The Belmont County Explore More GeoTour will take you on a journey across the beautiful and scenic landscapes of Belmont County, Ohio where a total of 35 geocaches await to be found. Participants who find 30 out of 35 caches will be rewarded with an official Belmont County Geocaching coin.
The Victorian Mansion Museum construction began in 1888 and was completed in 1893. It was designed in the Romanesque style. The house stayed in the possession of private families until the 1960s. The house had sat vacant for several years and plans were made to raize the structure to make way for a gas station. The house was purchased by John Bradfield and Everett Hanlon for $10,000 and was turned over to the Belmont County Historical Society. A gazebo was added to the property in the 90’s and is a popular place for many weddings.
An elegant porch wraps around the entire length of the mansion. The porch contains a wooden plank floor with sandstone pillars. The porch is supported by four Ionic columns with an entablature and dentil molding. The entrance is framed by a fan light and side lights with a large white solid wood door.
The house contains 26 rooms decorated in the Victorian era designs. Beautiful oak fretwork welcomes visitors to the entrance parlor. The eye is instantly drawn to the hand-carved griffin found in the woodworking to the bottom right. The dining room is located to the right of the entrance with two parlors to the left. The great hall runs past the fretwork and contains an inglenook known as a “Courting Fireplace” with cast-iron firebox.