mention" item in April, 1883 informed
readers, "Curtis Bros. & Co. are
out with a handsome new wagon." Spring editions of '83 and '84 noted, "Spring
building was never so brisk," and
a column appearing several times a week listed improvements and construction in
the city. "Building Boom!"
headlined a column dated Sept. 20, 1883, which reported "George M. Curtis has
cleared a spacious lot whereupon
before snow flies, there will be laid the foundation of a palatial residence."
An item dated Oct. 9, 1883, noted,
"Work begins on the foundation of the George M. Curtis mansion, Fifth avenue." A
luxuriant prairie flower, as a
Chicago newspaperman wrote of it, grew from that foundation. As months passed,
chimneys pierced the sky, and
the stained glass windows, some Tiffany, reflected brilliant prisms of color in
the sunlight. Curtis selected the
finest woods from his mills in Minnesota and Wisconsin, and craftsmen were
brought from Europe to carve and
polish the woods to perfection. These artisans remained in Clinton as employees
of the Curtis Co. Curtis
designed much of the house himself. It is believed he was assisted by Joshiah
Rice, architect in later years of the
Clinton County Court House, and architect of the mansion's coach house, added in
1885. The community
watched in awe as the two-and-on-half story brick veneer structure progressed.
The Daily Herald's
"improvements" column estimated the cost of the Curtis mansion and those of J.E.
Carpenter, J.S. Gardenier and
A.R. Olney under construction at the same time, to be in excess of $100,000, a
handsome price tag a century ago.
A July 9, 1884, article states, "The Fifth Avenue mansions of Mrssrs. Gardenier, Curtis and Olney and the Sixth Avenue edifice of Mr. George Spence are making rapid advancement under the labors of a busy corps of artisans." Curtis' prairie flower flourished in a grandiose style of architecture popularly known as "gingerbread" but properly known as Queen Anne. And Curtis frosted his gingerbread palace lavishly. The mansion boasts nine fireplaces, each an object of art created by a master woodcarver. The tremendous main hall is 55 feet long and stained glass hand-crafted by European artisans, graces the windows, some of which are 15 feet high. Craftsmen carved and polished to perfection the woodwork, mantles, doors and wainscoting, and cabinet makers and artisans labored on the trim. The elegant oak staircase bears the workmanship of these master craftsmen who carved into the rich wood such details as a delicate flower and the fanned tail of a peacock. A chair near the Overshoe Closet was made for Curtis and used by him during his two terms in Congress. THE DAILY HERALD of 100 years ago gives elaborate descriptions of Clinton's social glitter, much of which was contributed by the lumber barons.
Social affairs vied with those of New York City and Chicago. As many as 10
servants were employed in their
homes and food for dinner parties was catered from Chicago. Many luncheon menus
contained nine courses. The
Curtis family contributed much to Clinton's social life. Florists would bring
wagons of flowers and spend the
entire day decorating the mansion. In the evening, horsedrawn carriages would
drive to the 'porte-cochere
(extension over the driveway), and ladies dressed in elaborate ball gowns of
silks, satins and velvets, stepped
directly on to the porch. They and their escorts were whisked to the third floor
ballroom for an evening of
dancing. The Curtises graciously entertained dinner guests in a dining room
dominated by a hand-carved table
that can be extended to seat 14. The massive claw-footed table and many of the
other original furnishings and
fixtures remain in the house. There are brass chandeliers with Tiffany glass,
and the hanging entry light in the
great hall originally was a gas jet. The black teakwood settee in the center
hall was carved from the wood of an
East India tree, and a marble top dresser, originally in a second floor bedroom,
still is graced by a lady's hanky
boxes. Heraldry and ancient armor including a battle-ax, javelin and ball of
circular, embossed bronze, still may
be seen in the center hall. There are Oriental touches in the mansion.
Magnificent bell chimes on the west wall of
the dining room are brass and possibly come from Japan. The original paper of
stenciled canvas still hangs in the
dining room, and the pressed tin ceiling is graced by heavy embossed paper. The
carved wood fireplace is
surrounded by hardwood drawers, china closet and mirrors. Tiles around the fire
chamber were imported from
France.
THE FIREPLACES are elegant and as with the ornate wood carving in the house, each is unique. In the library, the fire chamber bears a copper trim, and the north wall fireplace is the parlor is graced by tiles imported from Holland. The most unusual is the larger fireplace in the parlor. It features a split chimney with a stained glass window in the center. It poses a puzzling question as to how the glass could survive in that position for 100 years and not succumb to the heat of the chimney. The white statue of a young woman was selected by the Curtises and remains in its chosen spot on the mantle. Although modern cooking methods have retired the fireplace in the kitchen, it once was used by servants to prepare the family meals. The sink bears its original copper counter top and splash board, and there is a built-in ice box with access for servicing from the outside. Two wooden doors, the second several inches thick, conceal a large walk-in cooler which still bears the meat hooks where hams and bacons once hung. The butler's pantry contains cupboards on two walls, and on the north wall a draw table pulls out for extra counter space when need. Curtis' efficiency in design is evidenced by a file closet for the massive leaves of the dining table. And the mansion boasts an elevator, quite a feat for the 1880's.
