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JACKSON MANSION SPONSORED ROOMS

 

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Sponsored Rooms

 

The Berwick Historical Society is opening the doors of the Jackson Mansion so you can sponsor the restoration of a room. This sponsorship would allow you to dedicate the room in honor of either a person, family, an organization, a business, or corporation.
 

The forever tribute to your honoree would be named and recognized at the room dedication ceremony. Recognition will also be given on all brochures and literature, and during tour events at the Jackson Mansion.
 

This type of continuous and long-lasting memorial is priceless. If you have a serious interest in pursuing this limited opportunity, please contact us at 570-759-8020 to set up an appointment.
 

Our mansion curator, Jim Stout, will meet with you and give you an up-close look at the rooms available, and discuss with you the details of your donation. The room sponsorship program was started by Maria Vezendy. 
 

Thank you for your consideration.

 

 

The Jackson Family Dining Room

 

The Jackson's Family Dining Room was the heart of the family's dining, and their interaction with each other in the course of their daily lives during the Victorian era. Although this room was informal in comparison to the guest dining room (Formal Dining Room), manners of serving were still paramount.

 

Items were served off of silver trays, just as in the formal dining room. Serving dishes were never passed by family members, but served individually to the Jacksons by their house staff.

 

At the end of the family meal, the linen napkins were customarily shaken out by staff and rolled back into silver napkin rings with their names on them, and stored in the dining room linen closet. Fresh linen was placed out for Sunday's meal and most napkins were used the entire week unless heavily soiled.

 

This room was sponsored by the former Berwick Hospital Gift Shop Volunteers.

 

The Butler's Pantry Area

 

The Butler's Pantry space is restored in memory of Maria Vezendy, beloved Board Member and friend, to perpetuate her vision for the continued restoration of the mansion.
 

The area was originally where the Jacksons had a glass solarium. Unfortunately during the winter of 1888, a hailstorm badly damaged the solarium and Mrs. Jackson had the pantry built in its place. The original butler's pantry was located in the basement along with the kitchen and meal preparation room.
 

Thank you to everyone who made the completion of this room possible.   Butler's Pantry Donors List.

 

Colonel Jackson's Office

 

The Colonel's office restoration was completed in the spring of 2012 thanks to Jacob Knecht's great-grandson, Gerald Kershner. Jacob Knecht was Colonel and Mrs. Jackson's coachman. Mr. Kershner was a native of Berwick. His great grandparents lived in one of the houses across Fifth Street that was built for them by the Colonel. As a boy, Gerald spent many hours playing on the grounds of the mansion, and inside as well.
 

Gerald's intent was to restore this room as closely as possible to the time period when the house was built and used by the Colonel as his office. Some of the restoration done to achieve this goal was professional painting of the ornate plaster work, historically documented wallpaper, and restoration of the original parquet wood floors. The room also contains some of Jackson's original artifacts.
 

This office was used more as a "social office" and not a working office. The Colonel had aspirations of becoming a senator or governor of Pennsylvania, therefore politicians would call on the home frequently.
 

The four stained glass windows in the office are original and they depict the four seasons.

 

THE FORMAL PARLOR

 

This room is sponsored by First Keystone Community Bank. The original crystal chandelier has been restored and is now back in its original location after more than one-hundred years, returning this formal parlor to its original grandeur.
 

The Berwick Borough used this room as Council Chambers for a span of 95 years.

 

THE FAMILY PARLOR

 

This room has been restored, thanks to Robert E. Bull, in memory of his wife, Sara E. Bull. The original fireplace mantle in the family parlor has been restored to resemble the original rare African Faux Marble that Mrs. Jackson selected when they moved in. The entire room, along with most of the antiques, has been sponsored by Robert E. Bull.
 

Intricate painting of the crown and rope molding and the center medallion compliments the authentic reproduction of the late 1800's ceiling and wall papers.
 

One of the greatest features in this room is the original Steinway Square Grand Piano which has been restored and is played for special events.
 

This room and the Formal Dining Room housed the Berwick Public Library for many years.

 

THE FORMAL DINING ROOM

 

This room is sponsored by Mr. Joseph Cappelloni and Mr. Jim Stout, Mansion Curator, in honor of George and Annalee Stout and in memory of Albert and Geva Cappelloni.
 

The Jacksons had two dining rooms - this being the formal one, used for special occasions and very important dinner parties with dignitaries and influential members of society.
 

MRS. JACKSON'S BEDROOM

 

We would like to thank First Columbia Bank and Trust for the restoration of Mrs. Jackson's Bedroom. This room's greatest feature is Mrs. Jackson's original bedroom set. The bed originally had a corona over the top and has been recreated to restore the original appearance.
 

