Kuser Manion

A decade ago I toured Kuser Mansion with the express purpose of seeing my mom's wedding dress on display. That year the exhibit was held in June, a month traditionally thought of as a good month for weddings (though I'm partial to May, and mom is partial to December). This year it was held in August.

The mansion was once the summer home of the Kuser family. The Kusers owned of Twentieth Century Fox and were local celebrities. They dabbled in many expensive hobbies, including owning the Mercer Automobile Company, and had lots of wealthy fans. If you are in the area, the Queen Anne style mansion is open for tours on most weekends, just not in the six weeks leading up to the annual Winter Festival. Tours are free and led by county employees well versed in the history.

Mom's dress has been well preserved. This year they added a couple of pictures from their 1967 wedding. Mom returned to give them the history of the bridal party. I recognized my aunts and uncles, but not the other people in the picture. The curator at Kuser is happy to learn the background.

The day I went the docent said my mom's dress was her favorite because it reminded her of Jackie Kennedy. It evokes the era of the 1960s. Perhaps I should donate my my 1993 gown as it screams the 1990s, now considered an historic time.

In addition to my mom's gown on display in the dining room, there were other stunning gowns. I wish the docent had let me look at them instead of filling my quiet admiration with unrelated words. It is a tough balancing act.

While there a mom and daughter were visiting. It was the mom's birthday. She did not give her age, but said she lived in London during World War II and remembers the nightly bombings. She is living history! She told us about some glass that survived and she brought with her to the United States when she moved here. Her daughter was visiting from Canada.