720.9773999 
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 Cairo Historical Ass'n. Magnolia Manor: 
 Historic Mansion and Museum, mocon 
 
ILLINOIS HISTOmCAL SURVTT 
 
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iOiS HISTORICAL SURVEY 
 
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Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 
 in 2012 with funding from 
 
 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/magnoliamanorhisOOcair 
 
^ns. (Laizo c^i^tozLcaL c:z^i±oaiaHon^ Una. 
 
 Organized in 1952 for the preservation and 
 perpetuation of Historic Cairo by the 
 
 Chamber of Commerce 
 
 Beta Sigma Phi Sorority 
 
 Business and Professional Women's Club 
 
 Junior Association of Commerce 
 
 Junior Woman's Club 
 
 Kiwanis Club 
 
 Patrons Club of Magnolia Manor 
 
 Rotary Club 
 
 Cairo Elks Lodge No. 651 
 

 CD 
 
 on 
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 CaixOf LfLLinoi^ 
 
 At the southern tip of Illinois, two of America'.^ 
 mightiest rivers, the Mississippi and the Ohio, meet 
 with calm and turbulance to join forces for the march 
 onward to the sea. 
 
 Here stands CAIRO — picturesque, interesting- and 
 historic city, strategic center and an important link 
 in both river and rail transportation between the in- 
 dustrial and agricultural area to the North, and the 
 Southland. 
 
 Great river steamers and tow boats with their 
 freight-loaded barges are a familiar sight at Cairo 
 And overhead, two great free bridges cross the rivers 
 from the tip of the peninsula, carrying traffic to Ken- 
 tucky and Missouri and beyond. 
 
 Cairo is known for its immense levees behind 
 which its people live serenely and securely ; Cairo has 
 not been flooded since 1858, long before its world 
 famous modern levee system was built. 
 
 CAIRO^ is a city of graceful charm where lan- 
 gorously scented magnolias, crepe myrtle, exotic ginko 
 trees, galleried houses, cotton and cypress swamps 
 accent its Southern characteristics. 
 
 The friendly people of Cairo welcome all visitors 
 to their prosperous city . . . where catfish still 
 sizzle in frying pans and canebrakes cluster in the 
 river bottoms, where dignified old southern mansions 
 hear the swish of sternwheelers and the muted snarl 
 of diesels, blending the old and the new. 
 
<::A/\aQnoLia <c:A/\anoi 
 
 <:zl\omantia <:SuxijiijaL of Saxiu daixo 
 
 Twenty-seven hundred Washington Avenue is an 
 old address in Cairo, historic and time-honored. Set 
 well back from the street, sheltered by magnolia trees, 
 and jeweled with a sparkling fountain wreathed in ivy 
 is the stately fourteen-room red brick house which 
 was constructed by Charles A. Galigher in 1869. 
 Those were the days when it seemed that Cairo, a 
 boom-town, would run Chicago off the map to be- 
 come a great industrial center. The house Mr. Gali- 
 gher, a prosperous milling merchant, built was in line 
 with the promise of the city. 
 
 (^ Brick for the Victorian mansion was made in Cairo 
 and today, except fbr a mellow look, show not a sign 
 of age. After the foundation was laid, it was allowed 
 to stand for a year, "to set." Construction was 
 
 i finished in 1872, with walls of double brick made with 
 a 10-inch air space to keep out the damp. The man- 
 sion was then decorated and furnished with the finest 
 furniture of the day. 
 
 A frequent visitor to the Galigher home was Ulysses 
 S. Grant. In September, 1861, General Grant on the 
 Belle-Memphis landed here to make Cairo his head- 
 quarters during the Civil War. and his attacks on 
 Forts Henry and Donaldson were launched from here. 
 In 1880, Grant, as a retired President, returning from 
 a tour of the world, came here again to visit his war- 
 time friend and to be the guest of honor at a brilliant 
 reception which was given this description in the 
 Cairo Daily Bulletin of April 17, 1880: '*A display of 
 beauty and magnificence never before equaled in 
 Cairo. The Galigher mansion is an honor to the su- 
 burban life of Cairo ... It combines all that abundant 
 
wealth and exalted taste stimulated by the proper 
 degree of enterprise could suggest or procure. Hun- 
 dreds of gas jets flashed brilliancy upon its grandeur 
 and fell upon a scene of magnificence rarely to be 
 witnessed anywhere." 
 
