HOUSE OF GOLD
In a 1882 article in the Kansas City Times, a newspaper reporter described Vaile Mansion as a "Mansion d'Or"...or
a House of Gold.
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The home was built by Harvey Vaile, an entrepreneur, journalist, politician, lawyer,
dirt farmer, and cattleman. He was later known as "Colonel Vaile," though there is no evidence he ever
served in the military.
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In 1861, Harvey married Sophia Cecelia Graham, whome he called Sophie. After the
marriage they moved to Kansas City where they lived, until they made their home in Independence, Missouri.
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By 1870, Vaile was practicing law in Independence. He was eventually one of the
largest land owners in the area, possessing more than 2,000 acres in Jackson County. He owned orchards, vineyards,
farm land, sheep, dairy cows, and cattle.
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HARVEY VAILE - A UNIQUE MAN
Colonel Vaile was born in 1831 in Vermont to parents of average means. By 1840, they lived in New York State.
Harvey taught school in New York, Penn., and Mississippi.
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Harvey saved his money in order to enter Law School in Louisville, KYentucky. He
graduated with honors, and practiced law in Indianapolis. He also worked on the Indianapolis Journal and the Evening
Gazette.
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In Indianapolis, Vaile became involved in the anti-slavery movement and the organization
of the Republican Party. In 1859 he moved to Kansas City and entered a law partnership. He continued his abolitionist
activities.
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Harvey Vaile was also instrumental in organizing the Republican Party in Kansas City.
Harvey was a strong supporter of Abraham Lincoln...and unpopular man in pro-South Missouri. Vaile is said to
have barely escaped from an enraged mob when it became known that he was the author of a series of strong newspaper
editorials espousing his beliefs.
Vaile married Sophie in 1861. Harvey spent a lot of time in Washington, DC when congress was in session. He was
said to have been a politician of national repute and a successful lobbyiest. |
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But the only public office Vaile ever held was as an Indian sub-agent in the Colorado
Territory. In 1863 Vaile entered into a Star Route contract with the United States Government to carry mail from
Indep. to Santa Fe.
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The Star Route contract basically made Harvey Vaile the president of a company formed
to deliver mail and freight by stagecoach, wagon, and railroad. It was a vast enterprise, employing hundreds of
men and covering many miles in five states and two Indian territories. One route in barren Dakota Territory had
no sign of habitation for three hundred miles, so Vaile opened and operated sixteen cattle ranches along this route!
At the beginning of the Star Route operations there were no regulations except to get the mail to where it was
going...and get it there quick. |
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TROUBLE COMES...
In 1880 the climate changed, and the Postmaster General under President Garfield initiated reform. An assistant
to the Postmaster General and his secretary, an ex-senator and his brother, were charged with defrauding the government
of nearly half a million dollars because of the way they handled the mail contracts. Because Vaile was one of
the persons who sub-let the contracts, he was charged along with the others. News of the Star Route Scandals reverberated
throughout the nation. |
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National and local newspapers expressed belief in Vaile's innoncence.
The trial date was set for June 1st, 1882 in the District of Columbia. Robert Ingersoll, noted lawyer and brilliant
orator, was retained by the defense, reportedly at a fee of one thousand dollars a day. It was not until after
the second trial that the case was closed in the spring of 1863.
TRAGEDY STRIKES
Meanwhile, during the second trial, Mrs. Vaile died. Because of an illness, Mrs. Vaile had been taking morphine. |
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On February 14th, 1883, she took an overdose and died the following day. Speculation
was that because of her illness, plus depression over the accusations against her husband, she may have done so
intentionally. Relatives told friends that she died of jaundice. The press reported that she died of cancer.
Mrs. Vaile passed away in her bed in the Master Bedroom of Vaile Mansion. Sandy Dougherty told us that it is said
that Mrs. Vaile left a note for her husband, which was destroyed. No one knows for sure what that note said. |
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Harvey Vaile returned home his wife's funeral, but then returned to Washington where
in April he took the witness stand in his own defense and was declared to be "Not Guilty."
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RETURNING HOME
When the trial ended, Harvey Vaile returned home. He sold his interest in the mail routes and turned his attention
to his agricultural and cattle holdings.
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Harvey Vaile imported a fine strain of Hereford cattle from England and experimented
in crossbreeding to improve the quality of the beef from range cattle by crossing Herefords with longhorn cattle.
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His registered Hereford herd was said to be one of the finest in the state. He expanded
his cattle ranch operations into Texas, Kansas, and the Oklahoma Territory where he owned and leased thousands
of acres.
COLONEL VAILE'S END
On May 19th, 1894 while working on his estate, Harvey Vaile suffered a stroke from which he never recovered. He
died on June 4th, 1894. His funeral was held in the Mansion. He is buried in a red brick mausoleum in Woodland
Cemetery...next to his wife Sophie. |
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EUROPEAN INSPIRATION
Sometime before 1880, Mr. and Mrs. Vaile made a trip to France where they saw a Norman chateau that greatly impressed
them. This inspired their Mansion's design. |
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The mansard roof, the fleur-de-lis, and the French cross designs in the ornate iron
cresting, as well as the style which is classified as Second-Empire French Revival...all lend credence to this
story.
