Historic Rose Mansion open this weekend
?BROWNSVILLE — The historic Rose Mansion on Brownsville’s North Side, the original home of the Monongahela National Bank, will be open to the public this weekend and several other weekends this summer.
The home was opened for the first time during the National Road Festival weekend, with slide shows of historic Brownsville photos projected in the downstairs rooms and framed historic photos on the walls upstairs.
“We’ve had people call who were not available that weekend who would still like to see that home,” said Norma Ryan from the Brownsville Area Revitalization Corp. (BARC).
The house, which dates back to 1873, when it was built to house the Monongahela National Bank, was donated to BARC following the July 2006 death of Peter Frederick Rose, who was 81 and had lived in the house most of his life. The Monongahela Bank moved downtown in 1900 and the use of the building between then and 1917 is unclear. Some family records show the Rose family purchasing the former bank in 1903, other deeds show the date as 1917.
Visitors to the Rose Mansion are being encouraged to write on the walls, not in the form of graffiti, but to add to the local history recorded by the photos.
“We’d also like to get their views on what should be in that building,” Ryan said.
Ryan said BARC is having a study done as to whether a bed and breakfast would be a viable option. A mixed use facility for small events or weddings is also a possibility, Ryan said.
“BARC is not looking to operate this. We’re looking to rent it to someone who wants to do something with it,” Ryan said.
The open house events at the Rose Mansion will take place from 11?a.m. until 2?p.m. Saturday and from 4 to 5?p.m.Sunday prior to the Music on the Mon concert by The Jades at Nemacolin Castle. It will also be open July 2, July 23 and Aug. 6 from 11?a.m. until 2?p.m. each day and on Aug. 7 and Aug. 21 from 4 to 5?p.m. each day.
“We decided on those Sundays because those are the Sundays we’re having Music on the Mon,” Ryan said.
Jill West will be performing on Aug. 7 and the Tiger Maple String Band will be performing Aug. 21 at Nemacolin Castle.