Swiss Cottage - Rockford, Illinois
Posted by: 
BruceS
N 42° 15.862 W 089° 06.131
16T E 326620 N 4681268
Swiss styled home now museum in Rockford, Illinois.
Waymark Code: WMDTFJ
Location: Illinois, United States
Date Posted: 02/22/2012
Views: 1
The SWISS COTTAGE, 311 Kent St., faithfully follows the model of a Swiss chalet. Robert Tinker built it in 1870 following a sojourn in Switzerland. Reached by a suspension bridge across Kent Creek, the 26-room cottage contains curios collected by Tinker in Europe and the South Seas, as well as many early American pieces from the Manny home. The circular library, with its finely carved spiral stairway, is patterned after that in Sir Walter Scott's home, visited by Tinker in his travels. Given to Rockford by its owner, the house will not be opened to the public until the death of its present occupant, a niece of Tinker. - Illinois: A Descriptive and Historical Guide, Rockford section, pg.372.
Tinker Swiss Cottage is now operated as a museum by Rockford Park District. The house is open for guided tours Tuesday through Sunday from 1-3 p.m. during the Spring, Summer and Fall.. For more information about this cottage, its history and visit see its website.
The cottage was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972.