George W. Frank House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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George W. Frank House
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The George W. Frank House viewed from the northeast
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 Location in Nebraska
Location in the United States
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| Location | University of Nebraska at Kearney, Kearney, Nebraska |
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| Area | 0.7 acres (0.28 ha) |
| Architect | Frank, Bailey & Farmer |
| Architectural style | Shingle Style, Richardsonian |
| Website | https://frank.unk.edu/frank/ |
| NRHP reference No. | 73001054 |
| Added to NRHP | February 23, 1973 |
The George W. Frank House is a beautiful old mansion in Kearney, Nebraska. George W. Frank built this amazing home in 1889. Today, it's owned by the University of Nebraska at Kearney and is a museum! It's called The G.W. Frank Museum of History and Culture. In 1973, it became a special historic place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Contents
Inside the Frank House: Amazing Architecture
The Frank House is located on the west side of the University of Nebraska at Kearney campus. It was finished in 1889 and cost about $40,000 to build. This house was one of the very first homes west of the Missouri River to have electricity installed while it was being built!
The house has a special design called Richardsonian Romanesque. It was built with strong red sandstone from Wyoming. The outside walls are about 18 inches thick, and the inside walls are 14 inches thick. The house is huge, with 14,000 square feet of space across three floors and a basement.
Cool Features of the House
The Frank House originally had ten fireplaces, and seven of them are still there today. The biggest fireplace is in the drawing room. The beautiful wooden details inside the house are made from English Golden Oak. A skilled local carpenter named John Peter Lindbeck created these amazing wood carvings.
The grand staircase has six unique newel posts, each with its own design. On the second floor, there's a stunning stained glass window. It's 5 feet wide and 9 feet tall! No one knows who made this window, and it's still a mystery the museum is trying to solve.
The house was heated by steam heaters to keep everyone warm during cold Nebraska winters. In the dining room, the windows are curved to match the outdoor porch, called a veranda, on the east side of the house.
Meet the Frank Family
The Frank family has an interesting history! Dr. Augustus Frank, George W. Frank's father, was born in Germany in 1792. He moved to the United States when he was seven. He became a doctor and even helped in the War of 1812.
Dr. Frank was a strong supporter of ending slavery. He was part of the Underground Railroad, helping people escape to freedom. He also belonged to important groups like the American Anti-Slavery Society.
Dr. Frank married twice and had several children. One of his sons was George Washington Frank, who built the famous house.
George Washington Frank: Builder and Businessman
George Washington Frank was born in 1830. He married Phoebe McNair in 1854, and they had four children. Sadly, Phoebe passed away in 1900, and George died in 1906.
George Frank built three homes for his family during his life. His first house was in Warsaw, New York. His second home, called Edgewood, was in Corning, Iowa. He ran a banking and real estate business in Corning. His Warsaw, NY home is still a private residence today.
In 1871, George Frank bought a lot of land in Kearney, Nebraska, from the Union Pacific Railroad. He helped start the Phil Kearney Ranch, where he invested in racehorses. In 1885, he opened his own company, and in 1886, he began building the grand house in Kearney.
George Frank was also involved in big projects like the Kearney Canal and a power plant. By 1890, his company was even running electric trolleys in Kearney! However, due to tough economic times, he lost many of his businesses. He had to leave the house to the bank after his wife passed away.
George Frank then moved to Lincoln, Nebraska, to live with his daughter, Jeanie. He passed away peacefully in 1906 at 76 years old.
History of the Frank House
The George W. Frank House has seen many changes over the years!
Building the Dream Home (1886-1900)
The house was designed in 1885 by an architecture firm that included George William Frank, George Washington Frank's youngest son. He designed the house as a gift for his parents. Construction started in 1886 and finished in 1889. George Washington Frank and his wife Phoebe moved in around 1890.
The main floor had many rooms, including a library, a grand reception hall, a drawing room, a kitchen, and the Franks' private bedrooms. Most of these rooms had beautiful, hand-carved fireplaces with special tiles from the Netherlands and New Jersey.
The Frank House was the first home west of the Missouri River to have electricity installed during its construction. George Frank loved to show off his success, especially his electric power plant and streetcars. So, all the lights in the house were electric light bulbs!
The Franks loved to entertain. They would hire famous opera singers and harpists for their parties. They even had an electric buzzer under the dining room table to call servants for the next meal course!
The library was often used by George Frank to show guests the view of his power plant and the Kearney skyline. The drawing room was his private office. The Franks' private bedrooms were on the main floor, which was unusual for the time, but they were in their late 60s and didn't want to climb stairs.
The second floor had guest rooms and a room for Eliza Galloway, the Franks' head cook. The third floor was for the many staff members, sometimes as many as 47! The basement had a wine cellar, a billiards room, and a bedroom for the coachman.
By 1900, after his wife died and facing money problems, George Frank had to leave the house to the bank.
New Owners and Changes (1900-1911)
After the Franks left, all their furniture was sold. The house changed owners several times. From 1901 to 1906, the Camp family lived there, but they found the house was falling apart.
In 1907, Ole and Georgina Grothan bought the house. They spent a lot of money fixing it up to open a private medical clinic and sanitarium on the second floor. They replaced the roof and added gas lines. The drawing room became a waiting room for patients. The Grothans divorced in 1911, and Georgina sold the house to the state of Nebraska.
A Hospital Home (1911-1972)
In 1911, the Nebraska State Hospital for Tuberculosis was started. The Frank House and its land were bought for the hospital in 1912. The house became a place for the hospital staff to live. The medical superintendent lived on the main floor, and nurses lived on the second and third floors.
Many changes were made to the house during this time. The front entrance for carriages, called a porte cochere, was turned into a garage. The back porch was removed, and all the windows were screened. The chimneys were taken down, and the tile roof was replaced with asphalt shingles. Inside, the beautiful original woodwork and walls were painted white to make the house look clean and sterile.
Over the years, new hospital buildings were built nearby. As treatments for tuberculosis improved, fewer patients were at the hospital. In 1971, the hospital closed its doors. The land and buildings were given to Kearney State College, which is now the University of Nebraska at Kearney.
Saving the Mansion (1972-Present)
From 1972 to 1973, the house was empty. Then, Marian and Halvin Johnson were asked by the college president to help save the house. Some people wanted to tear it down, but others wanted to restore it.
In 1973, the house was used for Kearney's 100th birthday celebration, and it was a big hit! In the same year, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. On February 1, 1974, the Johnsons moved into the second floor and started running the main floor as a museum.
The first big project was restoring the amazing stained glass window. By 1976, the house officially opened as a museum. The Johnsons lived there and worked on restoring it for sixteen years, leaving in 1990.
Virginia Lund took over next and helped restore the beautiful gardens outside. In 2006, KrisAnn Sullivan became the curator. She finished restoring the master bedroom and other rooms. She also opened the third floor to the public for the first time!
Since 2012, the house has been managed by the Museum of Nebraska Art (MONA). As of April 2018, the second floor, third floor, and basement are all open for visitors to explore!
The G.W. Frank Museum of History and Culture
The Frank House first became a museum during Kearney's Centennial Celebration in 1973. About 2,000 people visited the house then! In 1976, it officially opened as a museum after some restoration work.
At first, tours were only on the main floor. Visitors could go to the top of the staircase to see the large stained glass window. Today, the house is not just a museum; it's also a place for university and community events. Many events are held there, including the university Chancellor's Holiday Reception. The Frank House also hosts various exhibits for everyone to enjoy.
