New Year's Eve will be rockin' at Rockcliffe Mansion!
Reserve your tickets now -- the party is limited to only 25 couples!
Your ticket will include:
A delicious Buffet-style Dinner, with dining in the elegant Moorish Room, Grand Hall, and Music Room
Open Bar from 7pm - 12:30am
Music and Dancing
Champagne Toast at Midnight
Party Favors, Hats and Noise Makers
Only $75.00 per couple!
Tickets must be purchased in advance by December 24, 2009. Don't wait, seating is limited!
Wishing all of you a Safe and Happy Holiday season!
Ken and Lisa Marks
and the Staff at Rockcliffe Mansion
Friday, December 11, 2009
Saturday, November 21, 2009
A MAGICAL MANSION CHRISTMAS
Happy Holidays to All!
Rockcliffe Mansion is bursting with holiday cheer! Our Magical Mansion Christmas includes The Gilded Pine on the landing of the Grand Staircase, the patriotic Liberty Tree on the second floor landing featuring a collection of official White House ornaments, the Peacock Tree in the Moorish Room, and other antique and vintage ornaments and decorations that are displayed throughout the Mansion!
Please join us in celebrating the magic of the holiday season with our History of Christmas tour beginning daily at 10am (last tour begins at 4pm). We will be closed on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day.
We are also accepting reservations for our four Bed and Breakfast rooms, which include complimentary wine and cheese at check-in and a three course gourmet breakfast. Check our website for room availability and to make your reservation.
Or, plan your holiday event at Rockcliffe -- rent the Mansion for your holiday party, wedding, or family get-together!
Please visit our website at www.rockcliffemansion.com or call (573) 221-4140 for more information!
Rockcliffe Mansion is (still/again) Up For Sale
It is difficult for me to admit this, but Ken and I had nearly given up hope.
When the contract for the purchase of Rockcliffe by James and Robin Gillette was accepted by the bankruptcy court in Louisiana on November 2, we were prepared to accept the fact that Rockcliffe was not in our future.
However, we always had a sliver of hope -- the Gillettes had until November 19th to inspect the property and, if they were concerned with the results, they could back out of their purchase contract without penalty.
We scarcely allowed ourselves to believe this was possible, but lo and behold, the Gillettes' contract was dropped yesterday (November 20) after the bankruptcy trustee would not agree to extend their inspection period.
This means the sale of Rockcliffe Mansion begins from scratch -- back to square one -- and we have the opportunity once again to present the court with a purchase contract. Mr. Gillette can also put in a new contract, or, for that matter, any potential buyer can submit a contract. May the best contract win.
WE ARE LOOKING FOR INVESTORS! Just as the original three couples who saved Rockcliffe from demolition did back in 1967, we hope to find others who are interested in preserving Rockcliffe as a museum, investors who can raise the funds to buy the property from the bankruptcy court and make necessary repairs to preserve the property. (By the way, we take exception to Mr. Gillette's claim that Rockcliffe is in "deplorable condition" and requires more than $1 Million to "renovate" the property; in fact, we hired a well-respected building inspector to do a thorough inspection of Rockcliffe on September 18, 2009, and have a detailed 24-page report that finds the building is structurally sound with no major renovation required, only localized restoration is necessary. In addition, the boiler that connects to all of the Mansion's original radiators, which still function perfectly, passed inspection in October 2009 with no repair required. Rockcliffe also passed all fire and building inspections from the City of Hannibal in October 2009 and has been given a business license/occupancy permit that is valid through June, 2010. Any interested parties are welcome to review the inspection reports).
It is our hope that Ken and I would be allowed to be a part of Rockcliffe's future, to assist in managing and preserving the museum. Although we currently live in the mansion (taking up only the office for our personal belongings), we are also willing to live offsite. But as we've said all along, this isn't about us; it is about saving the Mansion, preserving its architecture, artifacts, and antiques, and keeping it open to the public as a museum of the history of American life in Hannibal c1900. PLEASE CONTACT US IMMEDIATELY IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN INVESTING IN ROCKCLIFFE'S FUTURE!!!
