GALENA, Ill. -- The large wooden door opens and a butler asks for a calling card.
Through an elaborate entryway, a small plate rests atop a slender stand, holding several colorful calling cards.
"I see you have a special message for Mrs. Ryan, as you have folded your calling card," the butler says, smiling, and asking if the luggage at the foot of a grand staircase is all accounted for.
It is part of a skit the Ryan Mansion staff puts on for the guests as they lead them through the historic mansion. The presentation takes guests through a Victorian parlour, library and dining room, all formally decorated with pieces of the era and replicas.
The head housekeeper and the butler call out a brisk exchange about some of the daily chores, before she leads guests through the upstairs bedrooms.
She points to the youngest daughter, Katie's room, where some items are strewn about.
"Like most youngest girls, she is a bit messy and most fashionable," says the housekeeper, who wears a long dress with a high collar and pins up her hair.
In an industry where competition can be tough, some
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And some, like the staff at the Ryan Mansion, take extra care to try to transport their guests into another world, in this case a world of wealth, elegance and careful etiquette.
Bill Heiken, who plays the butler, said he and his wife Wendy have owned Galena's largest mansion for more than two years.
They started in the bed and breakfast industry in Idaho and moved back to the area about 12 years ago. Heiken said they were drawn to an area that had both the period architecture they were interested in and good regional marketing resources.
They bought the Annie Wiggins mansion first, and dove into a type of lodging industry that is high-maintenance, to say the least.
The roof at the Ryan Mansion had been leaking for several years before they bought it, and there was extensive effort that went into decorating both the mansion and the staff members working there.
But now the property is filled with both antiques and items that resemble pieces of the era between 1860 to 1880, all designed to make guests feel they have stepped into a Victorian world.
Heiken starts with a background of the property to give visitors an idea of the home's owners and history of the estate.
It was built in 1876 by James M. Ryan, who moved to the area from Ohio. He purchased a grocery store in downtown Galena, then a meatpacking plant.
That business boomed, in part thanks to a large government contract during the Civil War.
Ryan also proved a shrewd investor, buying into the profitable lead mining industry and land in the area. He relocated the meatpacking plant to Dubuque to be closer to shipping options on the Mississippi River.
It eventually became the Dubuque Packing Co., and Ryan and his brother became multi-millionaires.
The Ryan Mansion was the largest estate in Galena, with 12 fireplaces throughout the towering floors. When the Ryans sold it near the turn of the century, the next owners referred to the property as "The Palace" -- a name that has trickled to some surrounding properties.
The interior walls on the first floor are brick and the building has a full basement. The third floor features a full ballroom still under renovation.
The owners are looking for photographs of the Ryans, who had eight children. They have put historic photos throughout the building.
Some doors feature a deep red glass known as ruby glass the Ryans had shipped from Czechoslovakia.
The skit the staff performs is a transitional effort.
Heiken said they shape the skit around an event from the family's life, like the coming-of-age party of the family's daughter Katie. When the ballroom renovation is complete, Heiken said they might add other skits.
The staff tries to incorporate different items into each presentation, and change things around depending on the time of year.
Olivia Heiken, Bill's daughter, plays the role of the housekeeper. She said she relishes working in a world of Victorian wealth, although she admits they overlook some of the hardships of the era.
"We just embrace the beautiful parts," she said.
The advantage of creating such a specific niche, Bill said, is it attracts lodgers of all walks of life, making for an interesting guest list.
The mansion has six guest rooms and can accommodate a dozen guests at a time.
Some of the guests dive into the atmosphere immediately, asking for proper etiquette cues from the era. Others are more reticent to take part, but Bill said they can get a chuckle out of most participants.
The historic theme is a popular one in the area. Steve Repp has done tours for the Galena Historical Society for about 10 years, including one that begins at the DeSoto Hotel. That hotel began operations in 1855.
It has seen its share of famous visitors, including Abraham Lincoln, who spoke from a hotel balcony to the crowd.
Repp said some of the people who join the tour are intrigued enough by the hotel's history they end up staying there.
"History is not for everybody, but I think for those that are interested in history, it's a pretty nice option," he said.
Repp, who also leads a history/mystery evening tour, said the historic theme is well-represented around Galena.
Like those at the Ryan Mansion, Repp said it takes some careful consideration to incorporate a theme. In the case of historic hotels, it means a blending of past and present.
"I think people like reminders of the past. And I think they still want to have present-day conveniences too," he said, noting the DeSoto Hotel's quiet room for guests that includes a video of the hotel's history.
"I'm glad the hotel offers that," Repp said. "People need to have a spot where they can really get the feel of the hotel, to know they're in a special place."
