Tinker Swiss Cottage facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Tinker Swiss Cottage
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 Location in Illinois
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| Location | 411 Kent Street, Rockford, Illinois |
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| Built | 1870 |
| NRHP reference No. | 72000468 |
| Added to NRHP | December 27, 1972 |
The Tinker Swiss Cottage is a special historic house and park located in Rockford, Illinois, United States. It was built a long time ago, between 1865 and 1870, by a man named Robert Hall Tinker. Today, it's a popular museum where people can take tours, and it's a favorite spot for school groups to visit.
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The Story of Tinker Swiss Cottage
Who Was Robert Tinker?
Robert Hall Tinker was born on December 31, 1836, in a faraway place called Honolulu. His parents were missionaries, which means they traveled to share their beliefs.
In 1856, Robert moved to Rockford, Illinois. He started working as an accountant for a wealthy woman named Mary Dorr Manny. She was the widow of John H. Manny, who owned a big company that made farming machines called reapers.
Building a Dream Home
In 1862, Robert Tinker took an amazing trip all over Europe. He was really impressed by the beautiful houses and gardens he saw there. When he came back to Rockford, he decided to build his own unique home.
He built a large, 27-room house that looked like a Swiss cottage. It had two floors and was built on a bluff (a high, steep bank) overlooking Kent Creek. In 1870, Robert married Mary Dorr Manny, and they became a very important couple in Rockford. Robert Tinker even became the mayor of Rockford in 1875! He also helped start the Rockford Park District and was a leader for some railroad companies.
The Cottage Becomes a Museum
Mary Dorr Manny Tinker passed away in 1901. Robert then married her niece, Jessie Dorr Hurd. In 1908, his second wife adopted a son named Theodore, who they called "Teddy."
When Robert Tinker died in 1924, Jessie made a special agreement with the Rockford Park District. This allowed her to keep living in the house until she passed away. After Jessie died in 1942, the Rockford Park District took over the property. They opened the Tinker Swiss Cottage as a museum in 1943, so everyone could enjoy its history.
What Makes the Cottage Special?
Inside the Unique House
The Tinker Swiss Cottage was added to the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) on December 27, 1972. The NRHP is a list of places in the United States that are important to history.
When you go inside the cottage, you'll notice how special it is. It has very high ceilings, a roof with interesting angles, and unique designs in many of the rooms on the first floor. Robert Tinker himself had many ideas for the house. For example, he made the spiral staircase out of a single piece of walnut wood! Some rooms even have cool rounded corners.
The museum is amazing because it still has all the original items that belonged to the Tinker family. You can see their furniture, artwork, clothes, and even their old diaries. It's like stepping back in time!
A Place for Mystery?
The Tinker Swiss Cottage has even been featured on a TV show called Ghost Hunters. Because of this, the museum sometimes offers special tours about paranormal (ghostly) activities.
