History of the Mansion

The "Harney Mansion" was built in two phases. The original house built by Dr. A. Leffingwelll during 1856 us the south end. General Harney added to the original structure in 1872. The addition duplicated the Leffingwell house in design and materila. The entire mansion is native stone.

The mansion was used as the General's summer home until 1884 when he moved to Florida. In 1896, Theodore Hinchcliff purchased the masion from the Harney heirs.

In 1960, the Hindhdliff's daughter, Lucy Hinchcliff Riggans, sold the mansion to Mr. and Mrs. Leo Hollander. The Hollander family gave the mansion to the William S. Harney Historical Society in the early 1980's. It was placed on the Nation Register of Historic Placesin April 1984 as the Major General William S. Harney Summer Home.

Here you see my son Chris, the General's GGGGG Grandson.

Since gaining ownership, The Friends were awarded grant funding through the State of Missouri, Department of Natural Resources, Division of State Parks, Historic Preservation Program ans authorized representative of the United States Department of the Interior, National Park Service. The grant was for 60/40-match money. The grant provided for placement of a temporary roof to protect the structure and the hiring of a qualified preservation architect to conduct feasibility and alternative use studies.

In October 1999 a "dedication" ceremony was held at the Mansion. The General himself even showed up to see what all the excitement was about.

The "Friends of the General Harney House, Inc" have developed plans for the mansion that will convert it into a Library and Civic center for the town of Sullivan. The plans below show what the final project will look like.

Return to Brian's Root Cellar