| The back porch of the Manse as viewed from the wheelchair ramp of the church. |
| Back of the Manse as viewed from the back yard. |
| Garage behind the Manse. |
| The front of the Manse has the original beveled, leaded glass. At night, this is beautiful as you drive by. A Christmas tree in the foyer is dramatic. |
| The Church and the Manse are side by side. You can also see the garage in the background, between the two buildings. |
| History of The Manse |
| The Presbyterian Manse is located right next door to the Church. It has been the home of our pastors since 1924. The home, from a frontal view, looks as it always has, built in the "Philadelphia" style architecture, as are many homes in this block of town. It is a brick red structure, which was painted bright white by the church when purchased. There have been several changes and additions to the structure. It is believed that the original home had two large rooms and a wide hall and two smaller rooms upstairs. A beautiful wide staircase led to the upstairs. A separate, and mostly outdoor, kitchen was in the back of the home. Some time later, the home was improved with an indoor kitchen and a formal dining room. Much later, a family room was added, over the probable spot of the old kitchen/root cellar, and modern bathrooms installed. Over the past decade, the home has been redone to reflect the time period of its construction, both inside and out. The white paint was removed from the brick and the mortar completely reworked. Dixie Restoration, the company that restored the outer facade of the home, worked miracles on the structure. The original shutters were stripped of up to 20 coats of paint. Inside, the home has furnishings donated by members, past and present, which consists mostly of antiques. The upstairs is unfurnished. The kitchen is modern, with a stove, dishwasher, and refrigerator. The downstairs bathroom is decorated with black & white tile and has a glass block window. What goes around comes around, as this is right in vogue now. The front entrance has beveled lead glass and during the Christmas season, a lighted tree in the hall will give a beautiful light show as you drive by the home. The chandelier doesn't do a bad job the remainder of the year. The home was historic prior to the church purchasing it. Present records do not reveal when the home was built. The first "official" mention of the home was when it was purchased by a local druggist, Dr. J. M. Cardwell, who bought it from John B. Wathen on December 4, 1861. The Wathen family has been presumed the original owners. J. B. Wathen was the Lebanon Postmaster from 1830 to 1833. A roster of local merchants at the time of Marion County's separation from Washington County in 1834, lists Mr. Wathen as a partner of L. A. and Richard Spalding in the firm of Spalding, Wathen, & Co. L. A. Wathen was the father of W. W. Wathen, postmaster from 1885 to 1890, and the grandfather of another John B. Wathen, who held the office until from 1914 to 1924. The Cardwell family lived in the home, and built other homes on the "Cardwell" lot. In 1919, the remaining Cardwells moved to Kansas City, Missouri and sold the property to Mrs. Alice Russell, the widow of Sylvester A. Russell. Mrs. Russell's sister, Miss Mary Worswick resided in the home, along with Mrs. Russell's grandson, Caldwell Russell. In 1924, the property was purchased by The United Presbyterian Church, with the home to be used as a Manse for the pastor. All other homes on the property had been torn down by this time, and the bulk of the property was open lot. The new building for the congregation was begun next to The Manse. in 1925 and completed in 1926. Not long before the dedication, a fire swept through the new church and severely damged the interior. The dedication was delayed until 1927. The Manse is registered as an historic landmark. It has been a happy home to our pastors and a very great asset to our church. |
| The Manse and its history |
| Front of the Manse as seen from Main Street. |