For a tour of one of the most enchanting historic homes in the area, visitors should head over to nearby Aurora, Indiana to see the lovely Hillforest Mansion.
For a tour of one of the most enchanting historic homes in the area, visitors should head over to nearby Aurora, Indiana to see the lovely Hillforest Mansion. Settled on the banks of the Ohio River, Hillforest was the home of industrialist Thomas Gaff and his family from 1855 to 1891, and was built to reflect Gaff's business interest in shipping and riverboats.
The mansion's architecture recalls many of the elaborate details found on riverboats of the period, and features ornately carved brackets and moldings, arched windows, elegant balconies, an arced entrance with white columns, and a third-floor belvedere that looks like a pilot house. The interior has also been fully restored with period furnishings, and guests will be delighted with the grandeur of the ceiling medallions, trompe l'oeil paintings, and Venetian glass windows.
The centerpiece of Hillforest is the floating staircase in the central hall, a nod to the staircases often found in the grand salons of the most luxurious riverboats. Visitors are welcome to wander the parlors, peruse the changing displays in the museum room, and visit the underground wine cellar which contains an original pony keg from Gaff's Crescent Brewery.