All of the woodwork and doors were originally a dark wood grain, and after the Colonel's death Mrs. Jackson had them painted cream with the inserts gilded. The exquisite ceiling and wall coverings are another authentic period reproduction.

 

MRS. JACKSON'S BATHROOM

All of the bedrooms have their own wash-stations, except Mrs. Jackson's. She had her very own bathroom. Margaret Kocela has sponsored this space in memory of Mary Stas Kocela & George Kocela.
 

The honeybee wallpaper and frieze design was created in the 1880's by Candice Wheeler, one of America's first women interior and textile designers. John Burrows has traced her honeybee design and Scottish artists have made it possible for the Burrows Studio to offer the honeybee curtain panel.

 

MRS. JACKSON'S CLOSET

 

In this space, we have on display, Mrs. Jackson's original duvet and her well-preserved fan, along with vintage clothing and shoes. An interesting feature is the original ceiling and wall coverings, along with the crown molding and paint. These areas were purposely left untouched to preserve the original features.
 

Anna McKiniry has sponsored this room in memory of her parents, John and Frances McKiniry.

 

HENRIETTA'S BEDROOM

 

We appreciate the generosity of Robert and Trinell Bull for the restoration of Henrietta's Bedroom. This room is sponsored in honor of the Bulls' daughters.
 

Henrietta was the oldest of the Jackons' daughters and she was 12 years-old when the family moved into the mansion in 1879.
 

This room is arranged just as it was from the beginning.  We know this because this bedroom and the downstairs rooms were photographed by a professional that the Jacksons' hired to take the pictures after the family moved in. We have these photographs, some on original stereoview cards, and they have become a very valuable resource to aid in the restoration of this Victorian home

 

COLONEL JACKSON'S BEDROOM

 

This room has been sponsored by Terry Riegel and his wife Arlene, in memory of Betty J. Klinetob Riegel & Earl C. Riegel.
 

It is believed that Colonel Jackson was here in his bedroom at the time of his death in 1880. He was only 38 years old. We have his original funeral booklet on display, dated May 6, 1880, along with some other personal items.
 

From 1915 until 2010, the Berwick Chapter of the American Red Cross headquarters was located in this room.

 

BILLIARD ROOM

 

The Billiard Room on the third floor is sponsored by William Selden, Jr. and features an ornate, completely restored billiard table from 1867, along with some items from President Theadore Roosevelt's yacht. Although this space is completely finished, it is not yet included in our regular tours.  The third floor is only open a few times each year at this time..

 

SERVANTS' STAIRWAY

 

The Servants' Stairway that winds its way between the second and third floor is sponsored by Daniel Dietterick, Jr. On the wall in this space are pictures of the Jacksons' servants.

 

ORIGINAL KITCHEN

 

Thanks to Greg and Jessica Martz, the orginal kitchen space in the basement of the Jackson Mansion has been restored. This space is available to tour on special tour events only at this time.

 

PLASTER WORK

Plaster Work Donations from the Dorothy Bittenbender Estate have a presence in many rooms of the mansion. Since the donation came to us exactly at the start of the restoration, it gave us the opportunity to begin restoration in an orderly fashion. The primary goal in the beginning was to complete this major project before continuing the remaining restoration room by room. We were not only able to repair plaster throughout the mansion but also to replicate the ornate medallions, rope molding and crown molding that had been removed from various rooms over the years. We thank the Dorothy Bittenbender estate for the generous donation that enabled us to start this major project on the right foot. It will truly be a lasting memorial in her name.

 

 

The following rooms are still in need of sponsorship:
Third Floor Bathroom
Prep Kitchen
Original Laundry Area
Hallways - 1st, 2nd, & 3rd Floors
Nanny's Room is being sponsored by Marilyn Gibbons
Original Porch Facing Fifth Street
Some Third Floor Rooms
Carriage House restoration  

On behalf of the Berwick Historical Society, I would like to thank all of our sponsors for their generous donations towards completing the restoration of the Jackson Mansion. We would also like to thank all those who have donated items which have further enhanced the restoration process. Your support is greatly appreciated.

 

Jim Stout
Jackson Mansion Curator and BHS Evecutive Director

 

CONTACT INFORMATION


Berwick Historical Society
PO Box 301
Berwick, Pa. 18603
 

David A. Sadock Headquarters
Tuesday, Wednesday 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
and Saturday by Appointment
Phone 570-759-8020
 

https://berwickhistoricalsociety.org

HOURS OF OPERATION


Jackson Mansion Tours
Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays
10:30 a.m. and again at 1:00 p.m.


Ross & Boone Gift Shoppe
Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays
10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Phone 570-520-4110

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