Dining Room and China Closet

Dining Room

Little of the original dining room furniture remains in the house because of the daily use it saw and because of redecorating over the years. Most of the furnishings seen were purchased for or donated to the museum and represent typical Western Michigan manufactured products of the 1870s and 1880s. The table, chairs, and sideboard are Renaissance Revival in style and are made of black walnut.

Much of the tableware is original to the family, including a set of Haviland-Limoges porcelain and engraved napkin rings. The Cappons tended to dine formally as is shown by the china, silver, linen, and glass.

According to a list of personal belongings made by Jacoba Cappon (second wife) at about the time of the 1902 probate report was made, a pump organ was in the dining room. Although this organ is not original, there would have been one here for after dinner hymn singing.

The kerosene chandelier, wallpaper, and linoleum flooring are all reproductions of what was once there in 1900. During the restoration, staff left some of the original layers of wallpaper exposed.

China Closet

The original china closet was used to store china, glassware and silver-plate. The drawers are wide enough to hold large tablecloths and napkins. Most if the objects in the closet belonged to the Cappon family.