- Bridget Clemens,
Senior English Studies major
guests throughout the centuries
BLOOMINGTON – Crrrreak. The sound of the step on the staircase of the foyer radiates throughout the entrance of the two-story original Italianate-style house. The light emitted from the sun creates a serene escape through the 8-foot tall stained glass windows. A fire crackles in the library which casts a glow on the mahogany book cabinets.
This is the view of the Vrooman Mansion, located in the residential neighborhood of Dimmitt’s Grove, Bloomington. The house, which was built in 1869, has been renovated to a Bed and Breakfast Inn and one of Bloomington’s most popular historic attractions.
“It’s endless as far as ties to history, presidents and daughters of the Revolution to name a few,” Theora Stark, innkeeper, said.
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| Host Pam Kowalewski sits beneath pictures of Carl and Julia Vrooman at the Vrooman Mansiont. (Photo by Nathan Kelly / Staff Photographer) |
Stark has been working at the Vrooman Mansion for the past seven years and manages the inn Monday through Friday while the owners live in Chicago. She deals with event organizing and hospitality issues.
Stark always leads new guests to discover the safe room. She said this is her favorite room in the mansion and there may be a secret why. Encompassed in the back left corner is a giant steel safe that holds secrets of the century.
“The safe room is my favorite because of the story behind it, the history behind it and the pictures in it. The safe is special; it holds the history to the mansion and I know what’s in it,” Stark said.
As guests explore the recently redesigned Romanesque-style house they will run into several common areas equipped with pictures, article clippings, original fixtures and other attributes that describe the history, which is interesting all in its own.
Matthew and Julia Scott first purchased the 18 room house in 1873. They had two daughters: Letitia and Julia. Their daughter Julia married Carl Vrooman and they lived in the house until she died in 1981 at the age of 104. The legacy of the Scott and Vrooman families remain a vital part of the Vrooman Mansion history.
The interest in the history of the family and what they stood for are common themes when guests talk to the hosts of the inn. This is one main difference between staying at a bed and breakfast and a hotel. Guests are treated to amenities they might not experience at chain hotels. For instance, all guests are honored with a gourmet breakfast served in the dining room each morning.
It’s no secret that these walls can talk. Throughout the generations famous families have attended events at the Vrooman Mansion and dined with the finest. According to Stark, the dining room is one of her other favorite rooms because of the original hand-carved dining table. A number of public figures have sat there such as Vice President Adlai Stevenson, first lady Eleanor Roosevelt and allegedly, President John F. Kennedy.
Senior English Studies major, Bridget Clemens, said her parents stayed at the Vrooman Mansion and enjoyed this unusual overnight experience.
“My parents loved it. They were looking for a new experience and wanted to find out a little more about the town,” she said. “The people who worked there were so friendly and told numerous stories. There is so much history that surrounds every aspect that it’s hard not to feel overwhelmed when you step inside.”
The Bed and Breakfast Inn features five guest rooms which have all been decorated with period furniture to give the illusion of the living during that time period. The prices of the rooms range from $100-$150. The Vrooman Mansion is also the host to a number of events that happen throughout the year such as the Home Business Fair, weddings, and Christmas at the Mansion.
“It is a unique place to have an event. There are a lot of things we have done, but more we can do. We can do just about any event under 100 guests,” Stark said.
Whether planning an event is your goal or you just want to spend the night at a historical site, the Vrooman Mansion offers something for everyone. The designs of this magnificent mansion uphold the history of the town as well as the famous families that once called Bloomington their home. Imagine waking up with a warm cup of coffee in the parlor overlooking the bay window, reading a long book in the library or enjoying afternoon tea in the sitting room of the Carl Vrooman suite that features a large window that surveys the Lincoln Oak Memorial.
For more information or reservation requests, visit www.vroomanmansion.com. or call (309)-828-8816.