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, as a home for Robert Hall Tinker and his family. Today, it's a popular place for school trips, tours, and even for events like parties. It's like stepping back in time to see how people lived over a hundred years ago!
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History of Tinker Swiss Cottage
Who was Robert Hall 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 different places to share their religious beliefs.
In 1856, Robert Tinker moved to Rockford. He got a job working as an accountant, which is someone who manages money and records for a business. He worked for a rich lady named Mary Dorr Manny.
Building the Cottage
In 1862, Robert Tinker took a big trip across Europe. He was really amazed 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, two-story house with 27 rooms, designed in a Swiss style. It was built on a limestone cliff, looking over Kent Creek.
In 1870, Robert married Mary Dorr Manny. 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, which creates and manages parks for the city. He was also a leader for two railroad companies, the Northwest and I.C. Rail lines.
The Cottage Becomes a Museum
Mary Dorr Manny Tinker passed away in 1901. Robert then married her niece, Jessie Dorr Hurd Tinker. In 1908, his second wife adopted a son named Theodore, who they called "Teddy."
When Robert Tinker died in 1924, Jessie made a deal 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 home as a museum in 1943, so everyone could visit and learn about its history.
What Makes Tinker Swiss Cottage Special?
The Tinker Swiss Cottage was added to the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) on December 27, 1972. This means it's recognized as an important historical place in the United States.
Inside the House
The inside of the house is truly amazing! It has very high ceilings and unique designs in many of the rooms on the first floor. Robert Tinker himself designed many parts of 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 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 the family just stepped out for a moment!
Tinker Swiss Cottage in Media
Tinker Swiss Cottage was shown on a TV show called Ghost Hunters. It was in season 8, episode 20. Because of this, the cottage now offers special tours about paranormal activity every month.
