McCune Mansion

Back when our expected release date was on September 22, one of our missionaries bought us tickets to go up the hill to the McCune Mansion on September 14th.  With the birthday party for Sister Forman and everything else going on, I wasn't sure how we were going to fit it in, but we were touched by the sweet gift and wanted to try to make it work.  With the help of some missionaries, we got things all set up for the gathering and then headed up the hill for our tour.  I was so distracted that I was sure that I wouldn't "get in the mood" for a heritage tour of an old Victorian House.  I had never even heard of it before.  How wrong I was---the minute we stepped on to the stairway up to this house--I felt like I was in vacation mode and loved getting to know the history of the house and the family who built it and lived there for many years.

The house is located on Main Street a block north of the Church History Library.

The house costed over a million dollars to build in the early 1900s--worth over $7,000,000 now.

They trimmed the trees in a specific way around the rounded plaza in front of the house to keep the limbs from going over the plaza.  It makes it look like the trees are locking limbs and protecting the area.  (It has a special name but I can't remember what it is.)

Victorian Style through out with the "favorite things" for the McCune family who built it.  They sent a designer all over Europe to collect things for the house.

There is lots of ornate wall paper that is still on the walls in the some of the rooms.

Sister McCune and I have similar taste in impressionists art work.  I loved many of the paintings hanging on the wall---although many of them are not original to the house but chosen to match or be similar to what was there originally.

Stained glass windows are in many rooms of the home

The master bathroom was amazing---very progressive for that time!

Sister McCune was a faithful member of the Church and she wanted her bedroom to face the temple.  (I guess that Brother McCune was not quite as faithful as she was, according to the information shared during the tour.)

The Halls in the Hall at the McCune mansion---

When the McCunes moved to California in the 1920s, the Mansion was given to the Church for the purpose of being the home of the prophet.  However, no prophet ever lived there because it was thought that it was too glamorous of a home for the prophet to live in.  It was later sold several times and then fell into disrepair until about 23 years ago when a family bought it to restore and make a historical place.  It can be rented for events as well.

It was a fun break--a tiny little vacation in the middle of a busy week and month.  Thanks, Elder Creswell, we needed that!

Then back down the hill to join the birthday party just as it was getting started!