A glimpse into family life at Terrace Hill

By Mari Culver

‘What is it like to live at Terrace Hill?” is the question people most frequently ask me as first lady.

Terrace Hill, the stately Iowa governor's residence built in 1868, rightly conjures up images of glamour and sophistication for many Iowans. It is a lovely home and a great privilege to be counted among its residents. But our life at Terrace Hill is, in many respects, much like the lives of other busy Iowa families with young children.

Our mornings start early as we get our two children up and ready for school. John is 7 and Clare is 8. As it has been determined by a unanimous vote (two votes out of two cast) that the governor is a better pancake maker than I am, he often makes breakfast for the kids. I usually take part in the Olympic morning sport of locating the library book, finding missing shoes, administering the “I swear I brushed my teeth” oaths, getting the finished homework into the backpack.

Our afternoons are much like every other family's - filled with homework, scouts, sports and music lessons. Don't most other 8-year-old girls practice piano on an 1870 Steinway in an ornate music room?

We spend a lot of time outdoors, exploring Terrace Hill's beautiful eight acres. We know the best locations to watch the deer at twilight. We've occasionally seen the enormous groundhog (affectionately dubbed “Harry”).

Buck, our Animal Rescue League puppy, loves to search the grounds for all forms of animal life. He's a sweet, energetic mixed breed. He enjoys greeting Terrace Hill visitors, especially the schoolchildren on field trips.

The east lawn is home to a formidably steep sledding hill of the type that makes a mother nervous. The governor and kids appear to be fearless and love sledding there.

Living in a Victorian mansion that is part public space and museum brings adventure and humor on a daily basis. Playing outside with kids during public tours at Terrace Hill can prove to be a challenge. I quickly determined, however, that if I don an official-looking baseball cap and give safety directions to the kids in a loud voice, I am easily mistaken for a Terrace Hill trooper, rather than identified as the first lady.

The first two floors of Terrace Hill are mostly public museum and open for tours. They are filled with beautiful Victorian furniture and antiques.

The children's appreciation of fine art has grown immensely since their discovery of a few Victorian nude statues in Terrace Hill. However, they are not quite as keen on the several stuffed deer and animal heads that are mounted on the walls.

Between the first and second floors is a majestic grand staircase crafted of polished rosewood. I frequently stand at the foot of that staircase, give visitors a brief history of the mansion and answer questions. Visitors are always kind and inquisitive, yet there are certain questions that I must insist are verboten in front of our children. I have made it a violation of Iowa Code to ask if there are ghosts at Terrace Hill, or if our children are asked whether they slide down the two-story-high banisters on the grand staircase.

One of the mansion's wonders is an old underground tunnel that runs between Terrace Hill and its carriage house, now a lovely museum, gift shop and office space. We've seen the entrance to the underground tunnel in a spooky corner of the basement. Some day, the kids and I will explore the tunnel.

I think we'll ask the governor to come with us. I hope he brings a flashlight. And Buck.

Mari Culver, wife of Gov. Chet Culver, is Iowa's first lady.