 The Grant visit was the peak, the hey-day, of the 
 Galigher home. In 1910, Mr. Galigher sold the house 
 to H. H. Candee of Cairo, who in turn sold it to a Chi- 
 cago businessman, P. T. Langan, who became a Cairo 
 lumber dealer. During this period the various owners 
 kept the house in good repair, appreciating the fact 
 that it was a landmark of the city. 
 
 In 1948, Mrs. Langan sold the house to Colonel 
 Fain White King, a noted archeologist and author. 
 Colonel and Mrs. King took a great interest in restor- 
 ing the ornamental moldings and the original painted 
 borders in the reception hall and in the southeast bed- 
 room. After a short time, however, the Kings left 
 Cairo and the house stood empty. 
 
 The Cairo Historical Association was formed in 
 1952 by a group of progressive organizations with the 
 purpose of preserving and perpetuating historic Cairo. 
 
 Because the Galigher house was the scene of the 
 Grant visit and reception and because of its ornate 
 style of architecture and typification of a fine home 
 of the period, it was included in the Illinois section 
 of the Historic American Buildings survey. Therefore 
 it was decided to undertake the preservation of this 
 beautiful, historic mansion as the initial propect of the 
 Cairo Historical Association, and the Galigher house 
 became MAGNOLIA MANOR. 
 
 Since its acquisition, MAGNOLIA MANOR and 
 its museum, which displays interesting memorabilia 
 of Cairo history, have been a continuing source of 
 pride to the citizens of Cairo and interest to the tourist 
 and Cairo visitor. 
 
L/As ^aLiQhE,x <^^oonz 
 
 To llie right of the entrance hall is Ihe spacious 
 ( blue and mauve drawing room which was the scene 
 of the brilliant Grant Reception. The plaster cornice 
 which encircles the entire room in an intricate, ex- 
 quisite design of grapes and leaves is one of the most 
 
beautiful in America. The ornamental arches and 
 columns are dramatic architectural features which ac- 
 cent the splendor of the Galigher Room. An interest- 
 ing note is the patrician woman's head which is part of 
 the archway motif ; this is said to be a likeness of 
 Queen Victoria of England who was greatly admired 
 by Charles Galigher and who was supplied flour by 
 Mr. Galigher's flour mill through her agent, L. R. 
 Finch of New York. 
 
 Twin mantles of fine Italian marble dramatize the 
 room, and the portraits above them are of the origi- 
 nal owner and his wife, given by their son, C. Fred 
 Galigher, who also restored many fine original fur- 
 nishings to Magnolia Manor. The handsome brass 
 and crystal prismed antique candlesticks which grace 
 the east mantle were presented by the Cairo Histori- 
 cal Association to honor its organizer and first presi- 
 dent, Mrs. Brooks Russell Long. The jalousies are of 
 special interest both for their contribution to the 
 decorative scheme and for their perfect preservation ; 
 original jalousies are on all of the widows in the 
 mansion. 
 
 The exquisite crystal and gold leaf chandelier 
 which provides a dramatic accent to the beauty of the 
 Galigher room was a gift of the Business and Profes- 
 sional Women's Club; the square grand piano of lus- 
 trous ebony with its elaborate beading was given by 
 members of the Kleb family ; the gold Victorian lady's 
 chair was from the wedding furnishings of Judge 
 John M. Lansden, writer of Lansden's History of 
 Cairo. The tufted velvet pouf once graced the recep- 
 tion room of The Magnolias and was a gift of the 
 Weber family; the gold curio cabinet and matching 
 tables are heirlooms of the Aisthorpes, and many of 
 the other lively antiques which furnish the Galigher 
 Room are given or loaned by families who have con- 
 tributed much to Cairo's history. 
 
