George Eastman House

I need to make a correction - it is no longer called "George Eastman House" it is the "George Eastman Museum."  It will always be the original name for me.  So I mentioned in the post of the elephant head that I had not spent time in the house in perhaps 20 years.  So I took my time and wandered around the once familiar rooms, but they have changed.  Back in 1960 they displayed photographs in most of the rooms.  Turns out that was a bad idea because many of the rooms are flooded with sunlight, which causes the historic photographs to fade.  So the rooms have been decorated as they would have been back in George Eastman's time. The nice thing is that in this sitting room, we are allowed to sit on the furniture and contemplate the portrait of him.

It is a stunning mansion!  This the magnificent staircase - be sure to click on the image to see the details of the balusters - there are four or five different styles that alternate.  What a stunning staircase!  Note on the bottom the long square boxes.  They are paper player piano rolls which are actually for the pipe organ in the conservatory.  Most are classical music pieces.  Every day at breakfast an organist would come to the house and play the organ while George Eastman had breakfast.

This is George Eastman's desk in the formal living room, with fresh flowers on it.  Spending time in this home made me realize that I really should read the George Eastman biography which I own, but have not read yet.