Meanwhile, while this drama unfolds, the trustee of the bankruptcy court has allowed Ken and I to extend our lease on Rockcliffe through the end of December. Therefore, we will continue to be open for tours daily from 10am to 4pm (except for Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day). Or, you may want to spend the night in the mansion, we have four B&B rooms available, with wine and cheese at check-in and a three course gourmet breakfast. We are also able to book special events -- we have a special wedding planned for January 2nd for a dear couple from Quincy -- so if you'd like to host a holiday party at the mansion, feel free to call and reserve the date, we will provide a wide range of services to make your event special!
As always, thank you for your continued support. Lisa Marks
When the contract for the purchase of Rockcliffe by James and Robin Gillette was accepted by the bankruptcy court in Louisiana on November 2, we were prepared to accept the fact that Rockcliffe was not in our future.
However, we always had a sliver of hope -- the Gillettes had until November 19th to inspect the property and, if they were concerned with the results, they could back out of their purchase contract without penalty.
We scarcely allowed ourselves to believe this was possible, but lo and behold, the Gillettes' contract was dropped yesterday (November 20) after the bankruptcy trustee would not agree to extend their inspection period.
This means the sale of Rockcliffe Mansion begins from scratch -- back to square one -- and we have the opportunity once again to present the court with a purchase contract. Mr. Gillette can also put in a new contract, or, for that matter, any potential buyer can submit a contract. May the best contract win.
WE ARE LOOKING FOR INVESTORS! Just as the original three couples who saved Rockcliffe from demolition did back in 1967, we hope to find others who are interested in preserving Rockcliffe as a museum, investors who can raise the funds to buy the property from the bankruptcy court and make necessary repairs to preserve the property. (By the way, we take exception to Mr. Gillette's claim that Rockcliffe is in "deplorable condition" and requires more than $1 Million to "renovate" the property; in fact, we hired a well-respected building inspector to do a thorough inspection of Rockcliffe on September 18, 2009, and have a detailed 24-page report that finds the building is structurally sound with no major renovation required, only localized restoration is necessary. In addition, the boiler that connects to all of the Mansion's original radiators, which still function perfectly, passed inspection in October 2009 with no repair required. Rockcliffe also passed all fire and building inspections from the City of Hannibal in October 2009 and has been given a business license/occupancy permit that is valid through June, 2010. Any interested parties are welcome to review the inspection reports).
It is our hope that Ken and I would be allowed to be a part of Rockcliffe's future, to assist in managing and preserving the museum. Although we currently live in the mansion (taking up only the office for our personal belongings), we are also willing to live offsite. But as we've said all along, this isn't about us; it is about saving the Mansion, preserving its architecture, artifacts, and antiques, and keeping it open to the public as a museum of the history of American life in Hannibal c1900. PLEASE CONTACT US IMMEDIATELY IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN INVESTING IN ROCKCLIFFE'S FUTURE!!!
Meanwhile, while this drama unfolds, the trustee of the bankruptcy court has allowed Ken and I to extend our lease on Rockcliffe through the end of December. Therefore, we will continue to be open for tours daily from 10am to 4pm (except for Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day). Or, you may want to spend the night in the mansion, we have four B&B rooms available, with wine and cheese at check-in and a three course gourmet breakfast. We are also able to book special events -- we have a special wedding planned for January 2nd for a dear couple from Quincy -- so if you'd like to host a holiday party at the mansion, feel free to call and reserve the date, we will provide a wide range of services to make your event special!
As always, thank you for your continued support. Lisa Marks
Monday, November 2, 2009
The rally on Wednesday was a success! We had a good crowd and terrific press coverage (the video of the news report can be found at www.wgem.com, search "Rockcliffe" and there's a story about the rally and a link to see the video of the news report from that evening).
It's funny, someone grumbled that we only did the rally to get on TV -- and they were absolutely right, part of the reason for the rally was to get media attention! But it isn't so that we would personally be featured, it was so that Rockcliffe could be featured, and to spread the word that Rockcliffe is in danger.
It is very, very possible that we could lose Rockcliffe as we know it, that it might be turned into a private residence, closed to tourists. This would be a blow to Hannibal's tourism efforts and the loss of one of the few homes in America that is historically accurate, a home that has never been altered or renovated since 1900.
