'Tis the Season at the Historic Seelye Mansion
Abilene's Historic Seelye Mansion is named one of the 8 Wonders of Kansas - Architecture winners by the Kansas Sampler Foundation and with good reason.
"The Seelye Mansion was voted one of the 8 Wonders of Kansas Architecture because of the grandeur of this well-restored three-story Georgian style mansion.
A New York architect designed this beautiful 25-room home in 1904 for Dr. A.B. Seelye, a patent medicine magnate, and his wife. The house is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and contains most of the original furniture and the Edison light fixtures.
The Grand Hall fireplace is by Tiffany of New York, a handpicked 1920 Steinway piano and a 1905 Edison Cylinder Phonograph grace the music room, while the dining room displays many pieces of glassware and other items used by Mrs. Seelye. After dinner, the "men" would traverse down the curved oak stairs to the bowling alley, one of many items brought from the 1904 World's Fair. It is likely the oldest existing bowling alley in Kansas.
The Seelye family manufactured patent medicines, the best known were Wasa-Tusa, Ner-Vena, and Fro-Zona, cures for man or beast. Over 84 different products were produced around the turn of the century, many of which can be seen in the Patent Medicine Museum.
The home has been restored to excellent condition."
Here are five things you need to know when visiting the mansion during the holidays:
1. Construction was completed on this home 115 years ago
The first dinner in the Seelye Mansion was on Christmas Day 1905 in honor of the 50th wedding anniversary of Mr. and Mrs. Mason Seelye, Dr. A.B. Seelye's parents. Visit the Seelye Mansion and you can sit at the same table they dined at!
2. Nutcrackers galore!
The Seelye Mansion is exceptionally beautiful during the holiday season, but one donor noticed something missing and donated her entire collection of more than 750 nutcrackers for visitors to enjoy.
3. Poinsettias to Kansas
As the story is told, Mrs. Seelye was the first to bring the Poinsettia, a festive red plant, to Kansas. Today, the tradition continues and hundreds of Poinsettias fill the rooms of the mansion.
4. Trees, trees, and more trees!
No room is complete without (at least) one Christmas Tree! If you think decorating your home for the holidays is a lot of work, imagine what great lengths the staff and volunteers at the Seelye Mansion take to decorate for the holidays. They even practice a little "voluntourism" with volunteers traveling from miles away to help with the enormous task.
4. 35 Years of Tours!
And seeing all of this is possible because one man, Terry Tietjens, and his brother Jerry had a vision of restoring this beautiful old mansion and opening it up for tours. The first tour of the renovated Seelye Mansion was on Saturday, December 14, 1985 - 35 years ago!
Plan your visit
The Seelye Mansion is open daily for tours. Monday - Saturday from 10 am to 4 pm, and Sunday from 1 pm - 4 pm.