[ErikV]

John,

A truly sad ending to an amazing story. I've been reading and studying about
the long and forgotten Gilded Age period for awhile now. It took place in post-
reconstruction America, circa 1876-1900. You'll notice in the mansions' photos
how correct Mark Twain was when he once said "To gild with gold, to paint the
lily...is wasteful and ridiculous excess." Twain himself lived during this period
and saw the excesses taking place in America at that time. This massive house
displays not only a bygone era, but also the lavish lifestyle of the robber-barons
of the period. Nonetheless, it was an amazing and unmatched period in time
as progress brought about numerous changes, both socially and politically.

It is sad to see landmarks with rich history such as this one fall to the wayside.
As someone posted earlier, if it aint shiny, most people today could care less.
The historical significance that this one building holds is still evident - even
down to our small niche hobby. (Believe it or not, there was someone else
who came from this period who also played a fairly large role during the Glided
Age AND was also influential in the early 20th Century baseball card
production. (I'm currently writing a biography of this individual. I've been
working on this manuscript for over a year and would estimate that I'm half
way to completion.)

Thank you John for posting this great story. It's a reminder to me of that period
from long ago. It's also inspired me to continue on my quest. Hopefully one
day I'll complete my project and share some more about this wonder time in
American and baseball card history!

ErikV