Two Rivers...Inside

I promised in my first Two Rivers post that my next post would be about the interior. I also said that I was disappointed I didn't get too many pictures of the actual interior. I think I was just overwhelmed that I was actually in the house.

But, I did take several pictures, so here you go.

This is one of several staircases in the house. I think it's the back staircase. The front one is bigger to allow for more people up and down. Did I think to get a picture of that? Of course not.

Remember the outside window that I said wasn't too impressive from the outside? Mm-hmm. This is that same window from the inside. Is that not gorgeous? I love that red and white. LOVE IT.

These two pictures are from the same parlor. The top one is a piano. I love how they looked like such solid pieces of furniture back then. I mean, grand pianos are great, but these (there were two in the room) are so beautiful. And I love that lion in the fireplace. Makes me think of Aslan.

Here's another fireplace. The mantels in this house are just magnificent. And there was a fireplace in every single room. Every one.

Another fireplace, this time with an oval mirror over it. Look at those huge baseboards! Oh, and this isn't the biggest mirror in the house. Not by a long shot. More on that in a minute.

In one of the parlors, this beautiful painting was hung over one of those fireplaces. When Mr. Troup told me the artist, I thought he said, "Renoir" and promptly about fell over. When I double checked what he said, he corrected me and said it was a "Lenoir." Now, it may not be as famous as Renoir, but Lenoir was famous in his day. He has some beautiful paintings...this one is one of his more...um...clothed works. That's all I have to say about that.

A chandelier in the same parlor. Oh, that medallion makes me drool.

This painting was done in 1896, but I didn't write down who the artist was, dagnabbit. I have similar ones in my house that a distant relative did, and I love them much.

This is the wife of one of Willie and David's children or grandchildren. I couldn't tell you who it is, though. It's a photograph of her wedding day. Love the dress...love the sepia tones...the picture is on the front staircase from what I remember. There are more family portraits up the staircase.

This is a call thingie. I have no idea what to call it. They used to use it to call the servants from downstairs. You can tell where it has worn away the wallpaper from being used so much. It doesn't work today, but I sure would love to have one in my house to call my servant son when I needed him.

The view from the balcony window upstairs. When I saw this view I again thought about the carriages that brought family and friends up this driveway to the house.

The window I was just looking out from the inside. How many things can I love about this house? Floor to ceiling WINDOWS??? They were all over the house. I've heard that the reason why homes built back in colonial times had so many huge windows was because there was a tax on doors. So, instead of so many doors, they put in very tall windows to walk through. I don't think that's why these are so tall...probably just a carryover from the earlier time period. It was built only 83 years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence, and I'm sure home trends didn't come and go as quickly as they do now. This room is now a bathroom, having been converted in the early 1900's, from what I can tell by the tub. Oh, and notice the red stained glass repeated in the curved window atop the tall one. Sigh........

A picture found in the house, of the house. It didn't have a date on it. Drat.

This is a portrait of my Great Aunt Willie, my Great Great Grandmother's daughter. My sister thinks she favors a cousin of ours. This was her wedding portrait. There is also one of her husband, David, but of course I forgot to take a picture. You can see it here. You can also see a better picture of her portrait here.

Here's the big mirror I hinted at. I love this mirror. Love it. How many people in my family have looked through this looking glass?

As I stood there looking at my reflection I couldn't help but think about all of the people in the past who had looked at their reflections. It almost felt like their reflections were still in the mirror, like Alice behind the looking glass. No, not ghosts, because I know where their spirits are. Only their reflections, captured for a moment in the same glass that has now captured mine. Just like this house has captured my heart.

Thanks for taking this very sentimental journey with me. I know I get sappy at times, but I don't think I reflect enough. I'm glad when things like this make me slow down and remember that my life is not about me. I'm building a heritage to pass down from generation to generation. See, there's more about my family than what I've told you. I feel another post coming very soon.