Beautifully decorated at Christmas and guides are very informative has a great deal of history... read more
Guests visiting the Vaile mansion have access to the 1st and 2nd floor. Due to fire code restrictions the third floor and up are off limits, because there is only one way up and one way down. Very unsafe if there was ever... More
Guests visiting the Vaile mansion have access to the 1st and 2nd floor. Due to fire code restrictions the third floor and up are off limits, because there is only one way up and one way down. Very unsafe if there was ever an emergency situation. Honestly, though there is no great mystery to the third floor the layout is exactly like the second just a stripped down white washed version, the area is used for storage for our plethora of Christmas decorations.
The upper levels are structurally sound but have never been fully renovated. Part of this is in keeping with the historical accuracy of the home that allows us to be listed on the National Registry of Historic places. Up keeping the mansion is quite costly and even basic renovation to maintain the basic structural integrity of the home often require expensive specialists who work specifically with these types of structures. We would love to see the house fully renovated to be completely honest. However, for the home to be historically accurate we should never finish it or add additional fire exits because the Vaile's never did and the home is meant to be a reflection of their life there. Mr. Vaile and his wife did intent for the third floor to possibly be a half ballroom and half billiards area. Once she passed way he left it untouched. The basement is also off limits but to be honest its a basement, all pipes and wiring, no different than most homes in our area have. Just like many homes, its also an area used for storage space. I hope this answers your question and if you did manage to visit the home that you enjoyed your tour. Thank you for asking this question and its a very common concern for people looking to visit our beloved home.