Victorian Dining Room Exhibit
The Victorian Dining Room display features a "golden oak" style set of furniture that originally belonged to Howard and Maude McLane. Howard was a prominent LaPorte resident, owning a ladies' clothing shop for many years. On the table is a set of Haviland china made in Limoges, France. On the floor is a multi-colored oriental rug. Out of camera range is a tall-case, or "grandfather's" clock made in 1807 by Riley Whiting of Winchester, CT.
The chandelier over the table is a combination gas and electric fixture that once hung in the county courthouse. In the early days of electricity, most people were reluctant to give up their natural gas powered fixtures. Electricity was often unreliable, and not always available 24 hours a day. The globes that point down were for electric bulbs, and the upward-turned ones were for gas.
