Springfield's Brinkerhoff Home: November 2009

Sunday, November 22, 2009

December is just around the corner

CHAMPAGNE PARTY

The annual Champagne Party is scheduled for Saturday, December 5th from 4-7 p.m. The cost for the party is $10 per person. Make your reservations by mailing your check to Jane Vetter, 213 S. Walnut, Buffalo, IL 62515 by November 30th. Many of your old friends will be there, it will be a great way to start the holiday season. It is another chance to see why we are members of the Brinkerhoff Foundation – good times, good friends and to preserve our past. If you would like to bring an hors d’oeuvre, please call Jane at 364-4826.

LINCOLN PARK HOLIDAY HOME TOUR

The Brinkerhoff Home as well as four other homes in the Lincoln Park neighborhood will be on the holiday tour on December 6th from 12-5 p.m. Tickets may be purchased in advance for $10 at www.lpnaspringfield.org or at Noonan’s Hardware (8th & N. Grand). Tickets purchased at the door will be $12.

COOKBOOKS

The Brinkerhoff Cookbook will make the ideal gift for the holidays. At $10, wouldn’t it be the perfect stocking stuffer? You can pick up a few of the cookbooks at two upcoming holiday functions - the annual Champagne Party or the Lincoln Park Holiday Home Tour. If you are unable to attend either function, you can obtain a cookbook or two by calling Penny Greek at 546-8890 or email pgreek1@insightbb.com. Thanks for supporting our cause.

RENTALS

If interested in renting the Home for an event – wedding, reception, shower – please contact Nancy Nolan at 528-5087.

NEW MEMBERS

Welcome to new members, Jan Steinhour and Judith Marcy.

BUNCO PARTY

Many thanks to everyone who helped in making our first annual bunco party such a success. The turnout was great and a good time was had by all!

2010 CALENDAR OF EVENTS

May 1 – Spring Fair

September 11 – Fall Fair

October 3 – Victorian Tea

November 7 – Bunco Party

December 4 – Champagne Party

DONATIONS

The Home is in need of a hall tree and matching sets of silverware. If anyone is interested in donating such items, please call Nancy Nolan at 528-5087.

VICTORIAN TEA

Many thanks to everyone who helped make the Victorian Tea a great success.

Brinkerhoff Home History

George Brinkerhoff, a successful businessman and political associate of Abraham Lincoln, built the Home for his wife and six children in 1869 for the sum of $35,000. Elijah E. Myers was the architect. After Mr. Brinkerhoff's death in '1928, the then Springfield Junior College purchased the home and began classes there. By 1974 the home had deteriorated so badly the college considered razing it. Doris Bucari, a college trustee, was given one year to show evidence of saving the home. work progressed slowly until she and other community members founded a not-for-profit corporation, Brinkerhoff Inc. in 1977. Restoration of the home was the aim of the organization and with help of the Brinkerhoff Auxiliary, a group of interested citizens organized by Doris, and the assistance of many other people, work on the home was put in high gear. Through the years Brinkerhoff Inc. and the Brinkerhoff Auxiliary have been disbanded and replaced by the Brinkerhoff Foundation. Practically the entire interior has been restored. paint has been stripped and reapplied, new wallpaper applied in some rooms and, of course, plumbing and rewiring. The floors, blackened from age and hard use, were stripped and refinished. Lovely chandeliers have replaced hanging fluorescent fixtures. Each room has been beautifully furnished with period furniture in keeping with the time of the home. Some of the furnishings have been donated, the rest purchased with funds obtained from the Spring and Fall Fairs held each year and other money raising events. The exterior brick has been completely tuckpointed and in 1984 an Illinois Department of conservation matching grant provided for the reconstruction of the cupola. We feel Doris would be more than proud to see the Home as it is today. The Home has been placed on both the National and Illinois Registers of Historic Places and provides elegant ambience for weddings, receptions, catered parties and a variety of private celebrations.

DSDigitals official Brinkerhoff photographer

Welcome to the Brinkerhoff Home web blog. On March 15th, the Brinkerhoff House Foundation, Board of Directors designated me, Dulany F. Sriner owner of DSDigitals.com their official photographer. As we pursue the development of this Blog, we will be providing a listing of events along with other Brinkerhoff information. Regular posts will provide up to date announcements from the board. Please be patient as we try to build the site with the goal of making it available for registered members to post their own announcements. At that point, I will provide help as needed but it should manage itself. Until that point, postings will come through me. For current pictures of the Brinkerhoff House on my web site go to: http://www.gallerypg.com/WebGallery/Brinkerhoff%20Home/index.htm

Springfield's Brinkerhoff Home

Sunday, November 22, 2009

December is just around the corner

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DSDigitals official Brinkerhoff photographer