The Foyer | hamiltoncoinhs

The Foyer

As you walk into the Sheriffs residence, your eye is usually drawn to the charming grand wooden staircase that leads upstairs to the family bedrooms. The staircase handrail and trim are solid oak. The wooden millwork, all the doors, windows, and moldings were all made in Noblesville at a mill across from the railroad depot on Eighth Street. [no longer there] We believe the wood to be walnut and oak throughout the home.

Clock History

This clock originally came from a jewelry store on the square. The I. M. Rau jewelry store in Noblesville. The store was located on 9th street just south of the old Corner Drug store.

When Mr. Rau died all his assets were sold. The clock had a price of $25.00 and no one bought it. The time was during the depression and that was a lot of money for something that was not a necessity.

Justin Roberts then took the clock as his fee for serving as the lawyer for the Rau estate and it was passed on to Joseph Roberts.

In the late 1950's or early 1960's Malcolm Bundy refinished the case.

This clock has been given to the Hamilton County Historical Society in the form of an indefinite loan from Joseph G Roberts. We are fortunate to have this piece on display as it looks like it was made just for that spot on the stairs.

Pier Mirror and Pier Table

Where does this name come from. My thought would be that it was a ‘peer’ mirror, so you could peek at yourself before you left your home. That is not correct.

It’s pier, and it all starts with the wall. A pier wall is a type of foundation that supports the structural integrity of your home or building. Thus, a pier mirror and console table combination were usually found in the foyer of a home, between two windows or openings.

The first known use of the term pier mirror came from England. Before electricity, lighting a home was a much greater challenge than it now. Families had to be creative. By placing a tall mirror in between two windows, the blank wall between said windows commonly called a “pier,” more natural light could be distributed throughout the home and for a longer period of the day. They were also highly decorative, often standing on a wooden table known as a “pier table.”

The stylish mirrors made their way to the late 1700’s when Thomas Jefferson had four of them shipped from France. Soon, the people of the newly formed nation wanted in on the useful trend and started crafting the mirrors on their own.

Reference: https://www.brownstoner.com/architecture/pier-mirror-brooklyn-architecture/

The period rooms are styled to the 1890's. We did have to renovate, unfortunately, none of the furniture is from the actual residence. We worked with the Indiana Historical Society to use accurate reproductions and furniture.

This is the same place, originally it was a door, in the 1950's they took the door out and put in a window. During renovations, we put the door back in. It is the very same table in the same spot, it looks like it belongs there.