An Intimate Visit With an Grand Old Lady

Recently Kate attended an author's event in Oak Brook, Illinois at the Mayslake Peabody Mansion. What a pleasure to attend any sort of event there!

The background on the Mayslake Peabody Mansion was written up in "A Brief History" last month. (If you missed it you can read it here.) While it looks as though generations of the Peabody family lived and died in the home, they really only used it for a very short time. The Franciscan brothers who bought the estate made the changes that were important to them, but keeping up the place as a grand family home was obviously not their mission.

Kate hadn't been in the mansion for a couple years, so she was delighted to see how much progress has been made on the restoration. The meeting was held in the former friar's chapel, but since there was also an art exhibit going on in one of the other halls, visitors were encouraged to explore a bit.

The woodwork, the plaster carving, the fireplaces -- all are stunning. Right now, the floors and library shelves are bare, but it's easy to imagine an oriental carpet with a cozy wing chair pulled up in front of rows of leather-bound volumes.

Mayslake offers tours, classes and performances so there are plenty of opportunities to enjoy the company of this grand old lady. See their web site for a complete list of events.

Check on the Restoration of a Mansion

In 1992, voters agreed to let the DuPage Forest Preserve District purchase the Mayslake Peabody Estate in Oak Brook, Illinois, and take on its operation and restoration.

The Tudor Revival mansion is huge and beautiful, built in 1921 for F.S. Peabody. Unfortunately, Mr. Peabody died soon after its completion and his surviving family decided not to keep the house.

It was sold in 1924 to the Franciscan Province of the Sacred Heart, a Catholic men's religious community. The Franciscans added a spartan two-story retreat building and turned the living room into a beautiful chapel. The mansion served as a religious retreat up until the Forest Preserve acquired it.

After so many years of hard use, Mayslake was overdue for basic maintenance, let alone restoring it to its 1920's glory. Of course the repair bills have been staggering, but progress is being made. It's actually quite fascinating to see the walls stained and peeling in one room and then see what wonderful refurbishment has taken place in the next.

Classes, performances and programs take place at Mayslake all year round, but if you want to take the Restoration in Progress Tour, there are only two tours left this year: Wednesday, December 2 and Wednesday, December 9. Tours will resume again in late January.