The View From my Window

I used to live in Chico CA where one of the
notable landmarks is Bidwell Mansion, the home
of Annie and John Bidwell who donated thousands
of acres of land to the city, including the land
for the University. They had a good life and
their mansion is beautiful.

Here in Moscow is a similar landmark, right
across the street from my house. The McConnell
Mansion.















The McConnells didn't have it as
good as the Bidwells. The Historic
Landmark sign in front of the mansion tells
their tale:

"After the ... McConnell Mansion was completed
in 1886, McConnell's wife and four children
joined him in Moscow that Christmas Eve.
Although McConnell became the state's leading
Republican, serving as state senator and
governor, and despite securing the University
of Idaho for Moscow, he fell into obscurity
after losing his money in the Depression of
1893.

Although McConnell's wife Louisa filed a
homestead claim on the Mansion property, the
family lost their home in 1898. "

Not a completely horrible story - things could
have been worse I suppose - but it is
disconcerting to read that they lost their
lovely house and fell into obscurity ... They
had four children.