Facts about the amazing contents of Rockcliffe:
It's funny, someone grumbled that we only did the rally to get on TV -- and they were absolutely right, part of the reason for the rally was to get media attention! But it isn't so that we would personally be featured, it was so that Rockcliffe could be featured, and to spread the word that Rockcliffe is in danger.
It is very, very possible that we could lose Rockcliffe as we know it, that it might be turned into a private residence, closed to tourists. This would be a blow to Hannibal's tourism efforts and the loss of one of the few homes in America that is historically accurate, a home that has never been altered or renovated since 1900.
Facts about the amazing contents of Rockcliffe:
- All of the wallpapers in the nine rooms on the first floor, except for the Music Room, retain their original wallpapers from 1900, including the Lincrusta papers in the Main Hall and Reception Room that are hand-rubbed with gold dust (this paper is reported to have cost nearly $100 per roll in 1900)
- The ten fireplaces in Rockcliffe all have hand carved, one-of-a-kind mantles, including two of mahogany. We have several blueprints showing the details of the craftsmanship of these mantles. Only two of the fireplaces are wood-burning, the other eight were installed in 1900 with gas logs, similar to the ones we use today.
- Many of the chandeliers and sconces throughout the home feature both electric and gas connections. Rockcliffe was completely wired for electric in 1900, however, because electric service was so unreliable, Mr. Cruikshank also had gas jets added to the fixtures.
- We estimate that more than 60% of all the furnishings on the first floor of Rockcliffe are original to the Cruikshank family, including draperies, furniture, fixtures, books, photographs, antiques, etc. (By contrast, the Vaile Mansion in Independence, Missouri has only one mantle clock in the entire museum that is original to the mansion!) Helen (Cruikshank) Knighton, one of Mr. Cruikshank's daughters who grew up at Rockcliffe and lived in the house next door from 1924-1987, saved these precious items over the years. When Rockcliffe opened as a museum in 1968, Helen returned all of these family heirlooms to Rockcliffe so that they could be shared with the public.
- On the second and third floor, more than 100 garments and accessories used by the Cruikshank women are on display. Dating from 1890-1920, this amazing collection includes ball gowns, hats, shoes, gloves, jewelry, fans, and purses.
- Mr. Cruikshank's original top hat, tuxedos, shirts, collars, coats, etc. are also on display.
- Sometime around 1920, Mr. Cruikshank hired a photographer to shoot photos of the interiors of Rockcliffe. These priceless photographs are displayed in nearly every room of the first and second floors of the mansion, and give us a historical reference so that we know precisely what the rooms looked like as the Cruikshanks lived at Rockcliffe and which items we have today are original to the mansion.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
RALLY TO SAVE ROCKCLIFFE!!!
RALLY TO SAVE ROCKCLIFFE!
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
5:00 PM
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
5:00 PM
Guest Speakers! Free Mansion Tours! Refreshments!
Join us at the Mansion and show your support -- we want to make it clear to any potential buyer how important Rockcliffe is to Hannibal's tourism and show the support from the Hannibal community in keeping the Mansion open to the public.
Rockcliffe's historical architecture and artifacts are too precious to lose and should be shared with generations to come. Please help us preserve and protect this treasure!
For more information, call (573) 221-4140 -- Thanks! Lisa Marks
Help Save Rockcliffe Mansion!
Hello friends! Welcome to the Rockcliffe Mansion Blog! Here you will learn about all the daily happenings at Rockcliffe Mansion in Hannibal, Missouri.
HELP SAVE ROCKCLIFFE MANSION!!!
J.J. Cruikshank, one of the most successful "Lumber Barons" of the Midwest, began construction of his Hannibal, Missouri dream home in 1898. Using the woods of his trade, he filled his home with the finest rich mahogany, oak and walnut accoutrements. He retained Tiffany & Co. in New York to provide special windows and light fixtures. The famous landscape architect, O. C. Simonds, designed special gardens and orchards to grow within the six foot high limestone wall that encircled the property. In all, Cruikshank would spend the extraordinary amount of $250,000.00 on his home and gardens ($5,447,000.00 in 21st century dollars).
