Springfield's Brinkerhoff Home: January 2011

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Mary Todd Lincoln

On February 10, 2008, Jane Lawder brought Mary Todd Lincoln to the Brinkerhoff home. Until now, this video was beyond the scope of this Blog. The file is about 1.5 GB.

It is both informative and entertaining. Still pictures are available on the Brinkerhoff website. Go to brinkerhoffhome.org and click on picture gallery. The albums are listed on the right. Go down to "more" and click for the second grouping and look for the Mary Todd Lincoln album. Click on that and then click on the slideshow. (or just click on the "slideshow" link at left)

To start the video below, click on the forward arrow in the lower left corner of the player. Enjoy the show.

Jane Lawder as Mary Todd Lincoln from Dulany Sriner on Vimeo.
Presented by DSDigitals - Copyright Dulany F Sriner - All rights reserved

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

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Mary Todd Lincoln

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Cancellation Notice!

Brinkerhoff Home History

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DSDigitals official Brinkerhoff photographer