It is believed the construction of the mansion was begun in 1880. Asa B. Cross, prominent architect and close
friend of Harvey Vaile, was hired to build from designs Vaile himself had planned for his residence. Cross was
one of the first professional architects in the Kansas City area. One of his trademarks was excessive ornamentation.
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The house is constructed of hand-pressed red brick, partially trimmed with white
limestone. William Randall was the brick mason. Bricks were kilned on the property from local clay. The lines
of the mansard roof are broken by gables, cornices, dormers, wrought-iron finials, and towers. The house has 112
tall narrow windows and 9 fireplaces. Even in 1882, the bathrooms of the mansion had hot and cold running water,
flush toilets, and five-and-a-half foot copper bathtubs. The guest bedrooms all had marble washbasins and access
to the bathrooms. |
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The smaller tower near the back of the mansion concealed a 6,000 gallon water tank.
Water from a large spring on the estate was lifted by a wind pump to the tank to supplement the rainwater supply.
A gas well on the premises provided illumination for the house and grounds. In the basement were six servants'
rooms, laundry rooms, and storage areas.
The home had sitting rooms, a room for entertaining, a library, and a billiards room and ballroom was planned for
the third floor of the mansion. Mrs. Vaile's death appears to have ensured the third floor would never be finished. |
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Artists from Italy, France, and Germany were engaged to paint murals and frescoed
ceilings throughout the house.
An Italian artist painted a life-sized reclining female on the ceiling of the Vaile's Master Bedroom. According
to legend, the reclining figure was nude from the waist up. There is a story that because Mrs. Vaile allowed the
painting, she was ostrasized by the ladies of the town. At some later time a lace bodice was painted over the
offending bosom. The Italian artist was paid $1500, with free access to the mansion's wine celler, and took fifteen
months to complete his commission. |
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THE GROUNDS
When the mansion was completed, it was surrounded by a ten-acre tract of land. The driveway wound from the ornate
iron gates, around the house, and back to the stable where the Vaile's driving vehicles and carriage horses were
kept. On the northwest corner of the tract, there was a small spring-fed lake large enough for boating. In the
center was an artificial island where picnics were held. The lake was stocked with goldfish. Spring-fed fountains
were scattered about the estate. There was a pergola, gazebo, grandstand, boathouse, and a covered bridge. |
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Walkways extended in every direction, and gas lamps on posts illuminated the grounds
for night time social occasions.
Southwest of the mansion was Colonel Vaile's wine cellar, which was reported to have a capacity of 48,000 gallons.
At the time of the estate inventory after Vaile's death, there were approx. 11,000 gallons of wine in the cellar.
Vaile had thirty-six acres of vineyards...and was an authority on grape culture and wine.
Vaile added 45 acres to the original mansion tract, and then surrounded it by hundreds of acres of tenant farms. |
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AFTER VAILE
After Mr. Vaile's death, the home was owned for 55-years by Mrs. Carey Mae Sprague, who operated it as a health
care facility. More specifically, a retirement home. |
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Retirement homes operated in the first half of the 20th century were different than
they are today. Surgeries were performed at Vaile Mansion...and patients that were uncontrollable were placed
in locked wards with metal mesh covering the windows. There were no private rooms, with multiple patients placed
in each of the rooms of the mansion. For instance, the Vaile's Master Bedroom may have housed 4 to 6 patients,
or more. Despite this, when the retirement home was eventually closed due to the conditions there...many of the
patients were very upset about being moved out. For many of them, this was home. |
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Mr. and Mrs. Roger DeWitt purchased the mansion for $60,000 cash to prevent its destruction in favor of real estate
development. Before she died Mrs. DeWitt deeded the property to the City of Independence. |
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During the time she owned the mansion, she had caused restoration work to be done
to the outside of the home and was responsible for it being placed on the National Register of Historic Places.
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The Vaile Victorian Society runs tours at Vaile Mansion, and is responsible for maintaining the interior of the
home. They have worked to restore the decor of the mansion to its original state. |
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The original furniture was scattered by the auction in 1894, but has been replaced
with period furnishings and decorations of the time that the Vailes lived in the mansion.
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VAILE VICTORIAN SOCIETY
The Vaile Victorian Society was formed in 1983. Charter memberships began
with a pre-gala sponsored by the Independence Pioneers Chapter of DAR of which Mrs. DeWitt was a member, and the
City of Independence. Following this event the house was opened to the public for two days and society memberships
were taken that weekend.
The newly formed Vaile Victorian Society accepted the responsibility to furnish the mansion in the splendor and
style of the Victorian Era. |
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The Society sponsors these public events throughout the year, among others..
- Strawberry Festival
- Christmas Open House
- Unveiling of the Vaile
And you can join the Vaile Victorian Society. For only $15 you can help preserve
this historic mansion...and there are benefits to joining! Just click here for details.
I am a card-carrying member.
-Mark Stinson
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