The 13,500 sq. ft., 30-room mansion was completed in 1900. A full page pictorial in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch declared it "The Finest Country Home in Missouri". Cruikshank, his wife Annie, and their four daughters shared their home with the society of Hannibal, and in 1902, during his final visit to Hannibal, Mark Twain spent the afternoon at the Cruikshank home, speaking for over an hour to the 300 invited guests in attendance. However, upon the death of J. J. Cruikshank in 1924, his wife Annie moved into the home of one of their daughters and shuttered the mansion. It would be empty for the next 43 years, left neglected to the ravages of time and the elements.
In 1967, three prominent Hannibal families joined to save what had come to be known as "Rockcliffe". Mr. and Mrs. Delbert L. Hartley, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Raible, and Dr. and Mrs. Merrill Roller purchased the property one week before its scheduled demolition and spent the next two years lovingly restoring it back to its original splendor. J. J. and Annie's daughter Helen, who lived next door to Rockcliffe and who had salvaged and stored much of the contents from Rockcliffe since 1924, donated the original furnishings, furniture, draperies, books and decor items back to the mansion. Thus, upon its grand reopening in 1969, Rockcliffe looked very much as it did when its doors first opened in 1900, with 60% of its original contents intact.
Since that time, the Rockcliffe Mansion Museum has been privately owned yet open to the public for tours, special events, and other cultural activities. Hundreds of thousands of guests have poured over its 13,500 sq. ft., marveling at the opulence of the manse and its original contents. In 1980, Rockcliffe was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. The city of Hannibal takes great pride in Rockcliffe Mansion Museum, and, nearly 110 years since its completion, still regards Rockcliffe as one of the top attractions in Hannibal and a vital part of the fabric of the Hannibal community.
Currently, as it was in 1967, the property and all its contents are at risk. The current owner, who was responsible for the operation of Rockcliffe Mansion Museum and five other business properties, was forced into Chapter 7 Bankruptcy on August 14, 2009 and the court-appointed Trustee is now in charge of Rockcliffe. The Trustee has accepted a contract for Rockcliffe from a "cash buyer" from Florida, Jim and Robin Gillette, and it is likely that they intend to convert Rockcliffe into their private residence. It would then cease to be open to the public, lost forever as a feature of the Hannibal community, with its priceless antiques and artifacts scattered to the wind.
Ken and I are fighting to save Rockcliffe. We have been working since the end of July on a possible plan to purchase Rockcliffe and keep it open to the public as a museum. However, because of the economic climate, banks, private lenders, and even the SBA are simply not loaning money out to commercial projects such as this -- they tell us this is too "high risk" of a business venture (even though Rockcliffe has been open as a museum since 1968!).
We have worked with mortgage brokers, private investors, our state representative's office, our U. S. Congressman's office, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, the Missouri State Historic Preservation Office, the federal Department of the Interior, the northeast Missouri Department of Economic Development, the Hannibal Chamber of Commerce, Friends of Historic Hannibal, the Hannibal Convention and Visitors Bureau, etc. and no one is able to help finance the purchase of Rockcliffe. Everyone wants to see it stay open to the public, but no one is able (or willing) to invest in its future.
The bankruptcy court has agreed to lease Rockcliffe to us so that we may continue to operate it as a business until the purchase has been finalized. We are desperately seeking private investors or other financial backers to work with us to counter Mr. Gillette's contract, or put into place a back-up contract, to purchase Rockcliffe and its contents and preserve this historic property. We would be happy to hear from anyone who is interested and would like to review the Business Plan we have produced.
In the mean time, we continue to give tours daily from 10am to 4pm, and we have special events planned for Halloween. We also plan to have holiday tours beginning on November 10th.
For more information, please visit our website at www.rockcliffemansion.com
Thank you for your interest in Rockcliffe Mansion, keep checking this blog for further information!
Lisa Marks
HELP SAVE ROCKCLIFFE MANSION!!!
