Encounter 4, Wylie House Museum

It’s amazing to me, how I, myself, can take things for granted, including Bloomington History and never realize much about it until I study it. I knew about the Wylie House several years ago and even my mother had told me she had been through the mansion several times. But, I never took interest in this extornidary 173 year home until recently.

(Wylie House before it was Restored)

This last Saturday, my mom and I decided to go back in time to the 1800’s and visit this beautiful constructed mansion of Andrew Wylie who was the first president of IU, his wife Margaret and their ten of twelve children who resided in this home. For over 80 years this home was inhabits with the Wylie's families until 1913.

It furnished with period antiques, original family pieces and one of Bloomington’s oldest remaining structures that is listed in the National Register of Historical places to visit.

When we walked in, a large picture of Andrew Wylie himself greeted us as we entered into a corridor area of the home with a wooden staircase to the right and closed doors colored in green paint everywhere you looked. It was told to us that closed doors were a tradition in the nineteenth century. Privacy was very important to these early pioneers and you never entered a room without permission.

Five large rooms were attached on the bottom floor that included a restored piano with its black and white ivory keys that lies in the main parlor. The main parlor featured a huge painted marble fireplace with chairs that Andrew and Margaret probably sit at during their relaxing evenings.

An adjoining room with two large doors would be used for extended entertaining but for the most part was usually used for a bedroom. To the right of the bedroom lied another room that was for studying homework or working on finances or writing journals.

The kitchen laid close at hand with a pantry next to it that featured many things many of us use to store our garages today. A small white tub that laid firmly next to the window pane along with a butter cru, carisence lanterns, and cupboards for storage. Even a preserved hornets nest laid on top of one of the cupboards and cutting fixtures for preparing meals on a daily bases.

On the second floor, another five room that included a women’s sewing room, that featured a large spinning wheel and an early version of a sewing machine to help mend clothes. The boys room, girls room, guest room were featured along with another room that was available just for boarders who occasional roomed with the Wylie’s. However, sometimes this room also would be used for those who were sick and needed to stay away from the rest of the family so they couldn’t catch whatever that person may have. Medicine and illness was very different then and sometimes things we today take for granted today could be very harmful during these colonial times.

Traditional garments were featured throughout the home such as shawls and hats that Mrs. Wylie and her daughters possibly may have wore, were of an elegant style expressing of the times they lived in. Mr. Wylie’s Hat and Hat case laid firmly on a dresser that could have you image just how distinguished he could have looked with its black round top and tall brim lining. A wedding dress with colors of blue and white and an attached broche pin showed the delicate lace collar around the front as well as the modesty of dress it featured to a future bride. It was told that traditional white gowns many brides use today wasn’t traditional then and wouldn’t surface until later on in the 1900’s.

In the hallway of these rooms lied a third floor that was closed to visitors but was said to have another bedroom, storage area and a featured balcony that laid and existed to the top of the house being able to view their surrounds for miles around. It was rumored that Mr. Wylie sometimes would bring his class to this balcony viewing the stars through a telescope for better observation.

The stairwell was long and narrow, while the wooden floors and panel glass windows seemed to welcome their visiting guest with open arms by shining streams of sunlight throughout the mansion. Outside part of the foundation was up on rock blocks and a basement/cellar was below closed also to the public, but still seemed to give an appearance of hidden strength to this beautiful historically home.



Wylie House is operated and owned by Indiana University with a blend of Federal and Georgian styles of architectures prior to 1860. It’s located at 307 E. Second Street in Bloomington, Indiana with guided tours Tuesday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and is an enjoyable and memorable visit that everyone should experience.

(Wylie house in 2005)

(Note: Beside free tours given to the public, Wylie House Museum continues to grow with its annual events such as Quilt Exhibits, Seeds Sales of flowers and plants from 1800’s, Candlelight Christmas Celebrations and 19th Century Fashion Shows.)

Links:
a.) http:/www.indiana.edu/~libwylie/
b.) http:/www.indiana.edu/~libwylie/events.html
c.) http:/www.indiana.edu/~libwylie/house.html
d.) http://www.indiana.edu/~libwylie/store.html