Veraestau
Four Seasons on the River
Even those who aren’t old home aficionados will enjoy visiting Veraestau Historic Site, one of the first Greek Revival homes built in the state, dating back to 1837. But even before that, there was a home on this site in Aurora.
It was Jesse Holman who in 1810 built a log cabin and called it Veraestau, a name combining the Latin word beginnings for spring, summer and fall.
Set on 116 acres of woodlands and meadows crisscrossed with white picket fencing and a myriad of outbuildings high above the Ohio River, the home and land has been owned by only two families since 1810.
The home’s grandeur is different than that of Hillforest but still offers a fascinating slice of a time now gone. The furnishings belonged to the O’Brien and Gibson families who lived here since 1933 and deeded the house, through their foundation, to the Indiana Landmarks who runs it.
The old tennis trophies from the Dearborn Country Club date back more than 75 years. Throw pillows on the sofas and chairs were embroidered by O’Brien family members. A painting by famed artist T.C. Steele Historic Site, who lived in Brown County, hangs on the wall and there are several of the family’s silver tea services gracing the tables and sideboards.