Sunday, November 11, 2007

A tour of the Bothwell Mansion

A couple of months ago, Cliff and I rode the motorcycle to Sedalia and drove up to the Bothwell lodge; you can read about that trip HERE.  It's part of the Missouri State Park system .  That day we were too late to take the tour.  Today we arrived there just in time for the first tour of the day. 

This castle-looking mansion was built by a Sedalia lawyer and state legislator, John Homer Bothwell.  There's surprisingly little information about the Bothwell Lodge to be found on the Internet.

"Bothwell was married to Miss Hattie E. Jaynes in 1884. She died in 1887, and he never remarried. Instead, he poured his energies into public service, the practice of law, and his home and farm.

Bothwell bought this acreage, 7 miles north of Sedalia, to protect a portion of the wooded ridge from lumbering. He named it Stonyridge Farm. The house was constructed in several stages from 1890 to 1929.

The property also includes several outbuildings, the quarries from which the rock for the house was mined, and nature paths that wander down the hillside.

John Homer Bothwell died in 1929. He willed the property to a group of friends and relatives who owned it until the State of Missouri assumed ownership in 1974. Bothwell Lodge, Hotel Bothwell, and the Missouri State Fair are three of his achievements that can still be seen in the community of Sedalia."


It was so dark in some parts of the house that I had to use flash, which makes for less-than-desirable pictures.  Here are some shots of the kitchen.


There are three faucets:  Hot, cold, and rainwater.  That's because the well water was high in sulfur content, and not good to drink.


Most of the mansion has original furnishings.  The kitchen, however, was modernized as the years went by.  The lady who was their cook helped the state park system restore things to their original look.  I asked our guide if Bothwell had servants, and he said none except for a cook and a housekeeper.

I'll be sharing more pictures in different entries here and on my Blogger site.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

I love going in old places like that and seeing how people lived years ago.  So sad to think the man only had his wife for so few years and a big place like that with no family.  It sounds like he did a lot of good though, and probably never had a dull moment.  I'll be looking forward to more pictures.  'On Ya'  - ma

Anonymous said...

How very interesting.  Too bad there aren't more people out there interested in saving land from developers.  

Anonymous said...

I just checked and there are several geocaches around Sedalia, including some at Bothwell.  

Anonymous said...

Very interesting.  I like hearing & seeing things that are from long ago.  Thanks.

Hollie

Anonymous said...

That looks like something I would love to roam through and see...very cool.

Anonymous said...

Mosie...you are better than the "travel station" on cable tv...LOL...just love reading about all the places you and Cliff get to ride off too.....glad the weather is staying nice so you can ride ride rideeeeeeee....LOL...hugs..Ora

Anonymous said...

Mosie...you are better than the "travel station" on cable tv...LOL...just love reading about all the places you and Cliff get to ride off too.....glad the weather is staying nice so you can ride ride rideeeeeeee....LOL...hugs..Ora

Anonymous said...

I enjoyed the tour and look forward to seeing more of it!

Anonymous said...

Very interesting! I like the all-white kitchen. Looks so clean!

xoxo