J lis. J^Lbxa^u 
 
 Among the many features of this charming room 
 is the fine hand-carved bookcase to the right of the 
 doorway. This is from "Greenway", the only mansion 
 which no longer stands of the four built on the four 
 corners of Twenty-eighth Street and Washington 
 Avenue during the Civil War era. It contains over 
 200 books dating from 1854. 
 
 The green and gold wallpaper was discovered in a 
 warehouse where it has been in storage for over half 
 a century. The green velour upholstery of the five 
 piece \'^ictorian suite is original, and this handsome 
 ensemble was the gift of Mr. and Mrs. C. C. Carter. 
 
 Over the white marble mantle is a painting, "Scene 
 of the Nile," w^hich was purchased by Mr. Charles 
 Galigher from Marple of St. Louis for $500.00. The 
 series of four "Seasons" in their rich frames are origi- 
 nal and worthy of note. 
 
 Of special interest also are the charcoal foot warmer 
 of 1800 used by the mother of the builder, the small 
 jewelled light in the bay window, and the music box. 
 
 !Z7^£ ll^anza^k cz/^oom 
 
 Originally the dining room, the DAMASK ROO^^I 
 is now used for club meetings and as the refreshment 
 center for the various social events held at the Manor. 
 
 .All of the basic furnishings are original. The hand- 
 some chairs are from the original set used by ex- 
 President and Mrs. Grant at the reception at 2700 
 Washington Avenue on April 1(). 1880. They were 
 recaned by members of the Patron's Club during the 
 presidency of Mrs. James S. Johnson, Jr.. HX^5-1050. 
 
Those interested in construction details will wish 
 especially to note the thickness and Cjuality of the 
 ^vood in the doors, and every housewife will yearn 
 for a duplicate of the china closet at the left of the 
 entrance. 
 
 Meals were prepared on the massive iron and l)rick 
 stove in the kitchen below, which has been restored, 
 and were sent on the duml) waiter to the butler's 
 pantry to be served. 
 
From the front entrance hall, the stairway curves 
 
 gracefully. The balustrades are carved from solid 
 
 (^cherry. In passing, notice the original bronze cava- 
 
 f^ Her standing on the newel post, lighting the stairs now 
 
 as he did in the Galigher era. From the base of the 
 
 stairway may be observed the top skylight. The 
 
 original stained glass was replaced with clear for bet- 
 
 -ter light in the halls. 
 
 On the third floor are located four bed chambers 
 (variously exhibited, as they are available for rental.) 
 
 The bedroom at the head of the stairs contains origi- 
 nal furnishings reacquired from the Reed Green 
 home. 
 
 In the sewing room adjoining, the antique machine, 
 wooden patterns, and other Victorian sewing accesso- 
 ries are of special interest to many. This area under 
 the cupola was formerly used by the Galigher sons 
 and their friends for a theatre stage — the audience 
 seating themselves out front in the large upper hall. 
 
 L%£ ^xant !H&dzooni± 
 
 In the south west corner of the house is the Master 
 Bedroom which was assigned to Mrs. U. S. Grant 
 when she and ex-president Grant and party were 
 guests of the Charles Galighers in 1880. Grant was 
 pleased to have the opportunity to revisit Cairo on his 
 return home from an extensive world tour. This was 
 the general's first visit in Cairo since his early cam- 
 paign days in 1861-62. Their visit in town was brief 
 because John H. Hogan was coming to Cairo to ac- 
 company Grant and family to a fine new home being 
 presented to him by the Citizens of Galena. _ ^ 
 
 U. S. Grant was escorted to rest in the southeast 
 bed chamber following an eventful morning of pa- 
 rades, speech making and late luncheon at the Gali- 
 ghers. On the ceiling remains the original decora- 
 
tions as seen by Grant. The richly carved solid walnut) 
 bedstead is the actual bed used by Grant, and the 
 other furnishings have been carefully chosen to create^ 
 an authentic setting-. 
 
