George Brown Mansion facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Brown, George, Mansion
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 Location in Indiana
Location in the United States
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| Location | 700 W. Porter Ave., Chesterton, Indiana |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1885 |
| Architect | Hine, Cicero |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne |
| NRHP reference No. | 98001101 |
| Added to NRHP | August 28, 1998 |
The George Brown Mansion is a fantastic example of the Queen Anne style of architecture. This style was very popular in the 1880s and 1890s, when Chesterton, Indiana, was a fast-growing town.
George Brown came to the United States in 1852. A few years later, in 1855, he married Charity Carter, who was from a local family. George became a very successful farmer, owning a huge farm of about 900 acres by 1882! He also sold wood to local brickyards.
George and Charity had ten children. In 1884, George bought 120 acres of land in Chesterton. He planned to build a special retirement home there. He hired Cicero Hine, an architect from Chicago, to design the house.
The family sold most of their land in 1891, keeping only 10 acres around the house. That same year, George built a brick store downtown. This store was the only one to survive a big fire in 1902! Charity Brown passed away in 1895, and George died in 1899. After some family discussions, their son John Franklin (Frank) moved into the mansion with his own family.
Today, the Westchester Historical Society uses the Brown Mansion. It is now the Westchester Township History Museum, where you can learn all about the area's past!
Mansion Design
The George Brown Mansion was built in 1885. It shows off many cool features of the Queen Anne style. For example, it uses different colors of brick, which was a common design choice. Smooth white limestone bands wrap around the house, creating a neat contrast with the rough red bricks. These bricks came from local yards in Porter.
The house also has straight walls that are broken up by two-story bay windows. These windows stick out on the east side and the front of the building. On the front bay window, you can even see George Brown's initials and the year the house was built, carved in white limestone!
Queen Anne style homes often have interesting, uneven shapes. The architect, Cicero Hine, mixed different types of stone and bricks. He also added patterned wooden siding on the third-floor balcony. Fancy porches, balconies, and decorative gables (the triangular parts of the roof) make the house look even more special. There used to be a wide porch that went across the front and around the east side of the house.
Inside the Mansion
The inside of the mansion is just as interesting as the outside. It has an unusual floor plan, which is typical for Queen Anne homes. When you walk through the front doors, you enter a large hall.
The interior has beautiful stained glass windows and etched glass in the doors. The fireplace is decorated with oak wood carved into flower shapes. It also has a special painted soapstone that looks like marble.
One of the coolest features is on the third floor. It has a large ballroom, perfect for formal dances! You can also step out onto the third-floor balcony from the dance floor.
The house was built using local materials, like bricks from Porter and wood from Jackson Township. It was quite modern for its time, with hot and cold running water and a bathroom on the second floor. It even had a coal-fired furnace to keep it warm!
Gallery
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East Facade
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Southwest corner
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Main entrance
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Fan light over front door;
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Dining Room
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3rd Floor Stairway
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Parlor
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Carved date on Chimney
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Chimney top
