Rose Family High Chair by bmac62
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Description
Yesterday I posted a photo of the McLean House where General Grant accepted the surrender of General Lee effectively ending the Civil War on April 9, 1865.
After the war was over the house has an unusual story. The owner went bankrupt, the house went back to the bank, it became a rental for some years and it was purchased in 1891 by several investors from New York City. They planned to completely disassemble the house brick by brick and board by board, ship it to New York by train and reassemble the whole house for use as a museum. The house was disassembled and every part carefully catalogued. Then the investors ran out of money. The house then sat in piles on its' lot from 1893 to 1941 and yes, souvenir hunters made off with parts and pieces over that period. The National Park Service undertook the huge project of restoring the house in 1941. The project was halted by the outbreak of WWII and finally resumed in 1947. It opened to a crowd of 20,000 people on April 16, 1950.
I took some photos inside the house and have a short story to go along with the photo above. Before the house could be reopened, it needed to be refilled with period furniture. A good friend of mine just told me where the high chair came from that is sitting at the kitchen table above. It was used by his father as a toddler growing up in Virginia in the 1930s. I didn't know this story before visiting the house...I lucked out and just happened to take this photo. Small world!
Comments (12)
durleybeachbum
What an amazing story! I love that sort of furniture
auntietk
I can't wait for him to see this picture! :) Aside from the serendipitous connection, it's a terrific shot. I love the light.
Faemike55
great photo and wonderful story
wysiwig
Tara already beat me to the word I was going to use so I'll just say, "What are the odds?" A great story to go with a great photo.
jayfar
Very very interesting Bill - small world indeed.
jendellas
I love these history photo's & info.
helanker
WOW! That house has seen the world alright :) Pitte it was mostly in bits and pieces. Hope they wont do that again :) What a lovely interior :)
RodS
A fun and fascinating story, Bill - and a wonderful photo filled with light. Doesn't get much better...
aksirp
stunning story about this house, wonderful captured inside, I like the blue porcelain on the table...
Richardphotos
I went to a museum in Miami, Florida that is in a very old monastery that was moved from Italy that was in storage for many years in NYC harbor. all the stones were marked when the monastery was taken apart. years after it was shipped to Miami the whole thing was all mixed up. the reconstruction took several years because of labels missing and jumbled together.
your story about this house reminded me of Miami
blondeblurr
Such interesting events which had taken place, but it's all history now and for another generation to learn from and most likely too hard to understand ! - but it's good to keep the old spirit alive. Early settlers blue and white ceramics are always a treat...
junge1
Wow, what an interesting history. fantastic documentation Bill!