Gilded Age Splendor Of Vaile Mansion Endures into 21st Century
The Vaile Mansion, Second Empire style, is the Victorian showplace of Independence.
By Melanie Moentmann
Portrait of Harvey Merrick Vaile in front of the white Carrara marble fireplace in the ladies' parlor.
Hidden a few blocks northeast of the Truman Presidential Library and Museum and a mile north of the Independence Square on Liberty Street, you will find a unique Victorian mansion situated on a full city block.
The Harvey M. Vaile Mansion was constructed in 1881 in the Second Empire/French Revival style. Designed by Kansas City architect Asa Beebe Cross, the building’s opulent style was an expression of Vaile’s wealth. The three-story brick mansion faces east and has a four-story tower topped by a cupola. Hand-pressed brick made on the property and limestone trim clad the walls. A slate roof with ornate wood trim and metal finials caps the over 100-foot-tall building.
Origins
Harvey Merrick Vaile was born in 1831 in Vermont. The family moved to New York state when he was young. Harvey taught school in New York, Pennsylvania, and Mississippi, and saved his money to attend law school in Louisville, Kentucky. He practiced law in Indianapolis after graduation.
The Vaile Mansion at dusk highlighted by lighting installed by the society.
A staunch supporter of Abraham Lincoln and the Republican Party, Vaile was involved in the antislavery movement. In addition to practicing law, Vaile contributed opinion pieces to two local newspapers, the Indianapolis Journal, and the Evening Standard. Vaile moved to Kansas City in 1859, where he opened a law office with J.J. Crandell. He married Sophia Cecelia Graham of Orleans County, New York in 1861.
Vaile made his fortune in the 1860s and 1870s, financing the construction of the Erie Canal and operating the Star Mail Route from Independence, Missouri to Santa Fe, New Mexico. By 1870, the Vailes had moved to Independence, where Harvey continued to practice law. In addition to his business ventures, Vaile bought large tracts of land in Independence and elsewhere, amassing more than 2,000 acres of orchards, crops, livestock, vineyards, and dairy cattle.
The master bedroom of the Vaile Mansion includes a ceiling mural named ‘Innocence’. It was attributed to an Italian artist whom it was said demanded fifteen hundred dollars and free access to the Vaile’s extensive wine cellar.
Vaile hired Asa Beebe Cross to design a residence on his Independence property in 1880. Construction of the house, completed in 1881, cost over $150,000. O.S. Street was the builder, and William M. Randall was the masonry contractor. The grounds surrounding the house were elaborately landscaped with fountains and lit with gas lamps; outbuildings included a stable, a greenhouse, a boathouse, and a pergola. A spring-fed lake was situated on the property to the north of the mansion. The island in the lake could be accessed via a covered bridge, and a gazebo and bandstand nearby were used for relaxing and entertaining. The landscape was elaborate with many types of trees, shrubs, and flowers. Two full-time gardeners were employed during the growing season to care for the property.
The interior of the house was as lavish as the exterior. Nine fireplaces clad with exotic stone, such as Carrara marble and onyx, warmed the thirty-one-room house. The front door and main stairs were black walnut while the rest of the interior wood was white pine faux grained to resemble exotic woods. Twelve-foot-high pocket doors served to separate the rooms on the main floor. Murals and frescoes covered several of the ceilings.
One of the highlights of the Arboretum grounds at the Vaile Mansion is the 30 Sugar Maple tree allee’ directly north of the mansion.
A mural in the master bedroom was a focal point. It depicts a scantily clad reclining woman wearing a sheer lace bodice. Originally painted as a nude, the mural caused a scandal at the time of its unveiling, alienating Mrs. Vaile from Independence society circles, who considered the mural vulgar and inappropriate, even after the Vailes repainted the mural to clothe the nude figure. Complete with all modern amenities, the house was built with indoor plumbing served from a 6,000-gallon water tank. A gas well on the property furnished fuel for heat and lights. The gasoliers, now converted to electric chandeliers, in the two front parlors were said to have been originally commissioned for the White House during term of President Rutherford B. Hayes, but were damaged en route from Europe, so Harvey purchased them to use in his home.
