The Glenn House, a restored Victorian mansion with views of the river on Spanish Street, has been a classic part of Cape Girardeau, MO since it opened for tours in 1980 after a substantial restoration and regularly offers tons of reasons to visit, from their Christmas tours to their inclusion in First Friday with the Arts, Pumpkinpalooza, whiskey tastings and everything in between. Now the folks at the Glenn House are bringing the stories of the domestic staff to life with their new Voices from the Backstairs tour.
When Christmas 2016 wrapped up, instead of returning the decorations to their second floor storage room where they’d been kept for decades, they were moved off site and the restoration of the servant’s room began.The Historical Association of Great Cape Girardeau operates the Glenn House, and members rolled up their sleeves and went to work fixing damage to the plaster ceilings and walls, painting, tracking down a period correct light fixture and rewiring it and selecting furnishings at local antique shops that would speak to the experiences of a servant from the late 1800’s to the early 1900’s.
Members also researched and created an interpretive program, so when you tour the Glenn House, you can hear what life was like for domestic help at a time of great change for our nation. The servant’s room will be included on normal tours of the Glenn House, and stay tuned for special “Voices from the Backstairs” tours that will enter the home in the back, just like a servant would have, and focuses on the kitchen, wash room, servant’s room and the rest of the home through the lens of those who worked there.
The Glenn House welcomes guests for tours Saturdays and Sundays from 1 – 4 p.m., May – October. For more information, see VisitCape.com/Discover/The-Glenn-House
Check out the gallery for a glimpse of what you’ll see there.
