1971 oil by Josephine Dunlap
In August I had the pleasure of visiting the Arcanum Public Library and was given a tour by Linda Mancz. I regularly visit the library to use their services but this was a up front and personal tour to compare the original and different additions with the blueprints and history that was done back in 1984. Since that written history, the west wing and upstairs floor were added in 1995 as well as William Gunder writing about the Arcanum Public Library and Ivesters home in the “Arcanum Chronicles” series Volumne 2 for the library dedication . https://awths.org/publications/book-for-sale/.
The home was purchased to become the Arcanum Public Library in 1963. The Hanes addition was added in 1980. The last west side and upstairs addition was done in 1995.
AWTHS has the Ivester family collection as well as the Ivester’s story, photos and newspaper clippings and information about the Arcanum Public Library. We will be featuring Facebook posts with many photos so see our Facebook page as well as upcoming Ivester photo album.
These excerpts are used here with permission from the Arcanum Public Library.
The rest of the document, which describes the landscaping, grounds, indoor floor plan and furnishings of original home and through the additions is available at the library or through AWTHS in our archives during Open Hours. I will attempt to highlight some important points and the current furnishings and donors. The story of the Arcanum Public Library and the Ivester’s home is also covered in the “The Secret Chronicles” Volume 2 and can be purchased through AWTHS or viewed during our Open Hours.
The Victorian Parlor
As you enter the library from the front door, the room to the right on the East side of the building was the original parlor. The restoration of this room became the project of the Criterion Club, which also was instrumental in starting the library for the village in 1911. Hence it is now called the Founder’s Room.
Current furnishings, which have been in this room for some time, include the following: Chairs and marble top table were the gifts of Isabelle Hall from Dayton. The beautiful chandelier and the yellow love seat were gifts of Mrs. Pearl Hester. The hand painted screen was done by a former native, Mrs. Lizzie Clark and given by her nieces, Elizabeth and Mary McCabe of Greenville. The mirror over the mantle is a gift of the daughter of Mrs. Betty Cox, board member. The hair picture was given by the Baker family. The Lincoln picture was from Ann Shepherd. The cane bottom chair was reclaimed and given by Barbara Smith.
The draperies and table cover were done by Rike’s in Dayton.
The Hall and Adjoining Rooms
The entrance hall gives a Victorian feeling. The rose window at the door was the original in the house but during the restoration, the door was open and a strong wind broke the lower panes of glass. The curved unit at the top is the original. Harold Rosser, from Columbus, found a man in the German Village who could duplicate both the color and design. These two panes of glass were contributed by the Rosser family.
The room on the west side of the entrance was the family’s sitting room. The original woodwork is just as the house was built. It is made of white walnut or buttrnut and has only been polished to retain the original patina.
The long stack room back of the hall was the original dining room. Partitions were torn out and one fireplace had to be removed.
Possibly William Ivester
Back of the First Floor
Near the window on the west side of the middle room, was a stairway to the basement. This was torn out. On the east side of this area was the original side porch. (now the entrance to come in) which was originally an open porch and then enclosed as a sitting room for the Troxels.
On the west side at the back was the kitchen. In there was an old dumb waiter which descended to the basement by means of pulleys. This was torn out. Back of these rooms is a long room which was the old summer kitchen. Here the Ivester family did the washing, the canning and the cooking. The original brick wall is on one side.
Hall and Upstairs Rooms
The main hall has a red carpeted stairway to the second floor. The lighting unit in the upper hall was found in the attic and is an original from the Ivester home. A picture of General Edward Sigerfoos, a former native who was the only general killed in World War I, hangs in the hall. The long room to the north has been named the Ivester Hall. Two rooms and a stairway to the attic were removed to form one big auditorium room.
Artifacts still on display
In the hall downstairs near the parlor hangs a gilt edge picture who is believed to be William or Bill Ivester. It was found in the attic. The Red Cross quilt hangs near the magazine room and was featured in a story last year. It was made during World War I. Names were sold and the money went to pay for yarn to make sweaters, socks and scarves for soldiers.
Upstairs in the front room (board room) to the street hangs the Criterion quilt made by all the members in 1976 in remembrance of the two hundred years celebration at that time. There is also a American Legion uniform from WWI belonging to William Terrill.
Downstairs in the parlor, the cabinet houses the book collection and photo of J. M. Bunger, Superintendent of the Arcanum Schools in 1895. The lovely cupboard, on the opposite wall, is from the Ithaca Methodist Church.
The Grounds and Landscaping
There was a deep front yard with narrow flagstone walk to entrance where walk divided and led around either side of the house. Arbor vitae trees stood at the corners of the walks, also a similar tree near the side kitchen entrance. Portulaca grew in the crevices of the flagstone walk. These walks were bordered by verbena beds.
Invester’s Time
The house had both outside and inside shutters. The front door (solid with sidelights) opened into small entrance hall. The parlor was to the right and was carpeted with red Brussells carpet with a small-eared hassock to match. There were two horsehair base rockers and a horsehair parlor set with slip seats. There was a center table on which was a corn-husk basket sat containing paper flowers. There was a grand piano with fancy horse-hair covered stool. Cousin Dora Annie dusted with a peacock feather duster. There was a tall, glass parlor cabinet with a drawer compartment base. This cabinet was filled with figurines, vases and various bric-a-brac. These were carefully dusted and turned for Eliza (Caughey Timmons) to admire from the doorway. Billowy net curtains were formed out over the carpet at least a half yard. These curtains had a single spray of lilies-of-the-valley with two leaves sprinkled rather sparingly through the net. On the wall were three box-like frames containing wreaths of feathers, hair and wax.
The kitchen had a cooking stove, open hearth and zinc-lined bench for the water bucket.
The well was half-way between house and barn. Water was piped into a milk trough in the cellar of the house to keep the crocks and food cold.
The barn had a long sheep-run with a door at either end.
A picket fence crossed front of the lawn. There was a mounting block near the road. One went up steps to mount.
The carpets at the house were rag except the red Brussells in the parlor. There was a flagstone porch across the back of the house. A tan-bark path led through a peach orchard to the barn. A picket fence separated the lawn and peach orchard. A chain and weight gate led to the path.
The Hanes Addition was built in 1980 and a large picture hangs of Archie Hanes, who was a large contributor, on the wall near the computers presently. There is the original blueprints of the Ivester Home upstairs which are on permanent loan from the Historical Society of Brookville. They were found in an attic in Brookville in 1979.
The old carriage house in the back yard was removed and a parking lot was constructed in 1982.
If you look and study the estate records and announcements, it mentions the buildings around the property, and there being a chicken house.
Most of this history was prepared by Celia Long in 1979. She retired as a board member in 1978 and died in 1982 at the age of 79.
Submitted by Miriam Lockman, 1984.
We will be posting more blogs about the Ivester family as well as Facebook posts with photos.
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