THE LUMBER BARONS are gone, but the Curtis mansion remains - still an impressive
sight as it yawns
gracefully toward the sky along Fifth Avenue. Its lacy front porch has been
replaced by the present one, built in
1920. An attached conservatory on the east, semi-circular in plan, was removed
in the 1940s. And no one seems
to know why a beautiful stained glass window on the east wall was covered by
wall making it visible only from
the outside. The Clinton Women's Club purchased the mansion in 1925, and it
responsible for acquiring state
recognition for the building for the National Register status. Expenses in
maintaining the gingerbread palace are
enormous. Repairs and a new roof last fall bore a price tag of about $7,000. But
Women's Club members work
diligently and loving to maintain the mansion's original state. It still bears
the elegance and dignity which brought
the grand ladies and gentlemen to its magnificent hall a century ago. And many
of the antique dresses worn by
the ladies who danced in its ballroom will return for display July 2, loaned by
the Clinton County Historical
Society, Katherine Long, museum director. Tours will begin every five minutes
from 1 to 4 p.m. While guests
tour the mansion, piano selections will be played by Ethelyn Trent and Claribel
Kauzlarich and the Women's
Club. "Blazing Guns at Roaring Gulch" (or "The Perfumed Badge"), a melodrama,
will be performed by Clinton
Community Theater actors under the direction of Chuck Swanson in the mansion's
carriage house, now the
Carriage House Theater. Curtain time is 2 p.m. Admission to the events is by
Riverboat Days Badge. Tours and
tea chairman is Mrs. Doris Carstensen. Committees include: Guides - Vivian
Houseman, chairman, Alice Vining,
Thelma Wilson, Lillian Justis, Virginia Rees, Evelyn Wentworth, Lois Moulton,
Grace Cameron, Lucile Green,
Irene Nichols and Mrs. Long; porch hostess, Sallie McClure; lawn hostess,
Lillian Vining; tea on the lawn -
Eleanor Faur, chairman, Ila McManus, Alma Hayton, Ella Payson, Genny Olson and
Joyce Scott; badge sales,
Ruth Melchert.
The Clinton Herald Thursday May 2, 1968 p. 11 An interesting and detailed
history of Clinton Women's club
from its inception in 1912 to the present time was presented by Mrs. E.L. Miller
at the annual spring luncheon of
Home and Garden department of the club. Mrs. Miller, the club's only living
charter member, stated that the club
started with 130 members and soon grew to 300 under the leadership of Mrs.
George B. Phelps, the first president.
For 13 years, the club met in such places as the Methodist church, YMCA, DAR and Odd Fellows halls and the Boat club, until March 7, 1925, when the Curtis family mansion at 420 5th Ave. S. was purchased for a club home. Some of the major projects undertaken for Clinton Women's club throughout the years include: - Helping the city of Clinton to pass a milk ordinance and urging the employment of a licensed milk inspector. - Conducting a litter campaign by placing 23 receptacles near parks and schools and posting the slogan "Keep the Bright Spot Spotless." - Helping to establish the YWCA in 1915. - Instigating a movement for a playground in Clinton and promoting the first city wide community Christmas tree. - Assisting with several drives including plans to have the Visiting Nurses association added to the United Fund. Promoting establishment of conservation and economics programs for the city as well as Child Welfare department with social workers, and encouraging an interest in nature study and home gardening. In 1920, the Home and Garden department was started with 60 members and membership grew so fast that in 1927 a second Home Garden department was added with particular interest in home and family, growing of vegetables, flowers, shrubs and trees. The Home Garden department held flower shows, food sales, bazaars and other fund-raising events to provide funds with which to pay off the mortgage on the club home. In 1962, during the presidency of Mrs. Lee Simmons, who served from 1960 to 1967, the final payment on the home was made and the mortgage was burned. For many years the club had six departments of study, Music and Drama, Literature, Fine Arts and Crafts, two Home Garden departments, and the general club. Today there are four departments, Home and Garden, Horticulture, Arts and Crafts and general club. The stately mansion housing the Women's club still contains many of the original furnishings, tile fireplaces, chandeliers, frescoed walls and prized statuary. Occasionally the Woman's club holds an open house permitting the public to tour the elegant home. The second and third floors of the mansion are rented to women who make their homes in the building. Hostesses for the luncheon were Mrs. Elizabeth Long and Mrs. Carl Knights. Mrs. Arnold Brandenburg gave the invocation. Mrs. Louis H. Wilke is current president of the club.
The next meeting of the Home and Garden department will be May 23 featuring a musical program. Hostesses will be Mrs. Lee Simmons, Mrs. Sam Heend and Mrs. Miller.
