Yesterday, my brother, sister-in-law and I visited the Bayernhof Museum near Pittsburgh. Sister-in-law's sister had suggested it. We had to call ahead to reserve a spot for the 2:00 tour -- and the three of us and the guide were it!
Charlie Brown was a small-scale manufacturer in Pittsburgh and through that became wealthy. He was also eccentric. When, in his 30s, he finally moved out of his mother's house, he built this mansion with the idea that it would someday be a museum. He decorated it in a Bavarian style to remember an ancestor who came from there. He wanted to bring Bavaria to Pittsburgh.
However, he knew Bavarian things would not be enough to entice the public, so he also bought mechanical musical instruments -- player pianos, mechanical dance bands, carousel organs, and the like -- even though he didn't particularly like them.
Charlie drew up rough plans for the house, though didn't hire an architect to create full blueprints. He hired Johnny, then 17 years old and about to go to college as an engineering student, as his general contractor. What a hands-on project for a student! Johnny, with the help of a master carpenter and assistants, constructed the house over several years. Johnny never built another house, though is still working as an engineer and willing to consult on the house -- answering questions such as what does this switch do and what is behind this wall?
So we toured the house, including the secret passages, the cave, the observatory that Johnny installed for himself, and the pool. We heard many of the mechanical instruments. And we heard stories -- lots of great stories -- about Charlie and his eccentricities. It was a fun afternoon.
Of course, we had to find a German restaurant for supper.
No comments:
Post a Comment