1890 House Museum facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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1890 House Museum
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 Location in New York
Location in the United States
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| Location | 37 Tompkins St., Cortland, New York |
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| Built | 1890 |
| Architect | Samuel B. Reed |
| Architectural style | Chateauesque |
| Website | the1890House.org |
| NRHP reference No. | 75001179 (original) 82001116 (increase) |
| Added to NRHP | March 18, 1975 (original) November 17, 1982 (increase) |
The 1890 House Museum is a historic house in Cortland, New York. It was built in 1890 for a rich businessman named Chester F. Wickwire. The house was designed by architect Samuel B. Reed. Beautiful stained glass windows were made by Henry F. Belcher.
Chester Wickwire lived in the house from 1890 until he passed away in 1910. He became wealthy by starting and running the Wickwire Brothers Company in Cortland. This company made wire products like insect screens and other items for people living in the countryside. In 1975, the 1890 House became a museum.
Contents
History of the House
The First Wickwire Family
Life in the Mansion
Chester, his wife Ardell, and their sons Charles and Frederic moved into the house on June 1, 1890. After Chester died in 1910, Ardell Wickwire continued to live there until her death in 1915.
Chester was born in 1843 on a farming family's land in McGrawville, New York. When Chester was 19, his family moved to Cortland to open a grocery store. Later, Chester and his brother Theodore changed it into a hardware store.
Chester married Ardell Rouse in 1866. They had three children: Raymond, Charles, and Frederic. Sadly, Raymond died at age five from scarlet fever. Charles and Frederic later joined their father's business.
Margaret Stack, the Cook
Many servants also lived and worked in the Wickwire mansion. One of them was Margaret Stack, a 21-year-old cook from Ireland. She came to America in 1904 with her two siblings.
Margaret worked at the house from 1904 to 1911. She met her husband, John Lane, in Cortland. After they married, she moved back to Ireland. Today, visitors to the museum can see Margaret Stack's bedroom. You can also learn about what life was like for servants during the Victorian age.
The Second Wickwire Family
After Ardell's death in 1915, the house was empty for eight years. Then, Frederic Wickwire moved in with his wife, Marian. Marian was a local poet.
Frederic and Marian updated the house. They added new styles and tastes popular in the 1920s. Frederic died in 1929. Marian later married a local judge named C. Leonard O’Connor. Marian lived in the house until 1973.
The Wickwire Brothers Factory
In 1873, Chester Wickwire got a carpet loom at his hardware store. He changed it to weave wire instead of carpet. He found a cheaper way to make wire products.
Chester and his brother, Theodore, opened their own factory. They called it the Wickwire Brothers Company. By 1883, they were one of the biggest makers of wire goods in the United States. This was partly thanks to Chester's special inventions.
The Wickwires hired many immigrants to work in their factory. These workers came from countries like Germany, Italy, Ukraine, Russia, and Ireland. The factory work was often difficult and could be risky.
The Museum Today
The 1890 House Museum offers tours for visitors. You can explore several rooms on three floors. You can also see a cupola, which is a small dome on the roof.
The museum also has monthly educational programs and special events. They even have a YouTube series called WickWired. This series teaches you about the Victorian age and the lives of the Wickwire Family.
Gallery
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The Sun Parlor of the 1890 House
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The beautiful stained glass side door
See also
- Tompkins Street–Main Street Historic District
