The 1820 Colonel Benjamin Stephenson House, Illinois, United States
5.0 (13 reviews) Sunday: 12:00 PM - 3:00 PM Spent 1-2 hours Ranking #4 in Edwardsville History Museums
History That Comes Alive
On a Saturday afternoon visit to Edwardsville, my family took a guided tour of the Col. Benjamin Stephenson House. Our guides, who were dressed in period clothing, were experts at explaining what life might have been like in that area in 1820. (The 184-acre farm is now in the heart of Edwardsville and occupied by a major road, many businesses and a residential area.) The tour begins with a 15-minute introductory film about the Stephenson family. It then moves outside to a separate brick building that is a replica of the once-attached kitchen had two women in it making beeswax candles. We learned that volunteers are almost always making candles, baking bread, stringing beans, or doing one of the many chores that would have been done in 1820. The home remains quite functional, especially during the holidays. It's the only historic home I've been in that allows visitors to sit on the furniture and try on the clothes. For $6, this tour is a bargain!
Address
409 S Buchanan St, Edwardsville, IL 62025-2037
Mobile
Website
http://www.stephensonhouse.org
Working hours
Monday :
Tuesday :
Wednesday :
Thursday : 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Friday : 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Saturday : 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Sunday : 12:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Current local date and time now
Sunday, May 12, 2024, 8:22
User Ratings
5.0 based on (13 reviews)
Reviews
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5Pat L 5:00 PM Apr 6, 2019
History That Comes Alive
On a Saturday afternoon visit to Edwardsville, my family took a guided tour of the Col. Benjamin Stephenson House. Our guides, who were dressed in period clothing, were experts at explaining what life might have been like in that area in 1820. (The 184-acre farm is now in the heart of Edwardsville and occupied by a major road, many businesses and a residential area.) The tour begins with a 15-minute introductory film about the Stephenson family. It then moves outside to a separate brick building that is a replica of the once-attached kitchen had two women in it making beeswax candles. We learned that volunteers are almost always making candles, baking bread, stringing beans, or doing one of the many chores that would have been done in 1820. The home remains quite functional, especially during the holidays. It's the only historic home I've been in that allows visitors to sit on the furniture and try on the clothes. For $6, this tour is a bargain!
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4victoria 5:00 PM Jun 30, 2018
Authentic Restoration
Privately funded non-profit well appointed historic home. Docent led tours. Women's circle hand stitch all garments. Decor true to period. Check in advance for special demonstrations of candle making, cooking, artistries. The Stephenson's lived quiet well for the time and area in which they resided.
