Library

The Library

Imagine standing in this room one hundred thirty nine years ago on September 30, 1882.  As dusk started to fall that night, people began to gather in front of the just completed mansion of Henry and Cremora Rogers.  The family had moved in only a week before with their teenage daughter Florence (who everyone called Kitty).

That night, if we were looking out these windows, literally these windows as they are original to the house (and we will see a great example of this in a moment), we would have seen about 300 people assembled on the lawn staring at the house.  They were gathering because the newspapers said something called "electric lighting" was going to happen and no one had seen that before.

With a sense of the dramatic, Henry Rogers walked out on the veranda and proclaimed to the assembled crowd, “You are now going to witness the dawn of a new era."  We know exactly what he said because there were reporters present as this was big news.

Then Henry signaled his servants.  They turned off all the kerosene lamps and candles in every room.  The house went completely dark.  After a moment's pause, Henry signaled them again and they turn on all the electric lights at once.  The crowd was amazed.  Everyone "Ooohed and Aaahed" like it was a fireworks display.  The Appleton Post, a local newspaper, reported the next day that:  “It was as bright as day” in the Rogers residence.