 The hand-knit bedspread is the same one used to 
 decorate General Grant's cjuarters on the occasion of 
 a visit of Mrs. Grant during the Civil War. It was 
 loaned then by Mrs. John Barry, who knitted it on 
 her way to i\merica in 1858; the bedspread was pre- 
 sented to the Manor by her grandson, Mr. Ned Phillips 
 
 of Louisville, Ky In this room, also, is a 
 
 chair given as a hospitality gift to Judge Horace A. 
 Hannon by General Grant following a visit to the Han- 
 non home during the Civil War. 
 
 Although the house was built with spacious rooms 
 and lofty ceilings, communication for the family was 
 well planned throughout. An intricate speaking sysA 
 tern ran from various rooms of the different floors/ 
 By blowing on a whistle into a speaking tube to at- 
 tract attention, one could converse easily with another 
 at the far end of the house. 
 
 Cherished possessions of Cairo residents have been 
 contributed to form a collection of \^ictorian dolls, 
 furniture, and toys. 
 
 JVoxtLait !Bsd^ 
 
 room 
 
 The exquisite cherry antique furnishings in this 
 bedroom were the gift of Mrs. Robert Peck Bates. 
 
 The Victorian gowns, lingerie, and accessories ex- 
 hibited have come from various sources . . . many are 
 from bridal trousseaus of the ladies of old Cairo fami- 
 lies ; some have been given by tourists from all over 
 the United States who have become interested in the 
 Cairo Historical Association during their tours 
 through the Manor and have made gifts of antiques 
 or donations to further the restoraton projects. 
 
The Elks Lodge No. 651 have made the authentic 
 restoration of this room their project. Mr. George 
 Warner of Warner Wallpaper Company donated the 
 wallpaper. 
 
 A gracious warmth pervades the newly decorated 
 master bedroom which was used by Mrs. Ulysses S. 
 Grant when she accompanied her husband to visit the 
 Galighers after their trip around the world. 
 
 On the fourth floor is a varied and most interest- 
 ing MUSEUM displaying artifices collected or worn 
 during the 1800s, rare Civil War memorabilia, and a 
 collection of items relating to MAUD ... a widely 
 read autobiography of the early thirties. 
 
 Maude Rittenhouse was a belle of Cairo in the 
 1880s. The publication of her diary containing a day 
 by day account of the activities of a gay, fun loving 
 maiden of the late Victorian age quickly caught the 
 public fancy. Many visitors who read MAUD are 
 especially interested in the display. 
 
 Among the interesting MUSEUM items are col- 
 lections of American Indian Arts, and implements and 
 apparel of the Victorian era. 
 
 The cupola standing high above the magnc^lias made 
 the fifth story to Mr. Galigher's fine mansion, and in 
 the early years of its occupancy, an excellent view of 
 the city and the rivers could be obtained from this 
 vantage point. 
 
A DELIGHTFUL GLIMPSE OF 1870 
 MANOR VICTORIAN KITCHEN RESTORED 
 
 Through the cooperation of the Patron's Club and 
 special gifts of many visitors, the spacious and cheer- 
 ful kitchen on the ground floor has been restored and 
 completely furnished to recreate an early Cairo 
 Kitchen. 
 
 Charles Galigher designed his kitchen to accomo- 
 date many servants, and its size demonstrates that its 
 function was to provide savory dinners and sump- 
 tuous party foods for the Galighers' many friends 
 and visitors. 
 
 Of special interest is the original brick and cast 
 iron stove purchased at Cincinnati, On this same stove 
 was prepared the delicacies for Ex-President Ulysses 
 S. Grant on his visit with his friends, Charles Gali- 
 gher, in 1880. 
 
 Walnut was used in abundance throughout this 
 early kitchen. Thick walnut shelves now hold the 
 heavy Victorian cooking utensils — cast iron pots, 
 fluting irons, coflfee grinders, etc. Hanging from the 
 walnut backboard are arrayed the many ladles, knives 
 and pronged forks. A most interesting use of walnut 
 may be found in the high dado and the floor with al- 
 ternating walnut and oak boards. 
 
