If ever there is proof of how much a tour guide enhances a location, it is here at Richardson Bates House Museum. We were privileged to have May Kay Stone, president of the Oswego County Historical Society, lead us on a tour of this beautifully restored heritage home.
This was our final destination of the day on an extended weekend where we circled Lake Ontario. We would arrive at this sizeable pink home with statues of an Egyptian sphinx on the stairs leading to the doorway just in time for the final tour.
Our guide was impressive. Some people have the knack for giving tours and sharing details of locations, history, and the people that lived through these. Maxwell Richardson was a prominent figure in Oswego, getting his wealth through his legal practice and real estate. He had a tiny homestead, and this sizeable pink house we were standing in was, in fact, the addition. The original home attached to this building would later be torn down to make it even more opulent.
We didn’t complain about this destruction of the original home, although when Mary Kay Stone showed us the picture of the original house and how this part we were standing in was the “addition,” I did have to chuckle. If only we could add an addition to our home like Mr. Richardson did over a century ago.
Oh, to dream!
Charlene and I love visiting these mansions-turned-attractions. Unless we win several lotteries in a row, we will never be able to live in a grand setting like this one.
And yet I do not think that we need to.
Today, we have a wealth that so few people have – the freedom to travel. Once reserved only for the ultra-rich, travel is so accessible today that it is a shame that more people do not do it. We can visit these amazingly decorated homes and live vicariously through this splendour.
Although I was a bit jealous of the drapery, my home only has sheers (and very thin ones at that).
Our knowledgeable tour guide led us through the various rooms, explaining their function and other significant details. She enjoyed sharing her knowledge with us, and we listened to every word she said.
On the second floor, there was a room dedicated to notable women. Our guide was quite passionate about this museum to the great women in American history, especially when it came to Dr. Mary Walker. Dr. Walker was one of the first female doctors and served well in the Civil War. So much so that she is the only woman in American history to be awarded the Medal of Honor. She was a prominent and outspoken suffragette who died before seeing women getting the right to vote.
Here in this room, we learned of other women of note, including Susan B. Anthony. We visited her gravesite when we were in Rochester, New York, and I was utterly disappointed with the lacklusterness of the gravesite of this influential woman. I did notice a sign saying not to post any stickers. I had no idea what it meant, but our guide stated that when you vote, you receive a sticker saying “I voted.” Women would go to Susan B. Anthony’s grave and place the sticker in homage to a woman who struggled so hard to get all women the right to vote. I think the practice of placing these stickers should continue; how else can we show our appreciation from the sacrifice of others?
The tour was to be only an hour long, but when you have a guide as knowledgeable and willing as Mary Kay Stone, it was nearly twice that. And when there is such a great guide, I tend to forget to take pictures opting instead to listen and learn.
One of the things we learned is that this mansion is well decorated for Christmas. Christmas is our favourite season, and we are barely home visiting as many places as possible in December. Richardson Bates House Museum is on our list for a repeat visit!
- Website for Richardson Bates House Museum
- This location, and so many more featured on my site, are shown on a free Google Map that I created.
- A Christmas Google Map has been created showcasing this and other locations that celebrate the festivities of this merry season.
