The Ilion Party: Post 5 of 5

These are the last of 57 photos taken during the April 13, 1955, Chariton Rotary party held at the Ilion, also known as Mallory's Castle. A public open house at the old house followed on April 17, then it was demolished.

After a box supper at tables scattered through the old house's four principal first-floor rooms, tables were cleared, chairs rearranged and everyone gathered in the big southwest parlor, sometimes called the drawing room, also called the ballroom, for a program, a square-dance demonstration, then general dancing.

This had been the most elaborate room in the house, used by Smith, Annie and Jessie Mallory for large-scale entertaining, concerts, weddings --- and the occasional funeral. Son-in-law Deming J. Thayer's last rites were held here; Smith Mallory rested "in state" here after his death in 1903. Obviously, the color scheme  is not original.

As always, if you can identify people in the photos please do so as comments to this blog post or Facebook or by e-mail. Eventually I'll catch up and add all of the submitted identifications to the blog posts.

Photo No. 44 (top): Marion Coons at the podium.

Photo No. 45: The audience. Ruth Smith is front and center. Shirlie Yocom is to her left and behind, dressed in black. Gov. Leo Hoegh, with cigarette, is to the right.

Photo No. 46: At the podium again. Raymond Pim, dressed in bibs, is at left.

Photo No. 47: And the audience again.

Photo No. 48: A little music by (second from left) Dwight Vredenburg, then Joe Hixenbaugh and (maybe) Gilbert Garton.

Photo No. 49: The crowd one more time.

Photo No. 50: Dr. Albert L. Yocom Jr. at the podium.

Photo No. 51: At the podium.

Photo No. 52: Gov. Leo Hoegh.

Photo No. 53: Margaret Stanton Larimer.

Photo No. 54: Square dancing.

Photo No. 55: The Musicians.

Photo No. 56: Dancing the night away.

Photo No. 57: What they were drinking.