♪♪ >> WE'RE AT AN OHIO FARM COUNTRY, A RICH AGRICULTURE AREA.

WE SEE FARMHOUSES.

BUT WE'RE STOPPING AT AN INTERESTING PLACE THAT LOOKS LIKE NOTHING ELSE.

THERE IS QUITE A STORY BEHIND THIS BUILDING.

I THINK WE'LL HAVE A PRETTY INTERESTING VISIT.

IT'S CALLED MAC-A-CHEEK CASTLE.

HELLO, MARGARET.

>> HI, JEFF.

>> GOOD TO SEE YOU.

AND, JIM, NICE TO SEE YOU.

>> NICE TO SEE YOU, JEFF.

IT'S BEEN SO LONG, SINCE HIGH SCHOOL.

>> WHO KNEW WE'D END UP IN OHIO.

>> I CERTAINLY DIDN'T.

>> I DIDN'T EITHER.

INTERESTING THINGS IN OHIO SUCH AS MAC-A-CHEEK CASTLE.

IT'S IN YOUR FAMILY, IS THAT RIGHT?

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

THEY MARRIED IN 1803 WHEN OHIO BECAME A STATE.

SOLD LAND IN CINCINNATI AND BOUGHT LAND HERE AND ESTABLISHED A 1,700 ACRE FARM HERE WITH A LOT OF HELP.

SO THEY CLEARED THE LAND.

IT WAS A DIVERSIFIED LAND, VERY COMPLEX.

>> THIS PARTICULAR HOUSE WASN'T BUILT THAT EARLY.

>> NO, THIS HOUSE WAS BUILT LIKE HIS SON.

THE FAMILY WAS 6 YEARS OLD WHEN THE FAMILY HERE.

AND HE BUILT THIS HOUSE WHEN HE WAS 50 YEARS OLD.

>> THE LIMESTONE AND THE WOOD ALL CAME FROM THE LAND.

THE QUARRY FROM THE LIMESTONE IS ONLY ABOUT A MILE FROM US.

WITHOUT TOO MUCH WORK, IT WAS AN OUTCROPPING SO THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO MINE.

THEY COULD JUST GO INTO THE HILLSIDE AND GET IT OUT.

IT TOOK A LOT OF TIME.

IT TOOK THEM 7 YEARS TO BUILD THE HOUSE.

>> WHAT YEAR?

>> '71, 1871.

>> AND IT CHANGED OVER TIME, I'M ASSUMING.

THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN ADAPTATIONS OR ADDITIONS?

>> VERY LITTLE CHANGES.

>> WHAT CHANGES ARE THE OBJECTS PEOPLE OF EACH GENERATION USE.

>> MAKES SENSE.

>> YOU WILL SEE AN ARRAY OF THOSE.

WE DON'T HAVE IT RESTORED TO ONE TIME PERIOD.

WE HAVE OBJECTS FROM MULTIPLE TIME PERIODS.

>> I WOULD LOVE TO SEE MORE.

THE INTERIOR HAS TO BE FASCINATING, GIVEN THE INTERIOR.

YOU WILL TAKE ME ON A TOUR.

JIM, YOU HAVE SOME WORK TO DO.

>> I'LL SAY HELLO AGAIN BEFORE YOU LEAVE.

>> LEAD THE WAY.

♪♪ ♪♪ >> WELL, I DON'T THINK I HAVE SEEN TRIM QUITE LIKE THIS IN ANY HISTORIC HOUSE I HAVE BEEN IN.

>> PEOPLE COMMENT ON IT ALL THE TIME.

IT IS SUCH A SURPRISE.

I THINK THESE EXTREME TRIANGLES ARE INTERESTING TO PEOPLE.

WE BELIEVE THEY WERE INSPIRED BY ANOTHER INTERIOR DETAIL, WHICH I'LL SHOW YOU LATER.

>> I SEE BOOKS.

>> IT'S A LIBRARY.

AND THE OFFICE AND LIBRARY IS ALL ABOUT ABRAM.

HE WAS A FARMER.

HE WAS A PROGRESSIVE FARMER.

PUBLISHED MATERIALS ABOUT FARMING AND ALSO WAS VERY INVOLVED.

THIS CAME HIM A PLACE TO DO THE ACCOUNTING AND THE STUDY.

>> THERE WAS ANOTHER CASTLE.

>> MAC-A-CHEEK IS THIS ONE.

BOTH ARE DERIVED FROM THE SHAWNEE NAME.

BOTH WERE CHILDREN WHEN THEY MOVED TO THIS LAND.

IN MID-AGE, THEY BUILT THESE MANSIONS JUST A MILE APART.

>> AND THE OTHER HOUSE IS OWNED BY SOMEBODY ELSE NOW?

>> THAT'S TRUE.

ACTUALLY THAT HAPPENED MORE THAN ONCE.

AFTER DON DIED, HIS WIDOW SOLD THE HOME.

MANY OTHER PEOPLE HAD IT.

