On September 5, 2009, we are shooting a wedding at Veraestau in Aurora, Indiana. It will be our first wedding at this venue and our first Indiana wedding. Due to the uniqueness of the location, we thought we'd do a site visit before the wedding. So, yesterday, my hubby (and second shooter), son and I all went on a little adventure to Aurora, IN.
As soon as we made the turn into the driveway, I was excited! It's a long, narrow drive with large trees and a white fence running alongside. Then, we saw the stables and main house - both white. I couldn't wait to see inside both buildings!
We were the only ones there, so we had a "private" tour of the buildings and grounds by Josh. He was very helpful and informative and was giving us some ideas for photos as we walked through the house! We're very excited for our September wedding - now, we just need some good weather and light!
Slide show of photos from our visit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/gotbaby/sets/72157622053771050/show/
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Veraestau: Indiana Historic Landmark
When Jesse Holman combined the Latin words for spring, summer and fall to name his property in 1810, he hoped winter would never touch his home. In a way, it never has. Set high above the Ohio River in Aurora, Indiana, the landmark home captures a long sweep of Indiana's architectural history and exemplifies the historic preservation practiced by generations of two families - the Holman/Hamilton clan and the O'Brien/Gibson family.
Although the two-story log house with a brick addition Holman built in 1810 was humble, his choice of name and the value he placed on history set the tone for a grand estate. An Indiana Supreme Court Justice and a federal judge, Holman participated in drafting the state's first constitution and founding the Indiana Historical Society and Franklin College.
After Holman's log home burned in 1837, his son-in-law Allen Hamilton bought Veraestau, salvaged the remaining brick portion, and in 1838 added a one-story Greek Revival structure. The style was at its height; architectural trendsetters employed Greek Revival to reinforce similarities between the democratic ideals of ancient Greece and the new United States of America. In 1913, Allen's daughter Margaret Vance Hamilton added a two-story Greek Revival structure that included four bedrooms, a bathroom, a dining room, a kitchen, a breakfast room and two sleeping porches.
Learn More about Veraestau.
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In 2004, Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana received the 116-acre property as a gift from the Cornelius and Anna Cook O’Brien Foundation. Today, Veraestau serves as Historic Landmarks Foundation's Southeast Field Office, and is open each weekend April through December for tours and rentals.
Veraestau Historic Site
4696 Veraestau Lane
Aurora, IN 47001-9406
812-926-0983
Fax 812-926-3122
veraestau@historiclandmarks.org
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