About Us

History of the 1890 House

Image of glass room
The 1890 House Museum and Center for the Victorian Arts was the home of Chester F. and Lucy Ardell Rouse Wickwire. The limestone home was designed by Samuel Reed for the Wickwires and their two sons, Charles and Frederick, at an estimated cost of $75,000. Mr. Wickwire's fortune was made in manufacturing woven mesh screening from his factory on South Main Street in Cortland. The home is a mirror image of the house built by Samuel Reed for James Bailey (of Barnum and Bailey Circus) in New York City. The Wickwire residence features beautiful hand-carved oak and cherry woodwork, parquet floors, and stained glass windows. A woven wire design is embossed on the doorknobs, latches, and hinges throughout the house as a reminder of the industrial success that made this lavish home possible.
Image of Master Bedroom at the 1890 House, photo by Roger William Theise
Much of the interior was designed by J.B. Tiffany and Co.

Following the deaths of Mr. and Mrs. Wickwire (1910 and 1915, respectively), the mansion remained vacant for ten years while undergoing renovations by Frederick and his wife Marion Goodrich Wickwire. They moved into the newly renovated home in 1925. After the death of Frederick in 1929, Marion continued to living in the home with their four children--Chester, Cynthia, Lyman, and Winthrop and eventually married Cortland attorney C. Leonard O'Connor. She died in 1973. Following her death, the contents of her estate were sold at public auction and the building was put up for sale.

Outside front view of the 1890 House, photo by Roger William Theise

In 1974, the Landmark Society of Cortland County, Inc acquired the residence with a goal of restoring this unique architectural landmark. The mansion was renamed the 1890 House and within a year was opened to the public for use as a museum. The 1890 House is operated as a non-profit organization chartered by New York State. The museum retains many original Wickwire furnishings.

Our Mission

a) To preserve and restore the 1890 House (together with the Museum's carriage house and landscaped grounds) and to interpret to the public the historical and cultural significance of this property.
Dining room at the 1890 House, photo by Roger William Theise

b) To collect, preserve, research, display, and interpret to the public appropriate objects and artifacts for the purpose of recreating appropriate historical interior and exterior settings at the 1890 House and for scolarly study, exhibition, and public interpretation of America's cultural heritage during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

c) To carry out such other activities related to these purposes as may be necessary or useful in the accomplishment of the said purposes in accordance with currently acceptable museological practices.