At the center of a 26-acre estate, hidden among a residential southeast side neighborhood of Cedar Rapids, is a 19th century mansion unlike any other.
Brucemore, formerly home to several Cedar Rapids history makers including the Sinclairs, Douglases and Halls, is now an irreplaceable hub of history, culture and community events, thanks to the estate’s final owner, Margaret Douglas Hall, who donated the estate to the National Trust for Historic Preservation in 1981. Her gift ensured the estate would be well cared for long after her lifetime.
Today, more than 43,000 people are drawn to the site every year. Visitors are transported back in time when they step foot onto the breathtaking grounds. Walking through the estate, there’s plenty to catch their eye. Enjoy a stroll along a wooded trail, stop by the serene pond — especially beautiful in the spring when the bloominging foliage reflects over the water — admire the architecture of the estate’s multiple buildings, including the carriage house, greenhouse, servents’ village, garden house, swimming pool and of course, the mansion itself.
Fully experience the mansion on a guided tour — whether it’s a normal daily tour or a special themed tour like the “Nooks and Crannies” tour that explores the home in its entirety or a holiday tour that shows off the house decorated to the nines in holiday cheer — during which you’ll hear many stories from the home’s heyday.
Be sure to visit during one of the site’s signature events, like the poolside Tahitian Party, Brucemorchestra in the fall or A Modern Salon in the winter. Enjoy theatre performances on the lawn during Classics at Brucemore or be stunned by talented voices during Cabaret in the Courtyard.
The mansion is closed in January and February for seasonal cleaning and maintenance, but the site offers reason to visit multiple times throughout the year.
For more information on tours, events and the history of the mansion, visit www.brucemore.org.
Brucemore
2160 Linden Drive SE, Cedar Rapids, IA
