Ruthmere Mansion facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Albert R. Beardsley House
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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Front of the Beardsley House
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 Location in Indiana
Location in the United States
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| Location | 302 E. Beardsley Ave., Elkhart, Indiana |
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| Built | 1908 |
| Architect | Enock Hill Turnock |
| Architectural style | Beaux-Arts |
| Part of | Beardsley Avenue Historic District (ID03000979) |
| NRHP reference No. | 78000030 |
| Added to NRHP | November 28, 1978 |
Ruthmere is a beautiful, large house in Elkhart, Indiana, United States. It was once known as the Albert and Elizabeth Beardsley Residence. This amazing three-story home was built in 1910. It is a great example of a fancy building style called Beaux-Arts. Today, Ruthmere is a popular museum that people can visit. You can also visit the Dr. Havilah Beardsley House right next door.
Ruthmere is located along the St. Joseph River in Elkhart. Albert and Elizabeth Beardsley asked architect Enock Hill Turnock to design their home in 1908. They named the mansion "Ruthmere" to remember their baby daughter, Ruth, who passed away when she was only seven months old. The word "Mere" comes from a Latin word meaning "water," which makes sense because the house is so close to the river.
The Beardsleys used their mansion for many things. It was a place for business meetings, family gatherings, and social events. They lived there until they both passed away in 1924. Years later, in 1967, Robert Beardsley bought the mansion. He wanted to bring it back to its original beauty and open it as a museum for everyone to enjoy. The house was carefully restored between 1969 and 1973. After that, it opened its doors to the public. Ruthmere was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. This means it's an important historic site. A few years later, the Beardsley Avenue Historic District was also created around it.
Contents
Exploring Inside Ruthmere
Ruthmere is a big house with three floors and a basement. Each floor had a special purpose.
First Floor: Living and Entertaining
The first floor was where the Beardsleys spent most of their time and entertained guests. It has a cozy library, a grand drawing room, a dining room, and a kitchen area. The main wood used on this floor is a beautiful dark wood called Cuban mahogany.
Second Floor: Private Spaces
The second floor was for the family's private bedrooms and bathrooms. There were also separate rooms for the house staff.
Third Floor and Basement: Storage and Fun
The third floor was mostly used for storage. The basement had a fun game room. It also had important working areas for the house, like the boiler room and laundry room. There's even a secret tunnel that connects the game room to the greenhouse!
Special Decorations and Art
As you walk through Ruthmere, you'll notice many special details. You might see carvings of pomegranates, which are a symbol of wealth. These are carved into wood and plaster, and even stenciled on the ceilings. Instead of regular wallpaper, many rooms have fancy silk wall coverings. Some ceilings have beautiful hand-painted designs. There are also amazing hand-painted pictures of scenes from Italy on some walls and windows.
The house is also home to a wonderful art collection. You can see beautiful lamps and windows made by a famous artist named Louis Comfort Tiffany. There are also sculptures by the well-known artist Auguste Rodin.
Looking at Ruthmere's Outside Design
Ruthmere was designed by E. Hill Turnock. It combines the fancy Beaux-Arts style with some touches of the Prairie School style. The house has three stories and is covered with light brown bricks from Ohio. It also features native Indiana limestone. You can see cool carved stone details like quoins (corner stones), capitals (tops of pillars), and designs around the windows.
Grand Entrance and Porches
The main entrance is covered and supported by square brick pillars with carved limestone tops. A large marble porch with a railing stretches across the front of the house. This porch extends to the east side, where there's a special covered area called a porte-cochere. This was a place where visitors could arrive by carriage or car and stay dry. From the east porch, a covered walkway leads to a greenhouse.
The Garage and Library
To the north of the house is the garage. The second floor of the garage used to be an apartment for the family's driver. In 1980, it was changed into The Robert B. Beardsley Arts Reference Library. This library is free and open to the public by appointment. It's a great place to learn about American architecture and decorative arts. You can't check out books, but you can make copies and get help from the staff. The library's collection can be found through the Elkhart Public Library Catalog.
Interesting Facts About Ruthmere
Albert and Elizabeth Beardsley moved into their new home in 1910. For 14 years, Ruthmere was a lively place where they welcomed friends and business partners. Both Elizabeth and Albert passed away in 1924, just a few months apart.
After them, Albert's nephew, Arthur Beardsley, and his wife Stella lived at Ruthmere. They stayed there until Stella's death in 1940 and Arthur's death in 1944.
In 1945, the Sherill and Helen Deputy family moved into Ruthmere. They raised six boys in the house! These boys were the first and only children to ever live in Ruthmere as their home. In 1969, the Deputy family sold Ruthmere to the Beardsley Foundation. The Foundation then restored the house to its beautiful state, with the goal of creating a museum for the community and the surrounding area.
Interesting Facts About Ruthmere
- Albert and Elizabeth Beardsley lived in Ruthmere for 14 years, from 1910 until they passed away in 1924.
- After them, Albert's nephew, Arthur Beardsley, and his wife Stella lived in the house until their deaths in the 1940s.
- From 1945, the Sherill and Helen Deputy family lived in Ruthmere. They raised six boys in the house, who were the first and only children to grow up there!
- In 1969, the Deputy family sold Ruthmere to the Beardsley Foundation. The foundation then worked hard to restore the house and turn it into the wonderful museum it is today for the community.
