Belmont County Victorian Mansion Museum facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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The Belmont County Victorian Mansion Museum
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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The Victorian Mansion Museum
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 Location in Ohio
Location in the United States
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| Built | 1893 |
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| Architectural style | Romanesque |
| Part of | Barnesville Historic District (ID84002899) |
| Added to NRHP | July 19, 1984 |
The Belmont County Victorian Mansion Museum is a beautiful historic house. It is located in Barnesville, Ohio. Construction of this grand mansion started in 1888. It was finished in 1893. A lovely gazebo was added later. It is a popular spot for weddings.
Contents
A Look Back in Time: The Mansion's Story
The Belmont County Victorian Mansion was built between 1888 and 1893. It was designed in the Romanesque style. The Bradfield family, who built the house, owned it until the 1960s. After they left, the house was empty for several years. There were even plans to tear it down.
However, John Bradfield and Everett Hanlon bought the house for $10,000. They then gave it to the Belmont County Historical Society. This saved the mansion from being destroyed. John Bradfield was related to the original owners. He lived right next door at the time.
Exploring the Outside of the Mansion
This large mansion is made of red brick and sandstone. It has bright white trim. Many big rectangular windows let light into the house. The mansion has two main floors. There is also an attic on the third floor. This attic is hidden under a special roof called a mansard roof.
You can see dormer windows sticking out from the roof. A large triangular shape, called a pediment, is on the front. On the north side, there is a big round tower. This tower has a balcony with pretty iron railings.
The Grand Porch
Long ago, a fancy porch wrapped all the way around the mansion. This porch had a wooden floor and sandstone pillars. For safety reasons, most of it was removed. Today, only a small part of the porch remains. This part covers the entrance where carriages used to pull up.
This remaining porch is held up by four large Ionic columns. These columns have special designs at the top. You can still see marks on the walls where the rest of the porch used to be attached. The main entrance has a beautiful fan-shaped window above the door. There are also tall windows on the sides. The large front door is made of solid white wood.
Inside the Victorian Mansion
The mansion has 26 rooms. Each room is decorated with designs from the Victorian era. When you enter, you will see beautiful oak woodwork. This detailed wood carving is called fretwork. Your eyes might spot a hand-carved griffin in the wood. It is on the bottom right side of the entrance area.
The dining room is to the right as you enter. Two parlors, which are like living rooms, are to the left. A large main hall runs past the fancy woodwork. This hall has a cozy fireplace area. It is known as a "Courting Fireplace." It has a cast-iron firebox. A grand oak staircase leads to the upper floors.
Upstairs Rooms
The second floor has five bedrooms. There are also two dressing rooms and two bathrooms. The bathrooms upstairs have 22K gold trim. This matches the bathroom on the first floor. That bathroom is decorated with 22K gold and ruby marble. Water for the bathrooms comes from a large 540-gallon tank. This tank is located on the third floor.
Kitchen and Pantry
A back staircase leads down to the first floor. To your left, you will find the kitchen. It still has its original soapstone sink. There is also an old coal stove. Just beyond the kitchen is the butler's pantry. This pantry has an original copper sink. It also holds the household china. The cabinets in these rooms are made of northern pine. This type of tree is now very rare.
The Basement
You can go down another flight of stairs to the basement. Here, you will find tools and items from the house's history. Many of these tools were used to build the mansion itself.
