Crocker House Museum

Just a little background on the city of Mount Clemens where Crocker House Museum is located.   It became the seat of Macomb County in 1818, and was incorporated as a city in 1879.

The city's largest industry was the mineral baths scattered around the city from 1873 until 1974 dubbing it "Bath City of America."  At its peak, there were 11 bathhouses, with several hotels to accommodate people who came to the baths.  By bathing in the salty mineral waters, people were cured of eczema, rheumatism, and other ailments. Noted visitors such as the Vanderbilt family, William Hearst, Clark Gable, Mae West, Babe Ruth and Jack Dempsey vacationed in the city for the mineral baths.  When the public lost interest in mineral baths, the bathhouses and hotels were demolished.

~ Crocker House Museum ~

To the left of the front door is the informal parlor where children were allowed to sit and play quiet games, read, or play musical instruments.

To the right of the front door is the formal parlor.  Because Halloween was just celebrated, the formal parlor was set up for an 1880's wake.  The museum hosted a Funeral Tea, where Victorian mourning practices were explained, followed by a nearby cemetery walk.

~ There was one bedroom on the first floor. ~

Notice all the mirrors in the house were covered with black cloths. Victorians had a lot of superstitions associated with death, especially when the corpse was in the house.  They covered the mirrors because they believed mirrors reflected one's soul, and with the deceased's soul being near, they feared bad things might happen to the other occupants of the house.

~ Behind the formal parlor was the dining room.  ~

~ And the kitchen ~

Upstairs was a servant's bedroom, a nursery, and two other bedrooms containing historic display cases.

~ Nursery Wallpaper ~

~ Servant's bedroom with private stairwell leading down to the kitchen. ~

In one of the display rooms was a human hair mourning wreath.  They are creepy to me, but they're a part of history and were considered art work.

Wouldn't it have been a shame to demolish this house?  Yet it happens all the time in city's around the country.