My team members at Cincy Chic are big fans of the Hillforest Victorian House Museum, because we’ve covered lots of events there! Click here to check out all the stories we’ve written about this history hot-spot! And I personally LOVE the new wedding dress exhibit there (I just blogged about it a few weeks ago here), so you MUST check it out.

It’s funny though… even with all these stories, and me raving about the new wedding dress exhibit here on the blog, when I tell my friends about the Hillforest Victorian House Museum, they don’t know what I’m talking about, or just haven’t been yet. So, I contacted my friends over at Hillforest and and asked them to give me some fun facts about the building, location, architecture, events, etc., and I loved the list they came up with… check it out below.

1. Located along a bend in the Ohio River, the small town of Aurora in Southeast Indiana is home to Hillforest Victorian House Museum, which welcomes visitors from April through December.
2. An 1855 Italianate-style mansion that was once home to industrialist Thomas Gaff and his family, Hillforest is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and has been designated as a National Historic Landmark.
3. Its unique steamboat-style architecture – including its ornate entrance, dramatic third-floor cupola and beautifully decorated rooms – transport visitors back to the mid-19^th century, when sternwheelers plied the Ohio River and the thriving river town was a hub of progress and industry.
4. The museum will host several events in 2013, including a special “Century of Brides” exhibit, which will run all year.  This Victorian-themed wedding display features an assortment of timeless bridal gowns dating from the mid-19^th to the mid-20^th centuries.
5. Hillforest is an also ideal spot for private teas and luncheons – including bridal showers and wedding teas –  for groups of 20 or more.
6. From Hillforest, visitors can walk several blocks to Aurora’s downtown, where they’ll find shops, restaurants, historic architecture, the scenic Ohio Riverfront and more.
7. Do you know a young person eager to explore history in a fun and interactive way?  Sign them up for Hillforest’s “American Girls” Day Camp!  Held in June, the one-day camps are for girls ages 5-14, and include games, crafts and a “little lady” tea.
8. You also won’t want to miss Hillforest during the holidays!  All decked out in Victorian splendor, the mansion offers teas, tours and a festive display of trees and other historic holiday décor during the months of November and December.