Glendower Mansion
Glendower Mansion
105 Cincinnati Avenue, Lebanon, Ohio 45036
Phone: 513-932-1817
Decoration Day at Glendower
Imagine its May 24, 1865. As the great American Civil War comes to a close, we here in Ohio are mourning the assassination of President Lincoln and the death of all our brave men and boys who died in the recent Civil War. In the states where major battles occurred such as Pennsylvania in the north and Virginia and Georgia in the south, the wives, mothers, daughters and sisters of the slain have been tending the graves of the soldiers, cleaning up weeds and debris and placing flowers on the graves of all soldiers; be they Union or Confederate.
Volunteers from the Warren County Historical Society will host a ceremony on the lawn at Glendower, from 2:00 to 4:00 pm on Sunday, May 24th in honor of Decoration Day.
Historian John Zimkus as master of ceremonies will recount the history of Decoration Day. Special guest re-enactors will speak portraying James Murdoch and Harriet Beecher Stowe.
The ceremony will open with colors presented by a Color Guard from the Ohio Valley Civil War Association. The Marzan Brass Quintet will play patriotic songs of the time.
Glendower will introduce its corps of Costumed Interpreters portraying characters from Warren County’s past. Meet J. Milton Williams and his wife, Mary Rigdon Williams, the first owners of Glendower, their daughter Willa and their son Rigdon. Also on hand will be A. H. Dunlavy, Lucy Rigdon Boake, Dr. & Mrs. Rigdon, Laura Bellini, Evelyn Corwin Sage and John McClean.
Glendower will be open for tours beginning at 12:00 noon. Admission is adults $5.00, students under 18, $3.50.
Tree Planting At Glendower
In celebration of Arbor Day members of the Warren County Historical Society planted a tree on the lawn of Glendower mansion.
Glendower sits on over four acres of tree covered lawn just south of downtown Lebanon. Many of its trees are already listed on Ohio’s historic tree list. Time and recent storms has have brought several of the old trees down.
The new tree was planted in honor of one of the Warren County Historical Society’s long time volunteers and supporters, Dr. George Van Harlingen. Dr. Van Harlingen has been an avid tree planter for many years. He particularly loves the tulip poplar tree. This particular cultivar will grow 50 to 75 feet tall and will bloom each spring with a lovely tulip shaped blossom. A seed pod will form in the fall and the leaves will turn a beautiful gold color. Particular to this tree is its variegated leaf.
The tree was purchased and planted by his daughter, Victoria Van Harlingen Tappy in honor of his 86th birthday.
Civil War Exhibit at Glendower
Glendower mansion is often referred to as a northern antebellum Greek revival mansion. That means it was built in the grand manor of the southern plantation houses before the Civil War. In honor of the sesquicentennial of the beginning of the American Civil War, Glendower has a special display of Warren County artifacts from its soldiers who fought in that war.
The display includes letters, reports, photos, soldier’s equipment and much more. Curator Mary Klei reviewed many items in the Historical Society’s collection and chose those she thought best told the soldier’s story.
The exhibit holds many items that refer to the Battle of Chickamauga. Many of our Warren County soldiers participated in that battle. Some, like Captain Oliver Parshall, were killed at the battle. Others, like General Durbin Ward who was the second owner of Glendower, were wounded so badly that they were mustered out of the service.
The exhibit will remain on display throughout 2009, giving visitors to Glendower a sense of the effects of the Civil War on Warren County residents 150 years ago.
Bluegrass at Glendower
A Free Concert on the Lawn
Glendower historic house museum is hosting a free “Concert on the Lawn”, Saturday, July 18 starting at 7:00 pm. This is the second in a series of free concerts that Glendower is hosting this summer.
The Ridgeville Bluegrass Express is the featured entertainment. “If you enjoy five string banjo pickin’, there will be plenty of it played that evening” said band spokesperson Dottie Phelan. This group of seven friends all living in various parts of Warren County has been playing and singing blue grass together on and off for almost thirty years.
The band will begin playing promptly at 7:00 pm. Guests are asked to bring their own lawn chairs or blankets to spread on the lawn. Guests are welcome to bring a picnic, but must clean up after themselves. Volunteers from the Warren County Historical Society will be selling soda, water and Double Dip’s famous ice cream sandwiches.
Glendower, the house museum, will be open for tours fro m 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm. Admission is charged to tour the house. Adults $5.00, students under 18, $3.50, over 65 $4.00.
Glendower is a northern antebellum mansion situated on a five acre hill in the Floraville district of Lebanon. The house was built around 1845 in the Greek revival style and is renowned for its architecture. Inside the house is furnished with antiques and artifacts collected from Warren County’s pioneer families. The Glendower Historical Characters greet visitors Wednesday through Sunday from noon until 4:00 pm.
The Glendower Historical Characters are a group of volunteers who portray various people who lived at Glendower, or would have visited Glendower circa 1855. Ask them about what they think of the new Ice Cream Saloon that has opened on Mulberry Street or who won the silver pitcher at the Ladies Equestrian Exhibition during the 4th of July festivities. They may also ask what you think of those horrible “No Nothings” and the new Republican party.
Glendower is owned and operated by the Warren County Historical Society, a private non-profit group that owns and operates three historic properties in Lebanon, Ohio.
