It’s hotter than blazes in St. Louis, but the heat hasn’t slowed us down a bit at Campbell House! (Except for maybe our blogging schedule.)
Exterior Renovation Begins
Contractors have begun to prep the house for the big paint job. Kevin has been patiently tuckpointing some of the highest points of the house (up to 60 feet in some areas!) with a lift for over a week now, and when he’s done, the crew will come in to start painting. The shutters have already been removed, and the painters have begun repairing and repainting them in the shop.
Upcoming Tours
We got together with our friends down the street at Landmarks Association of St. Louis a few weeks ago to plot a few events for the fall. We are tentatively planning an outdoor movie night for September, a Locust Street architectural walking tour (that ends at the Schlafly Tap Room for drinks and camaraderie), and a Campbell House restoration tour where you can see the inner workings of our place in either January or February. As soon as we finalize everything, we will post all of the details for you. Stay tuned.
New Cook’s Bedroom
Since the Campbells did not photograph many of the rooms in the servants’ wing of the house (including the kitchen and servants’ living quarters), we were able to interpret these rooms the best we could, based on the original floorplan of the house. The housekeeper’s bedroom has always been staged as a bedroom, but the cook’s bedroom — which had previously housed an exhibit on the servants — has now been presented as a bedroom. Thanks to a bequest from one of our members, we received a beautiful set of furniture of the style, period and quality that would have been in a servant’s bedroom in a house like this. Come down to the Museum to see it in person.
Black Rep Summer Camp
We had the pleasure of welcoming about 20 students from The Black Rep Summer Camp last week for our document workshop. After taking a brief tour of the first floor to hear the Campbell story, they came up to the third floor Aviary to play history detective. We gave them copies of Campbell documents to interpret and to share their findings with the rest of the group. These were some of the most enthusiastic kids we’ve had come through the house, and we look forward to seeing them again! Do you need a special educational activity or workshop for your group of children or adults? Give us a call! We’re happy to design a half- or full day of fun and learning. Contact Andy or Shelley at 314/421-0325 to let us start planning your day at Campbell House!
Our Interns
Did you meet intern Hannah? Read all about her here!
Campbell House Tea
Looking for a small gift for the person who has everything? Robert has you covered. Come by to pick up a 1-oz package of Robert’s Irish Breakfast tea, a blend we buy from our tea-loving neighbors at the London Tea Room. A favorite with coffee drinkers, it’s strong and bold, just like our Robert. We’re selling it for $5 a package, and that includes a coupon for a free cup of tea or coffee at the London Tea Room. It’s available now in the Museum Store and at the front door of the Museum. Pick up a package to get a taste of Campbell House!
Urban Exploring: Trinity Lutheran Church
Today we took a field trip to Soulard to visit Trinity Lutheran Church. Docent Coordinator Dennis has been a member of this historic church all his life, and he invited Campbell House staff, interns and docents out to get a behind-the-scenes look at everything in the church, including the bell tower. As a teaser, here’s a shot of one of the gorgeous art glass windows in a space behind the choir loft. A full blog post with the church’s history and all of the images will follow later this week.
Stay cool this week, and check back to meet Sydney — one of our wonderful interns — and the full photo essay of our visit to Trinity Lutheran!