The Historical Borst House, Part 4

WELCOME BACK!

Are you ready to continue our tour? Today I am going to
share pictures of the rest of the downstairs...

Here is the original key to the front door, Joseph and Mary
held this very key in their hands. So unlock the front
door and please come in, we'll continue peeking around...

Here we are, back inside. Take a quick look out the window
and see the view that greeted the Borsts when they stood
in this exact spot!

Lots and lots of trees and a path to the park. When the house
was first built this view would have been the blockhouse
which the Borst children used as their playhouse, what a
playhouse THAT was! I don't think there were many trees
back in those days either. I much prefer the view today.

Step into Mary's parlor. The pride and joy of any lady. This
is the room where the family did most of their entertaining.
Friends, family and travelers alike all gathered in this room.

Another original Borst piece, the marble topped side table
sits in the corner and graciously holds another special family
treasure...

This Bible was presented by Mary, to her youngest son Allen,
on Christmas Day in 1885 when he was twelve years old.

Mary's rocker was a surprise from Joseph. I'm sure she spent
many moments rocking, knitting and watching her children
from this very chair.

Josephs chair. No rockers!

The woodwork was hand painted to look like there were
visible grains running through it. It was very fashionable at
the time. You can still see it today in this picture. Can you
believe it has lasted all these years and never been painted
over? Notice also, the hideous linoleum flooring covering the
wood floorboards. What an error in judgement THAT was!

Mary loved to play the organ, though she never had lessons.
I'm sure this was a great form of entertainment before the time
of the radio, TV and computer. This is not Mary's original
organ, but one that was donated to the house. Note the door
behind the sofa, it leads to what was once Joseph's smoking
room, smart woman that Mary! Keep his stinky smoke out
of the parlor! It has since been converted to a bathroom.

Mary's picture on the side table to the right of the organ. She
was 75 when this picture was taken.

Joseph's office where he handled all of his business affairs.
He made a success of his farm but he much preferred raising
cattle, which he did on his land in Ellensburg, WA. He made
frequent trips back and forth.

The bathroom that is tucked behind the door in the parlor.
Joseph's previous smoking room. The room was converted
to a bathroom for Mary after Joseph died.

The toilet was taken from a house in town and is over 100
years old. The family used an outhouse before the bathroom
was installed.

An original stove in the downstairs hallway. The pictures
of the Borst House in it's early days that I shared in the
previous post, line the wall here.

The door across the hall leads to the bathroom. The door
on the left is a closet that sits under the stairs.

Looking up at the upstairs landing.

The banisters and staircase, well worn as you can see! Many
a pair of feet have tread up and down these steps!

Tomorrow we will head upstairs. Be sure to wear proper
shoes, these stairs are STEEP. No flip flops please!

* All old black and white photos are courtesy of the Lewis
County Historical Museum.

* All historical information is courtesy of Centralia Parks
and Recreation and Jean hilts Bluhm, Author of "The
Mary Borst Story".