While many of the stories and photos on this website are interesting on their own, they are intended as supplements to the book Eastcliff: History of a Home.
Following is a table of contents for the book, with related links to pages on the website. Further below is a list of posts on the Eastcliff page.
Eastcliff: History of a Home
Contents and Links
Preface: The Wobbly Foundation of Memories
Welcome to Eastcliff
The Front Façade: The Brooks Family and the Building of Eastcliff
A Lifelong Love Story: Edward and Markell Brooks
Architect Clarence Howard Johnston Jr.
Eastcliff Families (1922–2022)
Family Life at Eastcliff
A Gift to the University of Minnesota
Ninety Years Later
The Dalai Lama at Eastcliff
176 North Mississippi River Boulevard
Life on the Mississippi
The Side Entry and Foyer: Official Residence of Presidents
Official Residences of Presidents and Chancellors
The Pillsbury Mansion
Presidents of the University of Minnesota and Their Partners
Presidential Partners—Online at Last
Gangsters, Weddings, and Celebrities: North to South Wing
Eastcliff First Floor Floor Plans
The Walnut Den
The Peacock Room: Gangsters in the Neighborhood
Glorious Spaces—Have a Look Inside!
Gangsters, Kidnappings, the Demolition of Mansions, and Other Crimes
Bank Robberies and Kidnappings
Gangsters, Kidnappings, the Demolition of Mansions, and Other Crimes
The Black Bathroom
Glorious Spaces—Have a Look Inside!
Bomb Threat from the SDS
The Entry Hall
A Wedding of Importance
Mementos of Love Affairs
The Living Room
Glorious Spaces—Have a Look Inside!
The Sound of Music
Glorious Spaces—Have a Look Inside!
Celebrity Guest Stars
Katharine Hepburn, Hubert Humphrey,—and Clark Gable?
Dumbwaiter Drama
Katharine Hepburn, Hubert Humphrey,—and Clark Gable?
The Garden Room
Helen Keller at Eastcliff
Helen Keller—as well as Binky, Barbara, Tracy, and Nancy
Weenie Meets Helen Keller
Eastcliff in Miniature
Eastcliff in Miniature: The Dollhouse
Finding Deacon: The Story of the Eastcliff Dollhouse
What’s for Dinner? West to East Wing
The Dining Room
Glorious Spaces—Have a Look Inside!
Elegant with a Capital E
100 Years of Elegant Entertaining
The Stemwinder
A Too-Small Dining Room
Expansions to the Dining Room Floor Plans
Presidential Entertaining
100 Years of Elegant Entertaining
Guest Lists
The Kitchen and Servants’ Quarters
The Staff behind the Impeccable Hostess
100 Years of Elegant Entertaining
The Presidents Move In
Presidential Partners—Online at Last
An Intimate Look at Presidential Families
Parties for Everyone
100 Years of Elegant Entertaining
The Catering Kitchen
The $600,000 Kitchen that Wasn’t
The Nightmare Renovation and Resignation
Expansions to the Dining Room Floor Plans
The $600,000 Kitchen that Wasn’t
Friends of Eastcliff
The Office: Presidential Partners
The Lives of Presidential Partners in Higher Education Institutions
Love, Marriage, Baby Carriage: The First Three Families
Presidential Partners—Online at Last
An Intimate Look at Presidential Families
The Next Six Families
Presidential Partners—Online at Last
An Intimate Look at Presidential Families
Working—at Home and Beyond
A Full-Time Volunteer
Presidential Partners—Online at Last
The Tradition of the University President’s House
The Lives of Presidential Partners in Higher Education Institutions
Official Residences of Presidents and Chancellors
Families Live Here: Stairs and Basement
Eastcliff Basement Floor Plans
The Back Stairs and Lower Level
Upstairs, Downstairs: A Pig Barn in a Mansion
The Amusement Room
Not Exactly a Pig Barn
Upstairs, Downstairs: A Pig Barn in a Mansion
The Staircase
Upstairs, Downstairs: A Pig Barn in a Mansion
Land of 10,000 Coats
The Private Life Upstairs: Bedrooms and Attic
Eastcliff Second Floor Floor Plans
The Master Bedroom Suite
Upstairs, Downstairs: A Pig Barn in a Mansion
The Sunroom
The Sitting Room
The Bedrooms
Eastcliff’s Children
Family Life at Eastcliff
An Intimate Look at Presidential Families
Contributions to the Secret Compartment
Mementos of Love Affairs
The Guest Rooms and Sunroom
Famous Guests in the Guest Room—Maybe
Katharine Hepburn, Hubert Humphrey,—and Clark Gable?
The Attic
An Attic Filled with Airplanes
Family Life at Eastcliff
Halloween Parties
Birds and Bees, Flowers and Trees
The Skeleton in the Attic
Go Outside to Play—and Party: The Carriage House, Pool, and Grounds
Eastcliff Site Plan, Carriage House Floor Plan, Pool House Floor Plan
The Carriage House
Living Above the Garage
A Pigeon, a Gopher, a Cow, and More
Eastcliff’s Menagerie
A Pigeon, a Gopher, a Cow, and More
The Terrace
Birds and Bees, Flowers and Trees
Garden Parties
Helen Keller—as well as Binky, Barbara, Tracy, and Nancy
Halftime Entertainment with Eddie Vedder
The Front and Back Yards
The Dalai Lama at Eastcliff
The Trees of Eastcliff
Birds and Bees, Flowers and Trees
The Pool and Summer House
Birds and Bees, Flowers and Trees
A Daily Family Ritual
Pool Parties
The Tennis Court / The Oval Garden
Birds and Bees, Flowers and Trees
Art and Romance in the Garden
Mementos of Love Affairs
The Side Yard
Birds and Bees, Flowers and Trees
Rusty, At Last
A Pigeon, a Gopher, a Cow, and More
Rusty Goes Swimming
Epilogue: Still Good Stories
Chronology of Eastcliff
Eastcliff Guest List
Writing about Eastcliff
Recipes from Eastcliff
100 Years of Elegant Entertaining
Notes
Eastcliff: History of a Home Website
A Lifelong Love Story: Edward and Markell Brooks
Architect Clarence Howard Johnston Jr.
Eastcliff First Floor Floor Plans
Gangsters, Kidnappings, the Demolition of Mansions, and Other Crimes
Glorious Spaces—Have a Look Inside!
Katharine Hepburn, Hubert Humphrey,—and Clark Gable?
Helen Keller—as well as Binky, Barbara, Tracy, and Nancy
Eastcliff in Miniature: The Dollhouse
Expansions to the Dining Room Floor Plans
100 Years of Elegant Entertaining
The $600,000 Kitchen that Wasn’t
Presidential Partners—Online at Last
Eastcliff Basement Floor Plans
Upstairs, Downstairs: A Pig Barn in a Mansion
Eastcliff Second Floor Floor Plans
An Intimate Look at Presidential Families
Eastcliff Site Plan, Carriage House Floor Plan, Pool House Floor Plan
Birds and Bees, Flowers and Trees
A Pigeon, a Gopher, a Cow, and More
The Lives of Presidential Partners in Higher Education Institutions
Questions you may ask yourself (or your book club)
Finding Deacon: The Story of the Eastcliff Dollhouse
Official Residences of Presidents and Chancellors
