I have wanted to visit this old manner house in Duluth, MN for a few years. C and I spent the morning exploring while the kiddos went agate hunting with friends. I am so glad we finally had a chance to visit. The decision to visit without the kids was a wise one as our rambunctious kiddos would have had some difficulty with the nature of the historical exhibit.

The manner house sits on a large acreage along the bank of Lake Superior. The pebble beach seems to be a nice place to sit and have a small snack, skip stones, etc. The landscaped grounds were a mix of a natural wooded looking area and manicured flower beds. C and I enjoyed the grounds just as much as the interior of the house. It was a polar shift from the camp grounds we were visiting during this time.

The rather large house and its side buildings were built by a wealthy lawyer at the turn of the 20th century. The cost to build the house translated into 2022 dollars would have been around $26M. They were an influential and quirky family, that even owned an electric car that was steered with a sick rather than a steering wheel like today. They had many of the trappings of a rich lifestyle.

There were a variety of decorating styles in bedrooms and general spaces that gave the impression of each person that used those rooms. The room that was the outlier is the kitchen as it is very utilitarian. The room that is the most admired by current day visitors is the stain glass opulence of the breakfast room just near by and very much the polar opposite of the kitchen. Seeing small trinkets as well as loved travel books showed a little more of the interests of the family that lived here for many decades. I really appreciated the signs explaining the rooms and personalities of each family member. It gave a good insight in how best to understand the lives of this influential family.

It isn’t the cheapest place to visit, but not having to be restricted to a time slot means that we could explore at our own pace. Although I really enjoyed exploring the house and believe one should do so, I could have easily sat on the pebble beach having a chat with C for some time.

Bye for now.