Draft:Keillor House Museum

Keillor House Museum is a Georgian-style manor built in 1815 by Yorkshire immigrant John Keillor. John and his wife, Elizabeth, had eight children and were well-respected in Dorchester, where John served as a Justice of the Peace. The house, built in the Georgian style, was modest yet elegant, reflecting the Keillor's Yorkshire roots. After John's death, his son Thomas inherited the house and made improvements, such as adding artistic touches and modernizing the kitchen. Thomas, a successful farmer and merchant, married Mary Jane Moore, who brought her sister Catherine and a sense of culture to the house. After Thomas and Mary Jane passed away, the house went through a transition period, eventually being acquired by the Westmorland Historical Society in 1965. The society restored the house to its former glory, preserving its original features while showcasing the elegance of the Keillor family's peak years. The Museum officially opened in June of 1967 as the "Westmorland Centennial Museum" and has been in operation seasonally since.

The museum has only a few items from the Keillor family, including a dinner service, wardrobe, napkin rings, teaspoons, and a music box. The museum also showcases Victorian era artifacts like an oven, fireplace, furniture, and kitchen tools. The collection gives a glimpse into domestic life among Dorchester's elite, while the servant's room shows the social hierarchy of the time. Other curious items include a high chair-stroller and a vibrating massager that claims to cure various ailments.