MY UNCLE PURCHASED IT IN THE 1950s AND WE RAN IT FOR 60-SOMETHING YEARS.

THEN WE SOLD IT TO A FAMILY WHO IS DOING A WONDERFUL JOB RESTORING IT.

>> WELL, I'D LOVE TO SEE MORE.

>> LET'S GO TO THE DRAWING HIM.

>> OKAY.

♪♪ >> WHAT A BEAUTIFUL ROOM.

>> IT'S A WONDERFUL SPACE.

THE DRAWING ROOM, OF COURSE, WOULD BE WHERE YOU WOULD GO AND ENJOY COMPANY AFTER DINNER, HAVE FAMILY WEDDINGS, FUNERALS, CHRISTMAS PARTIES, ALL SORTS OF THINGS.

THE PARQUET FLOOR PUT IN INTERESTING SHAPES IS ONE OF ITS REAL FEATURES.

>> IT REALLY IS BEAUTIFUL.

I CAN SEE WHERE THE DIAMOND DESIGN MAY HAVE COME FROM.

IT IS ALMOST LIKE A CATHEDRAL IN HERE.

>> IT IS.

IT HAS THESE WONDERFUL SHAPES THAT TAKE YOUR EYES TO THE CEILING WHERE YOU FIND A FRESCO GARDEN.

>> IT IS REALLY SPECTACULAR.

>> THIS IS AN INTERESTING CASE.

>> THIS CASE AND CABINET CHANGED THE STORY OF THIS FAMILY'S LIFE BECAUSE IT WAS BROUGHT IN WHEN IT BECAME A MUSEUM IN THE EARLY 20th CENTURY.

ABRAM'S SON COLLECTED THESE PIECES OVER THE COURSE OF MANY DECADES.

HE FOUND A LOT OF THEM ON THE FARM.

OTHERS CAME LATER.

>> THIS IS AN INTERESTING, FASCINATING DISPLAY CASE, BUT IT IS A WELL-FURNISHED ROOM.

IT IS INTERESTING TO SEE.

>> THESE PIECES COME FROM DIFFERENT TIME PERIODS, BELONGING TO DIFFERENT GENERATIONS.

>> THIS IS MADE OF HORNS, IS THAT RIGHT?

>> YES.

ACCORDING TO OUR CORDS IT WAS FROM SAN ANTONIO.

IT WAS PHOTOGRAPHED IN THIS ROOM IN 1916, AND IT WAS PART OF THE ORIGINAL SOUVENIR BOOKLET WHEN THIS FIRST BECAME A MUSEUM.

IT IS WONDERFUL TO KNOW THAT THESE KINDS OF CHAIRS BECAME EXTREMELY POPULAR IN THE EARLY 20th CENTURY AND BECAME TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH TEDDY ROOSEVELT.

>> I'M ASSUMING SOMETHING WITH THAT MANY HORNS WOULD HAVE COME FROM TEXAS.

>> WE HAVE THE CHERRY SIDE BOARD THAT BELONGED TO BENJAMIN AND ELIZABETH.

HER SECOND PIANO FROM BOSTON IN THE 1940s.

THE PORTRAITS ARE ELIZABETH AND BENJAMIN, HIS MOTHER AND FATHER.

THEY WERE A FASCINATING PAIR OF PEOPLE WHO NEVER LIVED IN THIS HOUSE, NEVER SAW THIS HOUSE.

THEY LIVED IN A MODEST HOME NEARBY BUT WITH THESE NICE OBJECTS IN IT.

>> WELL, THERE IS A NICE GROUP HERE OF WHAT LOOKS LIKE ORIGINAL FURNITURE.

>> YES.

THIS IS A PARLOR SUITE, POPULAR IN THE LATE 19th CENTURY.

BEFORE ABRAM DIED, THAT'S HOW THIS ROOM WOULD HAVE BEEN FURNISHED.

>> THIS IS A WONDERFUL TOUR OF THE FIRST FLOOR.

THIS IS MORE SPECTACULAR HERE IN THE DRAWING ROOM, BUT THERE MUST BE SOMETHING UPSTAIRS.

>> THERE IS UPSTAIRS WITH BEDROOMS.

IT TELLS THE STORY OF THE NEXT GENERATION.

>> LET'S GO LEARN THAT STORY.

>> VERY GOOD.

♪♪ >> MARGARET, WHY ARE THERE CHANNELS ON EITHER SIDE OF THE CHAIRS.

>> THEY ARE DUST CHANNELS.

THEY MADE IT POSSIBLE TO SWEEP FROM EITHER SIDE.

>> USING GRAVITY TO HELP CLEAN THE HOUSE.

I LOVE IT.

>> POPULAR FOR THE NEXT GENERATIONS AS A PLACE TO RACE CARS.

>> THE HALL ITSELF IS WONDERFUL.

>> NICE, GREEK FEATURES.

>> A NICE, WIDE HALL.

>> THIS IS ORIGINALLY THE MASTER BEDROOM SUITE.