 The kitchen furnishings are sturdy oak pieces 
 created for utility : work table, flour bin, chopping 
 block and zinc sink. The lighting fixtures, now wired, 
 are of the Gas Age with a hooded kerosene lamp in 
 the center of the kitchen, and bracket lamps on the 
 side walls. 
 
 Preparation of food in our early river town was a 
 labor of love, and dining upon such was an epicurean 
 delight and special adventure. Therefore, it is fitting 
 that the Cairo Historical Association preserve this 
 memory of the past in their MANOR KITCHEN for 
 those of our frozen food and aluminum foil age to 
 view. 
 
^u&nt± at <^:A/{aqnoLia e^A/{ano% 
 
 MAGNOLIA MANOR takes an important part in 
 the social life of the city with monthly luncheons and 
 dinners, wedding receptions, special entertainments 
 and meetings of member organizations. 
 
 Cairoites and their friends, and visitors from many 
 states await with great eagerness their visits to the 
 annual HOLIDAY HOUSE late in the month of No- 
 vember when the spacious halls are decked with holly 
 
and mistletoe and a fifteen foot Christmas tree glitters 
 with the glamour of bygone years. A visit to 
 HOLIDAY HOUSE is a memorable experience ; a 
 nostalgic glimpse of the old fashioned Christmas spirit. 
 Iiach of the spacious rooms challenges the others with 
 the beauty of its Holiday decorations, and Christmas 
 gifts and Christmas goodies are in tempting array for 
 the visitors. 
 
 The MAGNOLIA FESTIVAL is an annual event 
 held the third or fourth week of May when the beauti- 
 ful, stately Grandiflora Magnolia trees which flourish 
 in Cairo are in their fresh and loveliest bloom — be- 
 decked to their forty and fifty foot heights with lus- 
 trous new green leaves and great fragrant white 
 blossoms. 
 
 A traditional Maypole is set on the south lawn of 
 the manor, festooned with magnolias and gay ribbons, 
 and dances are presented by groups of school children. 
 Band concerts are enjoyed by listeners gathered by 
 the cool fountain which is graced with a fine Victorian 
 figure presented by Mrs. Richard Bonfanti in memory 
 of Miss Nell Kleb and Mrs. Annie Vincent — ardent 
 supporters of the Manor in its early days. 
 
 MAGNOLIA FESTIVAL is a time for pilgrimage 
 to MAGNOLIA MANOR and to other lovely Cairo 
 homes and buildings — both modern and historic — and 
 a time for enjoyment of many varied events and en- 
 tertainments climaxed with the annual MAGNOLIA 
 BALL where the MAGNOLIA QUEEN is crowned 
 by that mysterious potentate, KING RIVERS, who 
 appears at the BALL each year to claim a lovely 
 Cairo belle as his Queen. The MAGNOLIA FESTI- 
 VAL BALL is the outstanding event of Cairo social 
 life and is eagerly awaited each year by participants 
 and spectators alike. 
 
"^aud" ^, 
 
 OU±£ 
 
 At 701 Walnut Street, the towered red brick build- 
 ing, is the home of Maude Rittenhouse, who wrote 
 "Maud", one of the most amusing diaries of day to day 
 life in the Gay Nineties. The tower forming a third 
 floor room is where she wrote. The book was a best- 
 seller. Now, out of print, its copies are rare, unob- 
 tainable treasures. 
 
 To preserve and restore this house is the goal of 
 the Cairo Historical Association-Maud House. The 
 property has been purchased and some work started, 
 but much remains to be done to make it a tourist 
 attraction. 
 
 Donations, tax-deductible to a non-profit organiza- 
 tion, may be addressed to the finance chairman, Mr. 
 Walter Gates, P. O. Box 504, Cairo, Illinois 62914. 
 
Magijolia Maijor 
 
 Pistoric Maqsioq and Museum 
 
 Cairo, lUiijois 
 
 25c 
 
The Gairo Jlistorical yissociatioq, Inc. 
 
