Chatillon-DeMenil Mansion

Our First Craft Night!

demenilmansion — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 02:20:05 +0000

Thanks to all of the ladies who graced us with their presence during our first ever DeMenil Craft Guild Night!

Next month’s Craft Night will be held on Wednesday March 14th. The Mansion’s doors will open at 6:00 pm for open crafting. At 7:00pm we will start our class on our featured craft: a Hair-Work Flower Brooch.

The house will be open for crafting and walk-through tours until 9pm!

You can register for our March 14th Session here.

Support us in Style!

demenilmansion — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 18:36:03 +0000

On Friday, February 24, please join us for a Cocktail Soiree to support the restoration and preservation of the Chatillon-DeMenil House. Hosted by Robert Morrissey, the benefit will take place at Clark Graves Antiques and feature catering by Bistro 517. We’ll have fine food and drinks, excellent conversation, and photos and plans for the restoration projects you’re supporting. The ticket price of $50 is partially deductible.

Reservations are limited. For more information, please contact the Chatillon-DeMenil House at (314) 771-5828 or demenil@sbcglobal.net.

Bob the gnome

demenilmansion — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 15:38:41 +0000

One day when I was arriving at the house to give tours I found this gnome hiding in our garden. We thought it would be funny to leave him for the folks at the Campbell House to find too, but now the little scamp is runnning loose all over Saint Louis!

See where Bob is now!

Last Friday

demenilmansion — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 14:39:32 +0000

Thank you to author and historian John Nischwitz for a delightful evening last Friday! He presented a most interesting and informative summary of his recently published book, “Collections of a Civil War Trivia Junkie” to a parlor filled with a great group of folks who braved the ice to come spend their evening at DeMenil. Thanks to all who attended this book signing and made it such a wonderful event!

Craftin’ It Old School

demenilmansion — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 15:45:29 +0000

The DeMenil Craft Guild is now recruiting! At our new monthly series, we’ll step back in time and get hands-on with 19th century hand crafting and decorative art techniques. Bring your own project (doesn’t have to be 19th century) or join in the featured project of the night. We’ll experiment with crafts that are still common today as well as some of the Victorian era’s lost arts. Guaranteed to be entertaining as well as stealthily educational!

Upcoming Craft Night: February 8, 2012 at 6:00 pm - Featured Project : Knitting a Comfortable

A comfortable is simply a long woolen scarf. This project is designed for new knitters and will teach you the basics of casting on, the knit stitch and binding off. This project can be made with any weight yarn and any size needle; although a worsted or bulky weight would probably be best. For ease of use needles should be anywhere from 7-10. We will have yarn available for a nominal donation.

Please click here to find out more or register for one of our classes!

Check us out in Victoria Magazine

demenilmansion — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 03:08:22 +0000

We are super excited to be featured in The Victoria Magazine Issue for January/February. You can get a small taste of the issue online, but pick up a copy to find out more about the Mansion and see the fabulous pictures taken by the magazine staff.

Civil War Trivia Book Signing

demenilmansion — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 17:17:24 +0000

Please join us on Friday, January 20 at 7pm for an evening with John Nischwitz, author of Collections of a Civil War Trivia Junkie. This fascinating book, just released in September, includes hundreds of lists and photos, many never before published. A West Point graduate and veteran, John has written monthly trivia quizzes for the St Louis Civil War Roundtable since 1997, has visited every major Civil War battlefield, and has taught military history. If you are as fascinated by the Civil War as we are, you can’t miss this event. Copies of the book will be available for purchase.

Book signing and author reception

demenilmansion — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 14:51:12 +0000

December 8, 2011 7:00 pm

With the proliferation of history-themed presses and local publishers, it seems that the printed material on the history of St. Louis grows exponentially every year. One of the best of the new titles is Fred Fausz’s insightful Founding St. Louis: First City of the New West. In this eye-opening account, Fausz vividly summons the St. Louis of the French and Osage, examing patterns of western trade and settlement “before Lewis and Clark were even born.” Don’t forget – as a Chatillon-DeMenil House Foundation member, your autographed copies (and all other gift shop purchases) are 10% off!

World’s Fair Souvenir Shopping Benefit

demenilmansion — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 14:57:14 +0000

Looking for a one-of-a kind holiday gift? A real piece of St. Louis history? Join the Chatillon-DeMenil House Foundation and the St. Louis Curio Shoppe for a special wine and cheese and shopping reception! For the first time, most the Pieber collection of World’s Fair souvenirs will be displayed together. Donated by Bill Pieber in 2009, the collection includes glass, porcelain, spoons, paper items, handkerchiefs, and much more. All of the items on display will be available for purchase, benefitting ongoing restoration at DeMenil.

This one-time shopportunity is yours on November 25th from 4-8 pm at the St. Louis Curio Shoppe (2301 Cherokee Street), owned by DeMenil member and volunteer Kristin Gassel. Open for just over a year, the Curio Shoppe celebrates all things St. Louis with locally made crafts and jewelry and a large selection of St. Louis ephemera. We look forward to seeing you there!

Christmas Decorations are up!

demenilmansion — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 13:50:00 +0000

First of all I have to say Thank-You to our great team of volunteers who came out early on a Saturday morning and did a beautiful job decorating the Mansion for the holiday season.

Take a tour of the house from now until the end of the year and enjoy our six uniquely decorated trees, garlands, wreaths and mistletoe spread out over the entire Mansion and learn about a few fun Nineteenth Century Christmas traditions including the thirteen desserts from the traditional French Reveillon Feast.

You can enjoy even more holiday activities in the house during the Holiday Historic House Tour on December 1st and the Soulard Holiday Parlour Tour on December 3rd & 4th.

Don’t forget to check out our Gift Shop for unique Victorian inspired decorations and gifts!