Vaile gained notoriety during the Star Route Scandal in the early 1880s when he was charged with defrauding the government by violating contracts related to the Star Route mail lines. Vaile was tried in 1882 and 1883. Both trials resulted in his acquittal.
Sophia Vaile was believed to suffer from stomach cancer and died at the home in February, 1883 of a laudanum overdose while Harvey was away in Washington, DC. Harvey never remarried and died in 1894. Both Harvey and Sophia are interred in a mausoleum in Woodlawn Cemetery built by Asa Cross to match the mansion.
Since the Vailes were childless, they left the bulk of their estate to the Kansas City Ladies College with the understanding the college would be renamed the Vaile Institute. The College was unable to financially maintain the mansion, so its contents and the livestock were sold at auction shortly after the college acquired the property. The extended Vaile family was not happy with the bequest and brought suit to break the will. They lost – twice. Their third attempt was settled out of court. The whole process of settling the estate lasted more than 10 years.
Ownership of the mansion and its 33 acres eventually transitioned to Carrie Mae Carrol Sprague, who had frequented the Mansion often as a child when her parents visited with Harvey and Sohpia. Carrie Mae was one of the first women to graduate from the University of Missouri Law School and had a law practice in Independence. She was asked to assist the heirs with the management of the estate and eventually contracted with several individuals to help her operate the mansion as an inn, a sanitarium and finally, a nursing home. Also, she was ahead of her time as she unsuccessfully attempted to bottle and sell the spring water on the estate to the public through the Pur Water Company. Carrie Mae owned the mansion and continued to live there until her death in 1960.
By this time the Vaile Mansion was in disrepair and threatened by demolition. Mary Mildred DeWitt , Jackson County Historical Society President from 1961-63, and her husband J. Roger, purchased the building and surrounding four-acre block for $60,000 in 1960. This saved the house from destruction. While it was still functioning as a nursing home, the DeWitts renovated the mansion’s exterior, replacing the roof and much of the exterior woodwork along with repointing the exterior masonry walls. The DeWitts hired Waldemar R. Kurok to restore the intricate woodwork and slate roof. In 1969, Mrs. DeWitt secured the placement of the mansion on the National Registry of Historic Places. It continued to operate as a nursing home until 1982 when the City of Independence closed it for non-compliance with city codes. Mary Mildred DeWitt deeded the house and surrounding grounds to the City of Independence in February 1983, and died less than one week later.
Victorian Society of the Vaile Mansion-DeWitt Museum
View from the grand hall towards the interior vestibule doors, featuring the original frosted and cut-glass design.
The initial meeting of the Victorian Society of the Vaile Mansion-DeWitt Museum was held on May 15, 1983. Mrs. DeWitt was a member of the Independence Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution and members of the chapter were very involved and supportive in the formative years making many donations and serving on the Society Board. One hundred and thirty-nine charter members were recorded in 1983. Roger T. Sermon was the first President of the Society and served until 1990. He and Mitchell Anderson were the first life members of the Society, and even in the early years, members of the Society were thinking about the future – not only restoring the mansion so it could be an example of the beautiful Victorian style we see today, but also providing funds to maintain the site for years to come. Provision was made for the life membership funds to be put into an endowment fund for the Society’s future.
Regular tours were offered to visitors shortly after the formation of the Society during the extensive renovations. The tours were given by city volunteers and Society members. The first museum exhibit was a collection of items from the Dickens Museum in London and later exhibits included unused items from the Kansas City Museum. Over the next 20 years, Society members extensively researched the initial paint colors and design details of the mansion. The walls, molding and murals have been restored to as close to original as possible.