 Organized in 1952 for the preservation and 
 perpetuation of Historic Cairo by the 
 
 Association of Commerce 
 
 Beta Sigma Phi Sorority 
 
 Business and Professional Woman's Club 
 
 Junior Association of Commerce 
 
 Junior Woman's Club 
 
 Kiwanis Club 
 
 Patron's Club of Magnolia Manor 
 
 Rotary Club 
 
* 
 
 ts? 
 
 ^ 
 
 .......,,,,^ 
 
 * 
 * 
 
Gairo^ Illiqois 
 
 At the southern tip of Illinois, two of America's 
 mightiest rivers, the Mississippi and the Ohio, meet 
 with calm and turbulance to join forces for the march 
 onward to the sea. 
 
 Here stands CAIRO — picturesque, interesting and 
 historic city, strategic center and an important link in 
 both river and rail transportation between the indus- 
 trial and agricultural area to the North and the South- 
 land. 
 
 Great river steamers and tow boats with their 
 freight-loaded barges are a familiar sight at Cairo. 
 And overhead, two great free bridges cross the rivers 
 from the tip of the peninsula, carrying traffic to Ken- 
 tucky and Missouri and beyond. 
 
 Cairo is known for its immense levees behind 
 which its people live serenely and securely: Cairo has 
 not been flooded since 1858, long before its world 
 famous modern levee system was built. 
 
 CAIRO is a city of graceful charm where langor- 
 ously scented magnolias, crepe myrtle, exotic ginko 
 trees, galleried houses, cotton and cypress swamps ac- 
 cent its Southern characteristics. 
 
 The friendly people of Cairo welcome all visitors 
 to their prosperous city . . . where catfish still sizzle 
 in frying pans and canebrakes cluster in the river bot- 
 toms, where dignified old southern mansions hear the 
 swish of sternwheelers and the muted snarl of diesels, 
 blending the old and the new. 
 
Magqolia Maijor 
 
 Hoiqaiitic SurViVal of Early Gairo 
 
 Twenty-seven hundred Washington Avenue is an 
 old address in Cairo, historic and time-honored. Set 
 well back from the street, sheltered by magnolia trees, 
 and enclosed by a low hedge is the stately fourteen- 
 room red brick house which was constructed by 
 Charles A. Galigher in 1869. Those v/ere the days 
 when it seemed that Cairo, a boom-town, would run 
 Chicago off the map to become a great industrial cen- 
 ter. The house Mr. Galigher, a prosperous milling 
 merchant, built was in line with the promise of the 
 city. 
 
 Brick for the Victorian mansion was imported 
 from England and today, except for a mellow look, 
 shows not a sign of age. After the foundation was laid, 
 it was allowed to stand for a year, "to set." Construc- 
 tion was finished in 1872, with wails of double brick 
 made with a 10-inch air space to keep out the damp. 
 The mansion was then decorated and furnished with 
 the finest furniture of the day. 
 
 A frequent visitor to the Galigher home was Ulys- 
 ses S. Grant. In September, 1861, General Grant on 
 the Belle-Memphis landed here to make Cairo his 
 headquarters during the Civil War, and his attacks 
 on Forts Henry and Donaldson were launched from 
 here. In 1880, Grant, as a retired President, returning 
 from a tour of the world, came here again to visit his 
 wartime friend and to be the guest of honor at a bril- 
 liant reception which was given this description in the 
 Cairo Daily Bulletin of April 17, 1880: "A display of 
 beauty and magnificence never before equalled in 
 
Cairo. The Galigher mansion is an honor to the sub- 
 urban life of Cairo ... It combines all that abundant 
 wealth and exhalted taste stimulated by the proper de- 
 gree of enterprise could suggest or procure . . . Hun- 
 dreds of gas jets flashed brilliancy upon its grandeur 
 and fell upon a scene of magnificence rarely to be 
 witnessed anywhere." 
 
 As guests of the Galighers, General and Mrs. 
 Grant occupied the southeast and southwest bedrooms 
 on the second floor. Here Mrs. Grant displayed to the 
 ladies of the house many trunks of gifts and souvenirs 
 gathered on the world tour she and her husband had 
 just completed. 
 
