civilized ku # 2226-28 ~ the house(s) that George built

Kodak World Headquarters ~ Rochester, NY • click to embiggenGeorge Eastman's house ~ Rochester, NY • click to embiggenDuring our recent visit to Rochester, the wife and I visited the George Eastman House / International Museum of Photography and Film. The primary purpose of the outing was for the wife to see George Eastman's house and gardens - the International Museum of Photography and Film, not so much. Suffice it to state, the house and gardens were home run (pun intended) hit with the wife.

That said, there's an interesting and somewhat odd story to tell about the house ...

At some point after Eastman moved into the house, he decided that the proportions of the conservatory (pictured above) were all wrong. Wrong to about the tune of 10 feet too short, as measured along the exterior wall on which the elephant trophy hangs (one of his hobbies was to go to Africa and kill things). Apparently this wrongness was enough to drive him a bit batty inasmuch as he decided to move the entire rear half of the house (also pictured above, in part) in order to get his much desired 10 feet of space.

Several contractors told him that he was flat out crazy but, crazy or not, he did manage to find one in Pittsburgh, PA willing to take his money and give it a try - and, speaking of money, Eastman spent $300,000 to build the house and, as it turned out, $750,000 to successfully move the rear half of the house those very precious 10 feet.

I can only imagine him, after the work was completed, sitting in one of those wicker chairs, perhaps listening to pipe organ music which was played for his listening pleasure (it was played every morning as he descended down the stairs from his sleeping quarters), and thinking to himself how absolutely splendid those extra 10 feet were to behold.

Comments

[John Linn]

I have been to GEH many times but never heard that story (at least that I recall :-).

Thanks for the story, and nice shots.

John

[ken bello]

There was, at one time, an exhibit on the second floor that had a complete selection of photos and description on how the house was jacked up and put on rails for the move. It's a fascinating story in itself if stuff like that interests you. When I worked (as a volunteer)there I had an opportunity to study the material.