Mourning Col. Stephenson

Mourning Col. Stephenson Exhibit
October 2–31 at the 1820 Col. Benjamin Stephenson House

Step into the final days of Col. Benjamin Stephenson’s life and explore the mourning customs of the early 19th century. This immersive exhibit commemorates Stephenson’s death on October 10, 1822, with each room of the house staged to reflect the realities of illness, death, and grief in a frontier home.

Visitors will encounter period-accurate interpretations of home nursing practices, body preparation and visitation rituals, mourning attire and behavior, and the economic aftermath of death—including the inventory and auction of household goods.

Tours are available:

Thursday–Saturday: 10 a.m.–3 p.m
Sunday: 12–3 p.m
NOTE: Tours are not conducted after 2 p.m.

Come experience a powerful chapter in Edwardsville’s history.