 The Grant visit was the peak, the hey-day, of ihe 
 Galigher home. In 1910, Mr. Galigher sold the house 
 to H. H. Candee of Cairo, who in turn sold it to a 
 Chicago businessman, P. T. Langan, who became a 
 Cairo lumber dealer. During this period the various 
 owners kept the house in good repair, appreciating 
 the fact that it was a landmark of the city. 
 
 in 1948, Mrs. Langan sold the house to Colonel 
 Fain White King, a noted archeologist and author. 
 Colonel and Mrs. King took a great interest in restor- 
 ing the ornamental moldings and the original painted 
 borders in the reception hall and in the southeast bed- 
 room. After a short time, however, the Kings left Cairo 
 and the house stood empty. 
 
 The Cairo Historical Association was formed in 
 1952 by a group of progressive organizations with the 
 purpose of preserving and perpetuating historic Cairo, 
 and Mrs. Brooks Russell Long was elected its first 
 President. 
 
 Because the Galigher house was the scene of the 
 Grant visit and reception and because of its ornate 
 style of architecture and typification of a fine home 
 of the period, it was included in the Illinois section 
 of the Historic American Buildings survey. Therefore 
 it was decided to undertake the preservation of this 
 beautiful, historic mansion as the initial project of the 
 Cairo Historical Association, and the Galigher house 
 became MAGNOLIA MANOR. 
 
 Since its acquisition, MAGNOLIA MANOR and 
 its museum, which displays interesting memorabilia of 
 Cairo history, have been a continuing source of pride 
 to the citizens of Cairo and interest to the tourist and 
 Cairo visitor. 
 
The GalighBr Hoom 
 
 To the right of the entrance hall is the spacious 
 blue and mauve drawing room which was the scene of 
 the brilliant Grant Reception. The plaster cornice 
 which encircles the entire room in an intricate, exqui- 
 site design of grapes and leaves is one of the most 
 beautiful in America. The ornamental arches and col- 
 umns are dramatic architectural features which ac- 
 cent the splendor of the Galigher Room. An interest- 
 
ing note is the patrician woman's head which is part 
 of the archway motif; this is said to be a likeness of 
 Queen Victoria of England who was greatly admired 
 by Charles Galigher and who was supplied flour by 
 Mr. Galigher's flour mill through her agent, L. R. 
 Finch of New York. 
 
 Twin mantles of fine Italian marble dramatize the 
 room, and the portraits above them are of the origi- 
 nal owner and his wife, given by their son, C. Fred 
 Galigher. The jalousies are of special interest both 
 for their contribution to the decorative scheme and 
 for their perfect preservation; original jalousies are 
 on all of the windows in the mansion. 
 
 The rich old Kirman rug with its elaborate fluid 
 designs and soft colors was a gift of Colonel and Mrs. 
 Fain White King; the square grand piano of lustrous 
 ebony with its elaborate beading v/as given by mem- 
 bers of the Kleb family; the wine and ivory Victorian 
 lady's chair was from the wedding furnishings of 
 Judge John M. Lansden, writer of Lanrden's History 
 of Cairo, and m.any of the other lovely antiques which, 
 furnish the Galigher Room are given or loaned by fam- 
 ilies who have contributed much to Cairo's history. 
 
 BOB BEADLES 
 
_,. BUB BEADLES 
 
 I he JylusBum 
 
 Collected in this sunny room are interesting mem- 
 orabilia of historic Cairo and those who made the 
 history. The collection is not static but is constantly 
 enhanced by exhibits of treasured possessions. The 
 cases are themselves of interest — especially the hand 
 carved bookcase which stands to the right of the door- 
 way. This is from "Greenway," the only mansion which 
 no longer stands of the four built on the four corners 
 of Twenty-eighth Street and Washington Avenue dur- 
 ing the Civil War era. 
 
