Manor opens to the public for annual
Christmas House Walk, Sunday, Dec. 4
By HOLLY GASKILL
More photos on page 2
Tucked between trees off the banks of the Rivergreenway, Rosehill Manor resides as a time capsule of Bluffton’s history.
The Tudor-style home was built in 1917 by former Bluffton Mayor John Mock for himself and his wife, Charlotte.
In its original glory, the home was the centerpiece of a sprawling estate of rose bushes and walnut trees, an attraction to local residents and state dignitaries alike. The estate received its name from these indicative rose bushes — totaling over 100 — and an annually-hosted Rose Festival.
Over 100 years later, Bluffton Common Council member Scott Mentzer and his wife, Dayle, have worked to restore the home to its original glory.
For the return of Psi Iota Xi’s annual Christmas House Walk on Sunday, Dec. 4, it will once again be on display for the community.
The house, as well as a separate garage and traditional carriage shed, sit on approximately three acres of land off a private driveway. The three-story home has four bedrooms, four full bathrooms and one half-bathroom, as well as a finished basement with an additional kitchen, hobby room and workspace.
The home exterior is half-timbered, with its original flower box windows and forest green shingles. At the center of the circle driveway sits an original Italian marble fountain.
While updating the home for modern usage, the Mentzers have prioritized preserving the original beauty and craftsmanship of the house.
All 71 window panes have been replaced, but the original window panes remain in place. Additionally, the couple installed central heating and cooling but kept an original decorated radiator, including its unique food-warming compartment.
The Mentzers have completed two significant renovations on the home — one to open and update the kitchen and dining area, and another to update and expand the master bedroom. Even so, they’ve worked to preserve many of the remaining original features, like the servants’ staircase in the kitchen, pantry cabinets , and painted sconces.
The home also retains much of its originally-imported English wood craftmanship, including two highly-decorated fireplaces, a staircase banister, flooring, and fully-functioning pocket doors.
Scott Mentzer purchased the home in 2002 but had been interested in the house for years before then. He had first seen it in a real estate magazine at a grocery store in Fort Wayne, but it had already been purchased. He wasn’t living in Bluffton at the time and waited until the home came back on the market. The house became a passion project for the couple.
“There’s just no other house like it,” Dayle Mentzer said. “And so we try to make it as unique as possible. We don’t want it to look like a catalog home. We want to restore it to the standard of what it was.”
She has also put considerable effort into furnishing the home with a variety of antiques, including a wooden telephone box from St. Louis, littered with what appears to be bullet holes in the back.
During the Christmas walk, visitors will be welcomed to view the entirety of the home decorated for the season. Women from the Wells County chapter of Psi Iota Xi will also be present the history in every room on the main floor of the house. Entry will cost $5.
The Christmas Walk is a significant fundraiser for Psi Iota Xi, which raises upwards of $7,000 annually for local charities and scholarships. They will also be selling their cheeseballs for $9.
The historic Rosehill Manor is at 628 E. South St. in Bluffton and will be open from 1 to 5 p.m. Dec. 4.
holly@news-banner.com
