Rivercene - New Franklin, Missouri
Posted by: 
BruceS
N 38° 59.301 W 092° 44.630
15S E 522184 N 4315514
Historic Second Empire style house in rural Howard County, Missouri.
Waymark Code: WM8QXQ
Location: Missouri, United States
Date Posted: 05/04/2010
Views: 7
Left from US 4.0 on the unmarked dirt road to RIVERCENE 0.3 m. (L), a three-story, gray-brick house with mansard roof and cast-iron trim, built by Captain Joseph Kinney (1810-92 ), who made a fortune from freight and passenger steamboats. Kinney began his river career with the building of the W.H. Russell in 1856-- the realization of a dream toward which he had worked as teacher, surveyor, pork packer, and shoe merchant. Other boats followed, many among the finest on the Missouri River. When Kinney built the first stern-wheel boat he was called a fool, and insurance companies refused him coverage. In 1869 he was again called a fool for building his mansion so close to the river that his boats could dock at the front gates. River men nick-named the house "Kinney's Folly," and predicted that the river would soon claim it.
The house contains its original furniture, glass, and china, and a notable group of portraits by A. J. Conant and George Caleb Bingham. The parlor appears much as it did in 1869, except that the wallpaper was replaced in 1882. Mrs. Cora Hurt and Mrs. Margaret Ravenel, daughters of Captain Kiimer, maintain the house as a museum. - Missouri: Guide to the "Show Me" State, Tour1, pg 354
The house is very well maintained and has been operating as a bed and breakfast. The house is currently listed forsale when I visited it. It is surprising that it has not been flooded out due to its location in the Missouri River flood plain.