Springfield's Brinkerhoff Home: April 2011

Saturday, April 16, 2011

Upcoming Events

There will be a clean-up day May 1st at 11:00 at the Brinkerhoff Home. Members are encouraged to participate. If you are not a member but would like to volunteer, this might be a good time to show your interest in the workings of the Brinkerhoff Foundation. If you would like to become more involved in this worthwhile endeavor, come join us. Susie Weiss will be bringing food for volunteers.

Don't forget the Spring Fair May 7th. See the posting below for more information on this annual event.

Save June 26th for the next Bunco Party. More details later.

A picnic is in the planning for the summer.

September 10 - Fall Fair
October 16 - Victorian Tea
November 12 - Chilli/soup/Dessert Dinner
December 3 - Christmas Champagne Party

Tuesday, April 05, 2011

Spring Fair

Don't forget the annual Brinkerhoff Home Spring Fair will be Saturday May 7th from 9AM - 3PM. Mark it on your calendars as a great place to pick up that last minute Mother's day gift or a gift for Dad on Father's Day from one of the many vendors. The walks in front of the home and college are lined with all types of crafts and artwork.

The home will be open for free tours to the public. If you have never seen the inside, don't miss this opportunity. The Brinkerhoff Foundation will have Tee-shirts, aprons, tote bags, cookbooks, tree ornaments, napkins and note cards available for sale.

You might find anything from "Cubs" solar lights to a hand made doily. I will have Brinkerhoff Home pictures along with nature shots from mountains to sea shores. Capitol shots are a favorite for Father's day while sea oats and white sand at sunset make just the gift for that seaside bathroom. Fill your sweet tooth with home baked goodies from the "Country Kitchen Baked Goods" and get a bargain at the silent auction. It is all there at the 2011 Brinkerhoff Spring Fair. Long time vendors like the Voss Concession wagon will be there for your lunchtime hunger needs. Rain or shine, the vendors will be there! Make sure you are too!

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

Saturday, April 16, 2011

Upcoming Events

Tuesday, April 05, 2011

Spring Fair

Brinkerhoff Home History

DSDigitals Picture Galleries

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About Me

DSDigitals official Brinkerhoff photographer