 The crossed Civil War swords ever the mantel en- 
 frame a poftrait of Col. Ephriam Elmer Ellsworth, who 
 was the organizer of the fighting units which became 
 the first national guard. Col. Ellsworth is also known 
 as the first martyr of the Civil War. The museum 
 houses many souvenirs of the months when the head- 
 quarters of General Grant were at Cairo. 
 
The GrBBq Hooiq 
 
 Originally the dining room, the "Green Room" is 
 now used for club meetings and as the refreshment 
 center for the various entertainments held at the Man- 
 or. 
 
 Today much of the original furniture is used by 
 the builder's son, C. Fred Galigher, who lives at 629 
 Charles Street in Cairo, within sight of his old home. 
 These beautiful pieces from the past are frequently 
 restored to their former niches in the Manor, for the 
 pleasure of the visitors. Of special interest are the 
 marble columns which grace the drawing room, the 
 exquisite marble topped table on which rests a solid 
 silver service dated 1835, and the 300 piece set of 
 Haviland china from which ex-President and Mrs. 
 Grant ate their dinners at the reception at 2700 
 Washington Avenue on April 1 6, 1 880. 
 
 Those interested in construction details will wish 
 especially to note the thickness and quality of the 
 wood in the doors; and every house wife will yearn 
 for a duplicate of the china closet at the left of the 
 entrance. In the butler's pantry is the dumb waiter 
 which goes to the large basement kitchen where the 
 most interesting coal stove encased in brick is still in 
 use. 
 
W. E. AYDT 
 
 The Bronzed Cavalier lights the graceful solid 
 cherry staircase which winds to the Grant bedrooms. 
 Choice pieces of Victorian furniture have been gar- 
 nered to furnish all of the bedrooms; however, they 
 ore consecutively exhibited as they are available for 
 rental. 
 
 The Costume Cases exhibit the finery of the Vic- 
 torian belle and the young matron. Special attention 
 should be given to the "Maud" exhibit, for here is 
 early Cairo recorded day by day in through the writ- 
 ings of a young Cairo girl whose exciting, amusing 
 descriptive diary made the "best seller" lists for many 
 months in the late 30's. 
 
BROR CARLSON 
 
 EVeqts at Magqolia Maqor 
 
 MAGNOLIA MANOR takes an important part in 
 the social life of the city with monthly luncheons and 
 dinners, wedding receptions, special entertainments 
 and meetings of member organizations. 
 
 Cairoites and their friends, and visitors from 
 many states await with great eagerness their visits to 
 the annual HOLIDAY HOUSE during the month of 
 
December when the spacious halls are decked with 
 holly and mistletoe and a fifteen foot Christmas tree 
 glitters with the glamour of bygone years. A visit to 
 HOLIDAY HOUSE is a memorable experience; a nos- 
 talgic glimpse of the old fashioned Christmas spirit. 
 Each of the spacious rooms challenges the others with 
 the beauty of its Holiday decorations, and Christmas 
 gifts and Christmas goodies ore in tempting array for 
 the visitors. 
 
 The MAGNOLIA FESTIVAL is on annual event 
 held the third or fourth week of May when the beau- 
 tiful, stately Grandiflora Magnolia trees which flourish 
 in Cairo are in their fresh and lovliest bloom — be- 
 decked to their forty and fifty foot heights with lus- 
 trous new green leaves and great fragrant white blos- 
 soms. 
 
 MAGNOLIA FESTIVAL is a time for pilgrimage to 
 MAGNOLIA MANOR and to other lovely Cairo homes 
 and buildings — both modern and historic — and a 
 time for enjoyment of many varied events and enter- 
 tainments climaxed with the annual MAGNOLIA 
 BALL where the MAGNOLIA QUEEN is crowned by 
 that mysterious potentate, KING RIVERS, who ap- 
 pears at the BALL each year to claim a lovely Cairo 
 belle as his Queen. The MAGNOLIA FESTIVAL BALL 
 is the outstanding event of Cairo social life and is 
 eagerly awaited each year by participants and spec- 
 tators alike. 
 

 UNIVERSITY OF ILLIN0I8-URBANA 
 
 3 0112 050749974