Frederick Krause Mini Mansion, also known as the Ben Ferrel Platte County Museum, is a historic

mansion A mansion is a large dwelling house. The word itself derives through Old French from the Latin word ''mansio'' "dwelling", an abstract noun derived from the verb ''manere'' "to dwell". The English word '' manse'' originally defined a property l ...

located at Platte City,

Platte County, Missouri Platte County is a county located in the northwestern portion of the U.S. state of Missouri and is part of the Kansas City metropolitan area. As of the 2020 census, the population was 106,718. Its county seat is Platte City. The county was org ...

. It was built in 1882-1883 by Frederic Krause, an immigrant from Prussia. The mini mansion is a two-story, modified "T"-plan,

Second Empire Second Empire may refer to: * Second British Empire, used by some historians to describe the British Empire after 1783 * Second Bulgarian Empire (1185–1396) * Second French Empire (1852–1870) ** Second Empire architecture, an architectural styl ...

style red brick building with

limestone Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms whe ...

corner quoins and foundation. It is topped by a

mansard roof A mansard or mansard roof (also called a French roof or curb roof) is a four-sided gambrel-style hip roof characterised by two slopes on each of its sides, with the lower slope, punctured by dormer windows, at a steeper angle than the upper. The ...

with gray-blue and rose hexagonal

slate Slate is a fine-grained, foliated, homogeneous metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low-grade regional metamorphism. It is the finest grained foliated metamorphic rock. ...

. The roof and porches are crested with ornamental

cast iron Cast iron is a class of iron–carbon alloys with a carbon content more than 2%. Its usefulness derives from its relatively low melting temperature. The alloy constituents affect its color when fractured: white cast iron has carbide impuriti ...

work. The home is referred to as a 'mini' mansion because it shares several architectural features with th
Missouri Governor's Mansion
built in 1871 (to include the brick and limestone construction and mansard roof). An interior, bronze fireplace surround also represents similar design to the white marble one found in the Governor's Mansion in Jefferson City. The Krause mini mansion houses the Ben Ferrel Museum and genealogical and historical research room for the Platte County Historical Society known by the acronym PCHS. The Platte County Historical Society owns and operates the building which opened to the public in 1985. The museum's collection presents regional history with furnishings and items donated entirely from local families and dating mainly from the mid-1800s to 1920. The museum features exhibits and other special events related to local history and the mini mansion's history. (includes 11 photographs from 1977) The Krause mini mansion was listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

in 1978.

References

External links

Ben Ferrel Platte County Museum blog
History museums in Missouri Houses on the National Register of Historic Places in Missouri Second Empire architecture in Missouri Houses completed in 1883 Buildings and structures in Platte County, Missouri National Register of Historic Places in Platte County, Missouri {{PlatteCountyMO-NRHP-stub