We find Christmas time to be a magical season. Everywhere we wander our views are filled with twinkling lights and brightly colored decorations. A day trip to Leavenworth, Kansas provided us with a special bonus. We missed the Carroll Mansion on our past visits, but fortunately this time we had time. They had recently finished decking the halls for the holidays, so it was the perfect time to tour this historic home.
We want to thank Visit Leavenworth and the Carroll Mansion for hosting our visit. Rest assured all opinions are our own.
House on the Hill
To insure we got to see the home, we made it one of our first stops. The weather on this particular Saturday was chilly but bright. Our first views, of this stately home, belied the truth of it’s construction. The original construction was a four-room farmhouse. Over the years, multiple additions boosted the space to a total of 16 rooms. A beautiful wrap around porch was an inviting sight.
Historic Pride
As the front door swung pen, we found ourselves being transported to a different time. The entryway offered views of the intricate wood molding that is found throughout the home. Our guide welcomed us in and began our journey through time. The first floor includes six room and the grand hallway. Our first stop was the parlor which was illuminated with the soft glow of Christmas lights. We could imagine the fun staff had while decking the halls. Everywhere we looked, we were reminded of the season.
History Lesson
As we toured the Carroll Mansion, we also received a history lesson. The home was built by John McCollough in 1867. In 1882, he sold the property to Lucien Scott. The Scotts spent $50,000 adding on to the house. This included the parquet floors and lots of stained glass. Seven years later, they sold the home to Edward Carroll. The Carroll family would rmain in the home until 1964. As we explored the drawing room, I could imagine the owner enjoying a cigar at the end of a long day.
Moving Upstairs
Our guide led us up the staircase to the second floor. Here we found eight more rooms, which were likely used primarily as bedrooms. At the top of the staircase was a small sitting room that had a a pair of stained glass windows. These opened up to the hallway. Our guide told us that this room was used by the lady of the house to entertain visitors. If the windows were closed, it meant that she was in the middle of a conversation and not to be disturbed. Peeking in, we saw that the room décor was accurate to the time period that the family would have been raising their children.
Decking the Halls at the Carroll Mansion
Back downstairs, we took one more look at the decorations. A rush of Christmas spirit swept over us, as we took in the small details. It made us wonder how the family would have decorated back in the day. It must have been quite the event, when they broke out the decorations and began decking the halls. It’s hard to imagine that anything could add to the beauty of the home, but the holiday décor certainly kicked it up a notch. Have you ever seen the Carroll Mansion decked out for the holidays? If not, perhaps it’s time to plan your escape to Leavenworth. You can check out more articles from our visits to this Kansas town.
