Brandhoefer, Leonidas A., Mansion - Ogallala, NE
N 41° 07.982 W 101° 43.254
14T E 271617 N 4557093
Also known as the "Mansion on the Hill," this elegant brick manor was built in 1887 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.
Waymark Code: WMGB1Q
Location: Nebraska, United States
Date Posted: 02/08/2013
Views: 4
This elegant three-story mansion was commissioned by L.A. Brandhoefer, a wealthy entrepreneur and banker originally from Pennsylvania. Built in 1887 with red bricks fired in Ogallala and cut stone from Lincoln, this Victorian Renaissance style home stood in stark contrast to the early prairie settlements of western Nebraska. However, due to struggles related to his health, Brandhoefer was forced to sell the house in 1888 to H.L. McWilliams, proprietor of the Keith County Bank.
The mansion contains nine rooms and two baths (unusual for homes of that era). Several other unique features include the 10 foot high ceilings and a 16 inch thick solid brick wall. The interior is furnished as lavishly as the exterior with carved fireplaces, hand-painted woodwork, brass door knobs and hinges, solid walnut shutters and a staircase curving to the second floor. The third floor consists of a single room with two dormer windows most likely used as a maid's room.
In 1966, the Keith County Historical Society purchased the house and is now a museum along with a one-room schoolhouse moved from Roscoe, Nebraska. The museum is open from Memorial Day to mid-September Tuesday through Saturday and is the oldest brick landmark in Ogallala.
Sources: VisitOgallala.com, NRHP Nomination Form & Mansion on the Hill