Lebold Mansion, Abilene, Kansas Poster

"The Historic Lebold Mansion, Abilene, Kansas" by Catherine Sherman. The majestic Victorian Lebold Mansion stands prominently in Abilene, Kansas, with its ornate brick and stone facade, featuring a distinctive tower and purple front door. The architecture displays classic elements such as decorative gables, a symmetric layout, and intricate detailing around the windows and roofline. Lebold Mansion was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. Constructed of native Kansas limestone, the mansion was built in 1880 by banker Conrad Lebold. In 1857 Tim and Eliza Hersey, the founders and first inhabitants of Abilene, built a stone dugout in the location where the Lebold Mansion stands today. The Hersey dugout was incorporated into the construction of the mansion's tower and is preserved as part of the foundation located at the tower's base. The Mansion has served many purposes over the years. In the 1920s it was redecorated by C. L. Brown as a boarding house for the young female operators of his United Telephone Company. In 1930 it became an orphanage and then served as an apartment building from 1940–70. It has survived intact and was maintained as a historic house museum from 1973 until 2010, when it became a private home again. Now, you can only drive by to admire the house from afar. This photograph was taken in late September 2019.