ABRAM AND ELEANOR HAD A BEDROOM AS AN UPPER PARLOR.

HOWEVER, THE STORY OF THIS FAMILY OVER TIME IS THAT MORE AND MORE STARTED TO LIVE HERE.

SO BY 1900s, IT HAD MOVED TO 20 PEOPLE LIVING HERE.

AND AT THAT POINT, IT WAS NECESSARY TO HAVE ANOTHER BEDROOM.

IN FACT, THAT'S WHERE MY FATHER WAS BORN.

>> THAT ROOM RIGHT THERE?

>> UH-HUH, UH-HUH.

>> QUITE A STORY.

>> YEAH.

WELL, EVERYTHING IS WELL FURNISHED.

I MEAN, AND ALL THE FURNISHINGS TELL STORIES.

WHAT OTHER THINGS WILL PEOPLE SEE IF THEY LOOK AT DIFFERENT BEDROOMS?

>> WELL, THE BEDROOM YOU WILL SEE MORE ITEMS RELATED TO CHILDREN WHO GREW UP HERE.

PERSONAL STORIES, THE WOMAN WHO WAS HURT IN A TRAIN ACCIDENT AND HOW YOUR NEPHEW HELPED HER GAIN STRENGTH WITH A PHYSICAL THERAPY MACHINE.

A MILITARY COLLECTION WITH ITEMS THAT PEOPLE BROUGHT HOME FROM BATTLE.

WE ALSO HAVE AN ARCHIVE IN ONE OF THE ROOMS, AND THAT'S WHERE WE STUDIED.

WE HAVE PROBABLY 20,000 DOCUMENTS RELATED TO INDIVIDUALS IN THIS FAMILY.

>> AND ALL OF THAT WAS HERE, WELL, IN BOTH HOUSES, EITHER HOUSE, BUT IT WAS ALL HERE.

>> IT WAS ALL HERE.

IT WAS JUST LIKE PEOPLE WHO TAKE THEIR BIRTHDAY CARDS AND PUT THEM IN A BOX SOMEWHERE.

WE WERE SLOWLY TAKING THEM OUT STUDYING AND ARCHIVING THEM.

>> SO IT'S BEEN A TREASURE HUNT OVER THE YEARS.

>> IT HAS BEEN.

>> I GUESS THAT'S IT FOR OUR TOUR.

>> NO, WAIT.

THERE IS ONE MORE THING I'D LIKE TO SHOW YOU.

>> I'M HAPPY TO DO IT.

HELLO AGAIN, JIM.

>> HELLO, JEFF.

>> HOW WAS YOUR TOUR?

>> IT WAS TERRIFIC.

WHAT A HOUSE.

IT IS JUST REMARKABLE.

TELL ME ABOUT THE TOWER.

SUCH A BIG FEATURE ON THE BUILDING.

>> IT IS A BIG FEATURE.

THEY USED IT TO DEMONSTRATE SOME OF THEIR STONE WORK.

YOU CAN SEE THE CAPITALS OVER EACH WINDOW ARE DIFFERENT.

BUT IT HAS NO REAL FUNCTION, OTHER THAN A PART OF THE BUILDING AS A TOWER.

>> SO YOU DIDN'T LOOK FOR ENEMIES APPROACHING OVER THE FIELDS, THAT SORT OF THING?

THESE ARE DIFFERENT TIMES.

SO THE LEGACY HERE IS JUST REMARKABLE AND IT'S FALLEN TO YOU, AS A MEMBER OF THE FAMILY, TO MAKE SURE THAT CONTINUES.

HOW HAVE YOU DONE THAT OVER THE YEARS?

>> WE DID IT OURSELVES.

BUT WE CREATED A NON-PROFIT FOUNDATION CALLED THE MAC-A-CHEEK FOUNDATION.

THROUGH IT WE RAISE MONEY FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES.

SO THIS SPACE WE'RE IN IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE.

WE USE IT AS A WORKSHOP SPACE, GREAT PLACE FOR KIDS TO COME.

JIM ACTUALLY TEACHES THEM HOW TO CHISEL LIMESTONE.

PARTICULARLY, THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ART AND NATURE.

>> THAT SOUNDS LIKE A REALLY GOOD SERIES OF PROGRAMS.

SO YOU HAVE VARIOUS PROGRAMS, VARIOUS FUNCTIONS.

YOU COULD HOST WEDDINGS, FOR EXAMPLE.

>> WE DO HOST WEDDINGS.

WE HOST BIRTHDAY PARTIES.

WE HOLD SPECIAL EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR THAT ARE FREE AND WE DO SCHOOL AND YOUTH PROGRAMS, ALL OF THE THINGS THAT IF SOMEBODY WANTS WE MANAGE TO MAKE HAPPEN.

>> THANK YOU FOR THE TOUR.

I LOVED SEEING THE PLACE.

>> GOOD TO SEE YOU.

>> THANKS SO MUCH.

♪♪