Today we had an opportunity to wander around the whole of the Seaquist Mansion. It is located near the town square in Mason, TX. I won't go into the history of the place here. Suffice it to say that it has gone through several hands in its many years. It was built at a time when supplies could only be brought in by wagon.
About six years ago the property was purchased by a group intent on restoring and preserving this magnificent home. We toured the place four years ago, when just the first floor was open to viewing, and mostly it had just been cleaned at that point and made safe.
These two photos are of the kitchen. The cupboards and counter have been recreated according to an old photograph from days gone by. Unfortunately, for most of the house, there really aren't any photos until about the 1960s and 70s. What a shame.
The house is not overly ornate inside, which is comfortable to me. There is a lot of natural wood around. Floors have been restored, but not the wood paneling or trims around windows and doors. To me, it looks great. The greatest beauty comes from many stained glass windows throughout the structure.
The large wooden bar used to be on the third floor of the house. It has now been moved to the main floor. Imagine hosting a party from there!
The next three photos show the ballroom, which takes up a good portion of the third floor. The home has fifteen fireplaces and yes, the ballroom has one too. It also has a steep narrow staircase leading up to a Julliet balcony where musicians would have stood to perform. Across the hall from the ballroom is a billiards room. Further to the back of the house is a card games room.
I don't know if the water supply was stored inside this tower or at the top of the tower in a metal or wooden tank that no longer exists.
This is a courtyard below the water tank tower. Towards the left side is a gated opening to the basement areas, which we did not get to see. The courtyard faced north to an expansive green lawn area, leading to the bushy edge of Comanche Creek.
The pillars along the north side of the house masterfully hold up upper balconies. Until such time that the structural support of the balconies is inspected, they are not open to the public.
Because Christmas is just around the corner, the entire home is lovingly decorated with holiday themed items. The volunteers who decorated, run the open houses and worked on renovations are all to be commended for a job well done. Merry Christmas!
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