Wyeth-Tootle Mansion a must-see in St. Joseph

The Wyeth-Tootle Mansion gives visitors a look into the early days of St. Joseph.

The Gothic-style home was built in 1879 for William Wyeth and his wife, Eliza. Wyeth owned Wyeth Hardware and Manufacturing Company and the Wyeth Saddle Factory. The mansion had 43 rooms, including a turret. The turret gave the house a castle resemblance.

The Wyeths sold the house to Kate Tootle in 1887. The widow of a local businessman, Tootle had the house made over to suit her tastes. The main hall featured a walnut paneled ceiling and an elaborately carved staircase, according to www.stjoemo.info. The floors were covered with area rugs and furniture. the ceilings featured paintings by Austrian artists.

Tootle’s son, Milton, Jr., lived in the house following her death. He died in 1946. Private money was raised and the St. Joseph Museum board matched the donations, so the house was turned into a public museum.

It has been renovated to reflect more of the Victorian era.

The first floor offers visitors a look into the Victorian era. A formal dining room is decorated as it might have appeared for a dinner.

A sitting room has paintings on the ceiling.

A parlor features an attractive chandelier surrounded by artwork on the ceiling, as well as wooden flooring.

One room had a stuffed bear on display. It had been killed during a hunt.

The staircase to the upper floors has a beautiful stained glass window. The artwork on the window was exquisite.

The second floor has Victorian-era bedrooms. We checked out a room featuring children’s toys and dolls.

An office exhibit depicted life during earlier times. The desk was set up as a businessman likely would have had it back in the day.

How many kids these days know what a landline phone, let alone a rotary phone?

A toy horse is on display in an open area of the floor.

The third floor has several museum items on display. Stuffed animals were abundant – from a bobcat to a lion to mounted trophy heads.

A small exhibit on the city’s founder is located on the floor. Joseph Robidoux is depicted inside a cabin, working on animal pelts. He was a fur trader.

A final exhibit on the floor featured other St. Joe historical items, such as a Pony Express rider’s saddle.

Another exhibit focused on Quaker Oats, which had a mill here. Aunt Jemima was invented in St. Joseph.

The mansion is definitely worth checking out when in St. Joseph.

For more information, please visit http://stjosephmuseum.org/museums/wyeth-tootle/ or www.stjomo.com.

Disclaimer: Thanks to the St. Joseph Visitors Bureau for the complimentary admission that was included in the “Voices from the Past” tickets. However, all opinions and views are ours.