230 likes | 389 Views
Living in Privilege . George & Sarah Joslyn , their castle and The Offutts. Lynhurst Castle. The Castle. Construction began in 1898 completed in 1903 by John McDonald Construction was lulled due to the Trans – Mississippi Expo A copy of the Scottish style manor
E N D
Living in Privilege George & Sarah Joslyn, their castle and The Offutts
The Castle • Construction began in 1898 completed in 1903 by John McDonald • Construction was lulled due to the Trans – Mississippi Expo • A copy of the Scottish style manor • First built was a green house spanning 1,440 sq ft to house Orchids (destroyed in the 1913 tornado) • 3 floors, 35 rooms, 19,000 sq ft, full lower level, its own power station • $250,000 to build, $50,000 to furnish ($6 Million today) • earliest air conditioning system • A bowling alley • Fully equipped gymnasium • When done, it was the biggest Mansion • in Omaha
The Joslyns • Married in 1872 in Waitsfield, Vermont • Moved to Omaha from Des Moines, IA • George was a very diversified businessman • Sarah was a social elite. George Joslyn Sarah Joslyn
Joslyn: a Self Made Man • Born in Vermont in 1858 • moved to Montreal for Prep school • Attended Yale University • Got into the Printing Bus. and opened an office in Omaha • George was the owner of several buildings and properties in Omaha • Founded Western Chemical Company, the largest producer of Lithium in the US. • Ran 2 hotels: the St. Charles and the Metropolitan both on Harney street.
Sarah and the Arts • Created the Arts Society in Omaha • Avid collector of prize winning orchids • Gave $$ to the arts • Took George’s fortune and created the Joslyn Art Museum in 1931. • Gave to several charities
Joslyn Children • One child was born to the Joslyns – Clifton Howard Joslyn died at birth in 1873 • Only one child was adopted – Violet Carl • The Joslyns raised her as their own daughter • Violet was married in the house in 1913
The Joslyn Legacy • The Joslyn Art Museum opening in 1931 for the Omaha community • At the time of George’s death, his newspaper Western Newspaper Union was the largest in the world • Joslyn was the richest man in Nebraska at the time of his death • The Joslyns gave away more than $7 million to charities
The Offutt Family • Charles Lemuel Offutt • Successful Omaha Lawyer • Youngest Speaker of the House in Kentucky history • Father of Jarvis J. Offutt
The Offutt Family • Bertha Yost- Offutt • Daughter of Casper and Anna Yost – wealthy Omaha family • She had 3 children: Casper Jr., Jarvis, and Virginia
The Offutt Family • Jarvis (right) • Casper (left) Virginia
Jarvis Jennes Offutt • 1st Lieutenant Jarvis J. Offutt was killed in combat in World War 1 • Offutt Air Force Base renamed for him in his honor in 1922 First row, 2nd from left