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The Victorian Mansion Perfect for Wes Anderson’s Remake of the Addams Family

Nov 16, 2024
2 min read

Updated: Oct 6


Ornate orange brick Victorian mansion with tower behind wrought iron fence.

In the heart of Abilene, Kansas, stands a piece of Victorian history: the Lebold Mansion. Built in 1880, this yellow-brick landmark, with its 24 rooms spread across five storeys, offers a rare glimpse into a bygone era. Unlike many historic homes that face neglect and decay, the Lebold Mansion has been thoughtfully restored, carefully retaining its distinctive Victorian character. Inside, layers of intricate wallpaper and unique design details bring to life a space that feels like a blend of the macabre and whimsical, reminiscent of both the Addams Family and a Wes Anderson set. It’s a rare survival story for a home of its kind, inviting those who step inside to experience a small, authentic fragment of the past.

Grand Victorian hallway, red patterned wallpaper, dark wood staircase, high decorative ceiling.


Ornate room with patterned wallpaper, wooden doors, and decorative ceiling.

Empty room, red patterned carpet, dark wood windows, crystal chandelier.

Ornate interior staircase, dark wood banister, decorative wallpaper, and patterned ceiling.

The Italianite Lebold Mansion is on the National Register for Historic Places, and “one of the Eight Architectural Wonders of Kansas” according to listing agent John Kollhoff. “The current owners have installed a high-end kitchen, updated the servant’s quarters bath with a steam shower, and fine tuned many of the details throughout the home,” he says. The star of the show, though, are those hand-painted floor-to-ceiling wallpapers…



Ornate Victorian hallway with red patterned wallpaper, dark wood, and chandelier.

Vintage mansion's ornate wooden staircase, elaborate wallpaper, and detailed patterned ceiling.


Ornate Victorian hallway with patterned wallpaper, carved staircase, and detailed ceiling.

It’s wild to think that when it was first built, the house cost a mere $18,000. The owners didn’t live there for long, and in the 1920s it became a boarding house for women working at the United Telephone Company, before becoming an orphanage, an apartment building, and finally, a museum from 1973-2010:

Ornate dining room with chandelier, patterned table, white statue, richly decorated interior.

Ornate vintage study with a wooden desk, bookshelf, and chandelier.

Now, it’s up for grabs again. The period furniture may not comes with the price tag – but it still boasts the original fixtures, and all wallpapers are period authentic.



Vintage chandelier hangs from an ornate, painted art deco ceiling.

Ornate brass chandelier with crystal drops against a colorful ceiling rosette.

Rococo-style pastoral scene with figures and trees on yellow fabric pattern.

Ornate Victorian room with patterned wallpaper, large windows, wooden furniture, sunlight.


Ornate room with chandelier, patterned ceiling, tall windows, and wooden floor.

Ornate vintage room with a dark wood pool table and chandelier.

Ornate red patterned ceiling and antique chandelier in lavish room.

Now, for an eyeball break, feast your eyes on the homelier rooms. We repeat: the kitchen has been renovated.

Unfinished basement room, patterned tile floor, wood paneling, exposed pipes, old lamp.

Do I spy a potential wine cellar?

Dark, spartan room with a small window, white curtain, and wooden trunk.

This isn't even all the parts of the mansion (but you have seen the prettiest), but rest assured there’s also a three car garage, a fountain, and big porches.



Ornate chandelier above a purple double door within a brick archway.

Listed at $429,000 here.




 
 
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