Seelye Mansion

This beautiful Georgian-style home (figure A) was built in Abilene, Kansas, in 1904 from the profits of "patent medicines." Dr. A.B. Seelye had a lucrative business marketing his "cure-alls" through 14 states (figure B). He had a sales force of 400 strong peddling his tonics, and with the income from his business set out to build the finest home in Kansas. His wife contracted a prominent New York architect to design the home after she saw an example of the architect's work in a trade magazine.

At Christmastime, the Seelyes decorated their home with 200 large poinsettias and more than 40 festively decorated Christmas trees (figure C). They also decorated staircases and mantels with garland and bows (figure D), and the ceilings were adorned with Christmas bells. One of their daughters even came up with a special cookie recipe that was used during the holiday season.

One final bit of trivia: Abilene's most famous native, President Dwight D. Eisenhower, delivered ice to the Seelye Mansion when he was a young boy.