Memories of another historic Alex home. . .

Sandi Pennar Bonesteel saw the report of Sosie's adventures at the Cedar Rose Inn and it stimulated her own memories of that part of town. Here's her note. Thanks, Sandi, for adding to the interest in the class web site.


Childhood memories of a historic home....

Interesting reading about the charming B & B in Alex, being on the national register of historic homes in the silk stocking district! That got me wondering about the childhood home of my uncle, Donald LeRoy, so I went to the internet. No surprise, it is one of the listed 59 homes. It is located at 519 Lincoln West in Alexandria. During the time I lived in Alex, I had not heard this area referred to as the silk stocking district. Maybe that was dreamed up by The Historical Society later? According to the registry, the home was built in 1910, by Henry LeRoy. He was my uncle's father. There were 6 children in the family and I believe my uncle Don was the youngest. Theirs was a very wealthy family, and I seem to recall reading that they were intially involved in lumber industry, so possibly also involved construction in the area?

I spent quite a bit of time at that home in my younger years, when I was visiting with my aunt and uncle, and we'd go to see his mother, Alice, or for family reunions. Uncle Donald was married to my Aunt Harriet, my biological mother's sister. My mother died at age 32 and since my aunt and uncle were childless, they sort of "adopted" me for awhile til Dad remarried. (My step mom was Millie, who worked at JHS library) I still spent a lot of time with my aunt and uncle through my teen years, until going off to nursing school in Minneapolis. So I had occasion to visit that beautiful home on numerous occasions, and it was like nothing I had ever seen! Up until about 1960, when we moved to Lake Latoka, we lived in a tiny house on Maple Street, so this house was like a mansion to me. I was a small girl then, but I'm sure I would still be very impressed by it today. Now I have only memories and some are still quite vivid. I haven't even seen the exterior for years, but I believe it was a 3 story, and from my limited knowledge of architecture, I'd call it Victorian, but the register says it is Colonial Revival. What do I know? My daughter is an architect....I'll have to ask her.

I remember stained glass windows, Tiffany lamps and Victorian era furniture, and a huge staircase with a big stained glass window on the landing. I remember trying to slide down the banister of that staircase, but my aunt put a stop to that. There was a large living, or maybe called sitting room, with a fireplace. I recall eating in the dimly-lit dining room with dark furnishings, under a Tiffany chandelier and staring at stuffed ducks and pheasants on the wall! I had never seen anything like that and it was a bit unsettling to look up into their glass eyes while eating! Most likely pheasant and duck were on the menu as the men were all avid hunters! The kitchen was huge, and I think they had some hired help at times. 
There was a building (or buildings) behind the house which I think consisted of an apartment for servants, and garage, but I can't be sure as I only spent time in the main house. I remember a back (I called it "secret") staircase off the kitchen, probably used by servants at one time, as it was more readily accessible to the bedrooms and bathrooms upstairs. It was also a great place for kids to hide out. I was fascinated with that and loved to explore and snoop around the house. In a child's eye it was enormous and sometimes kind of scary. I loved to visit that house! The lot was huge and I remembered a big swing with umbrella in the back yard. There was a huge front porch with wicker furniture, which my uncle later inherited from the estate. I later inherited it from them and still have it. I also have a couple of Victorian era chairs from the sitting room, that I inherited from my aunt, which came from that house.

Besides the dining room, the room I can picture the most was a parlor in the front of the house, separate from the other sitting area and it was more of a den, with bookcases and a big desk. It was where the men hung out and smoked. I remember going in there and admiring the framed photos of the trotting horses that my uncle's brother James owned. In my preteen years, I was the typical "horse crazy" girl, and also enjoyed visiting the horses at the fairground stables and going to a few of the sulky races. Pretty exciting! My favorite was a horse named "Kitty Kat". James was married to Innis, who was with the Park Alex paper (Park Region Echo?) for some time.

The matriarch, Alice LeRoy, lived into her 90's and was a patient in the boarding care section of Our Lady of Mercy Hospital in her later years. I worked there as a nurse's aide while in High school, and took care of her. She was cute! I remember her asking me to help her find "the buggy whip". I'm sure she was having one of her memories!

Those are the things I remember of that home and the LeRoys, in those times. They are childhood memories, so I am sure there are some inaccuracies, but they are my memories. I guess if I were to do some serious digging, I'd come across some pictures in some of my aunt's scrapbooks, but right now I am getting ready for the birth of grandson #3! (to my youngest daughter) He will be born 12/30, on his dad's birthday, and our 42 anniversary!