Alan, Laurie, Byron, David and I went to Salem to look at the fall colors on Saturday, October 24, 2009. Laurie and I took a tour of the historic Bush house while Alan and the boys waited for us. It was one of the most interesting old homes I have ever visited.
Date(s): October 25, 2009. Album by Kathie Muench. Photos by Kathie Muench. 1 - 18 of 18 Total. 1887 Visits.
Kathie, you were there on a perfect day! The autumn colors are gorgeous, and you captured them well. Fascinating tour of the house. Thanks for sharing! - JoAnn Bair, Sat, 31 Oct 2009 8:17AM
What absolutely Wonderful picts, both of the inside and outside of the house and the gorgeous fall colors! Thank you for sharing them with us. - Marci and Doug Clark, Wed, 28 Oct 2009 9:26AM
1 Front view of the Bush House.
2 David and his scooter under a golden tree in Bush Pasture Park, Salem, Oregon.
3 Closeup of the golden foliage of a locust tree.
4 Byron under a red maple tree whose leaves carpet the ground. The tree faces the Bush House that sits on 90 acres. The house and land were donated to the city in 1953. Originally, Mr Bush had purchased 100 acres, but later had deeded 10 acres for the creation of Willamette University.
5 Same bare tree.
6 One of 10 fireplaces in the Bush Home, this carved Italian marble fireplace is in the formal sitting room.
7 This light fixture is wired for electricity as well as gas. Mr Bush knew that electricity was undependable in 1877 so installed gas lamps as backup. The 3 darkened lamps are the gas fixtures.
8 This unusual box piano is also in the formal sitting room. The strings run lengthwise. Because of this, it is very hard to tune. The box piano was only manufactured for a short time.
9 Three flawless gold mirrors like this one are mounted on marble fireplaces in the Bush Home. They were shipped around Cape Horn from Europe, as were most of the other furnishings in the home. The mirrors were crated and then floated in oil to protect them during the long sea voyage.
10 Player organ. Mr Bush paid $4000 for the 100 acres of land, $5000 for the home on it, and $1500 for the organ! The cabinet to the right is filled with rolls of music for the player organ.
11 Crazy quilts made of silk were on every bed in the house. Little bits of metal were incorporated into silk fabric so women's skirts would swish as they walked. The bits of metal cause the fabric to break down over the years. For this reason all blinds are kept closed and no flash photography is allowed in an attempt to preserve the quilts as long as possible. If you look closely at the pillowships, you can see the beautifully detailed embroidery work.
12 Wooden bathtub with an enamel interior. A piece of lead pipe lies underneath it. Water was piped from the cistern on the roof, through the wood stove to the bathtub.
13 Matching toilet.
14 Mr Bush ran the prison in Salem for 2 years. He believed inmates should be taught a skill. They were taught to make wood-fired cookstoves and made this one for the Bush family on the premises. Notice the broiler on the top right.
15 Mayonnaise maker. Oil is released in a small stream through the funnel into the workbowl, containing egg,vinegar and salt, while the cook turns the handle in a fast, even clip to make it turn into a suspension.
16 This light fixture graces the room called The Egyptian Room. It was so named because of the carved sphinxes by each gas lamp.
17 Urn from the original furnishings of the home. Our guide didn't know what it was used for in 1877, and it is empty today. A room divider, painted with birds and clouds, is also original.
18 Corset and bustle. The secrets behind the Victorian lady's wasp waist.
