| Sitting on 10 acres of land high on a hill overlooking the | | | | riverboats of the time.Reportedly, the Gaff children |
| Ohio River, Hillforest Mansion strikes an impressive | | | | once rode a pony up these stairs and out the rear |
| scene. Just as impressive is it's colorful past. Listed on | | | | door. |
| The National Register of Historic Places, in 1992 it was | | | | Thomas Gaff was born in Scotland in July of 1808. |
| bestowed the honor of being designated a National | | | | After coming to the United States, he learned paper |
| Historic Landmark thus placing it on the same level of | | | | making and the distillery business. Along with his |
| prominence as Thomas Jefferson's Monticello. | | | | brother James they became involved in many other |
| Designed in 1853 by Isaiah Rogers, an architect known | | | | businesses,including a jewelry store, A Nevada silver |
| as the "father of the modern hotel", it was designed | | | | mine, farming, turnpike and canal construction, machine |
| for Thomas Gaff and his family who occupied it from | | | | works, and a mill in Columbus Indiana which produced |
| 1855 until 1891. | | | | the world's first ready made cereal. |
| Shipping and riverboats were significant elements of | | | | Needing to transport their brewery and distillery |
| the Gaff business enterprises and are reflected in the | | | | products, they also owned a fleet of steamboats. |
| architecture of the home. | | | | During the Civil War they supplied the Union Army the |
| Although based on the Italian Renaissance architectural | | | | steamboats, whence one of them the Forest Queen |
| style, the two-story home's design reflected Gaff's | | | | became the headquarters for Gen. William Tecumseh |
| involvement in the shipping industry with its full-width | | | | Sherman and successfully rammed the Vicksburg |
| front porch being reminiscent of a steamboat's deck. | | | | blockade. |
| Among it's many features include Ventian Glass | | | | In their spare time, the brothers were involved in many |
| Windows,elaborate plaster mouldings, a museum room, | | | | civic affairs, helped organize the local school system , |
| and an underground wine cellar. | | | | established the First National Bank of Aurora and |
| The suspended staircase was patterned after those | | | | served on the city council. |
| at the ends of the Grand Salon on the more elaborate | | | | |