Access additional information about the Arboretum by following this QR code link
Through tours and fundraising events, including the annual Strawberry Festival which began as the Victorian Fancy Faire in 1985, the Society has raised over $1 million to restore and furnish the interior of the mansion. Many friends of the DeWitts and historic preservation supporters in the area donated antiques, time, and expertise to the major project of restoring the interior. A detailed list of the original mansion items sold at auction is available, and new acquisitions which match the list are acquired to replace current pieces which may not be quite as authentic.
In April 2017, the grounds of the Vaile Mansion were granted designation as a Level 1 Arboretum by the ArbNet Arboretum program and the Morton Arboretum. At that time, the combination of the historic mansion and its Level 1 Arboretum designation, made it one of only two such properties in the country.
The Vaile Mansion grand hall decorated for the Christmas holiday tour season. Behind the chandelier is an upside-down Christmas tree, a nod to Queen Victoria.
The grounds are home to a Missouri state champion smoke tree, a liberty elm from the Elm Research Institute, and a beautiful allee of 30 sugar maple trees (arranged in 2 parallel rows of 15) on the north side of the property. Several trees on the Vaile grounds have been featured in author Alan Branhagen’s books - Native Plants of the Midwest and The Midwest Native Plant Primer.
The Victorian Society of the Vaile Mansion-DeWitt Museum and Arboretum is a non-profit organization whose mission is to preserve, maintain and present a culturally significant Victorian-era property in Independence, Missouri. The Society seeks to provide a comprehensive interpretation of the architecture, interiors, landscape and cultural history of the Vaile Mansion, ensuring the enjoyment of this unique local landmark for generations to come.
The volunteer Society continues to offer tours to the public from April through October, and then Thanksgiving through December with a special holiday theme. For the holiday tours, each room is uniquely and elaborately decorated to reflect the annual theme. The Strawberry Festival will once again be held this June 3rd from 9 am to 4 pm. Admission to the festival is free and tours of the mansion are available. Visitors will enjoy the many craft and antique vendors. There will also be food booths and entertainment including a performance by the Spirit of Independence Band. In October, the Society will host the third annual Spirits with the Spirits evening, and Champagne & Chandeliers will again be held in December. The Vaile can be followed on Facebook (Vaile Victorian Society of the Vaile Mansion) and news can be found on its website, vailemansion.org.
Restoration of the limestone caps on the 110 windows in the mansion is needed as part of the current project.
Future
The exterior of the mansion is once again showing signs of its 142-year age as the elements have not been kind. An evaluation was completed in 2018 citing nearly $2 million in necessary work. Items needing attention include repairing and replacing over 110 wood windows, repointing the brick, repairing limestone windowsills and caps, restoring many of the gables on the home which have deteriorated, repairing the metal work on the roof, and stabilizing the wooden porch and entrance.
Another area of concern are the many gables gracing the mansion. The wood areas have deteriorated, and birds occasionally visit through the openings.
The Society installed exterior lighting several years ago to enhance the appearance at night and improve security. Several small projects have also been completed including window replacement and repairs to the north porch and door, but there is need for significant funding for the larger effort. Those wishing to contribute to this restoration effort may contact the Vaile Society at vailemansion@gmail.com. Additional photos of the deterioration can be found at ttps://www.vailemansion.org/ - Restoration Campaign. You may also become a member of the Society by completing an application on their website. The Vaile Mansion opens for the tour season on Saturday, April 1st, and the Society invites you to visit on Thursday, Friday or Saturday from 10 am to 4 pm, and Sunday from 1 – 4 pm.
Melanie Moentmann is a Senior Software Engineer at SS&C, LLC (formerly DST Systems) and has volunteered at the Vaile Mansion for over 10 years. She serves on the boards of the Victorian Society of the Vaile Mansion-DeWitt Museum and Arboretum, Truman Heartland Community Foundation, Independence Junior Service League, and the Jackson County Historical Society.