J.J. Cruikshank, one of the most successful "Lumber Barons" of the Midwest, began construction of his Hannibal, Missouri dream home in 1898. Using the woods of his trade, he filled his home with the finest rich mahogany, oak and walnut accoutrements. He retained Tiffany & Co. in New York to provide special windows and light fixtures. The famous landscape architect, O. C. Simonds, designed special gardens and orchards to grow within the six foot high limestone wall that encircled the property. In all, Cruikshank would spend the extraordinary amount of $250,000.00 on his home and gardens ($5,447,000.00 in 21st century dollars).
The 13,500 sq. ft., 30-room mansion was completed in 1900. A full page pictorial in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch declared it "The Finest Country Home in Missouri". Cruikshank, his wife Annie, and their four daughters shared their home with the society of Hannibal, and in 1902, during his final visit to Hannibal, Mark Twain spent the afternoon at the Cruikshank home, speaking for over an hour to the 300 invited guests in attendance. However, upon the death of J. J. Cruikshank in 1924, his wife Annie moved into the home of one of their daughters and shuttered the mansion. It would be empty for the next 43 years, left neglected to the ravages of time and the elements.
In 1967, three prominent Hannibal families joined to save what had come to be known as "Rockcliffe". Mr. and Mrs. Delbert L. Hartley, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Raible, and Dr. and Mrs. Merrill Roller purchased the property one week before its scheduled demolition and spent the next two years lovingly restoring it back to its original splendor. J. J. and Annie's daughter Helen, who lived next door to Rockcliffe and who had salvaged and stored much of the contents from Rockcliffe since 1924, donated the original furnishings, furniture, draperies, books and decor items back to the mansion. Thus, upon its grand reopening in 1969, Rockcliffe looked very much as it did when its doors first opened in 1900, with 60% of its original contents intact.
Since that time, the Rockcliffe Mansion Museum has been privately owned yet open to the public for tours, special events, and other cultural activities. Hundreds of thousands of guests have poured over its 13,500 sq. ft., marveling at the opulence of the manse and its original contents. In 1980, Rockcliffe was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. The city of Hannibal takes great pride in Rockcliffe Mansion Museum, and, nearly 110 years since its completion, still regards Rockcliffe as one of the top attractions in Hannibal and a vital part of the fabric of the Hannibal community.
Currently, as it was in 1967, the property and all its contents are at risk. The current owner, who was responsible for the operation of Rockcliffe Mansion Museum and five other business properties, was forced into Chapter 7 Bankruptcy on August 14, 2009 and the court-appointed Trustee is now in charge of Rockcliffe. The Trustee has accepted a contract for Rockcliffe from a "cash buyer" from Florida, Jim and Robin Gillette, and it is likely that they intend to convert Rockcliffe into their private residence. It would then cease to be open to the public, lost forever as a feature of the Hannibal community, with its priceless antiques and artifacts scattered to the wind.
Ken and I are fighting to save Rockcliffe. We have been working since the end of July on a possible plan to purchase Rockcliffe and keep it open to the public as a museum. However, because of the economic climate, banks, private lenders, and even the SBA are simply not loaning money out to commercial projects such as this -- they tell us this is too "high risk" of a business venture (even though Rockcliffe has been open as a museum since 1968!).
We have worked with mortgage brokers, private investors, our state representative's office, our U. S. Congressman's office, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, the Missouri State Historic Preservation Office, the federal Department of the Interior, the northeast Missouri Department of Economic Development, the Hannibal Chamber of Commerce, Friends of Historic Hannibal, the Hannibal Convention and Visitors Bureau, etc. and no one is able to help finance the purchase of Rockcliffe. Everyone wants to see it stay open to the public, but no one is able (or willing) to invest in its future.
The bankruptcy court has agreed to lease Rockcliffe to us so that we may continue to operate it as a business until the purchase has been finalized. We are desperately seeking private investors or other financial backers to work with us to counter Mr. Gillette's contract, or put into place a back-up contract, to purchase Rockcliffe and its contents and preserve this historic property. We would be happy to hear from anyone who is interested and would like to review the Business Plan we have produced.
In the mean time, we continue to give tours daily from 10am to 4pm, and we have special events planned for Halloween. We also plan to have holiday tours beginning on November 10th.
For more information, please visit our website at www.rockcliffemansion.com
Thank you for your interest in Rockcliffe Mansion, keep checking this blog for further information!
Lisa Marks
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