When I first moved to Sioux City, I lived on 31st and Jackson Street, only a few blocks down from the Chocolate Mansion, and every day I would drive by it, admiring its commanding presence. Some
When I first moved to Sioux City, I lived on 31st and Jackson Street, only a few blocks down from the Chocolate Mansion, and every day I would drive by it, admiring its commanding presence. Some days I would walk my mail down to a post office drop box on 18th and Jackson, all the while appreciating the landscape, character, and beauty of this historical neighborhood.
One year, I got a chance to tour the Chocolate Mansion while on the Christmas Tour of Homes. I could not believe the expansiveness of this massive family home. I had been curious as to what this piece of Sioux City history had to offer, and I was not let down.
Connection to the Linda Sue Manor
Fast forward almost ten years, and I find out Brittany Lesline, who, with her team, helps operate the Linda Sue Manor right next door to the Chocolate Mansion, and has acquired this estate, is preserving it, and converting it into a boutique hotel, just as she did with the Manor! I immediately reached out to her, expressed my excitement and anticipation, congratulated her on this adventure, and told her I would wait patiently while she prepared the home for possible tours. Understanding, however, that Covid-19 has pushed back many of her plans, I was enthralled to find out she and her team were planning a Christmas open house.
Scoring the tour of a lifetime!
Knowing the public had been anxiously waiting to see the inside of this mansion, Brittany decided there needed to be some sort of system in place for the safety of tour attendees, and the house itself. Therefore, she sold tour tickets for various time slots throughout the weekend, and allocated that all revenue made from ticket sales be given back to the local non-profit animal shelter, Noah’s Hope. This allowed for a number of tours per day, instead of a mass hysteria of Siouxland residents showing up all at once, and chaos ensuing.
So, Sunday morning, I made my way to the Chocolate Mansion. I could not believe I was about to go on a tour of one of the most recognizable homes in all of Sioux City. And to top it off, the previous owners John and Deb Wockenfuss gave the tour! How awesome it was to hear their efforts to remodel the mansion from a 1970s throwback with disco balls and shag carpets, to a vintage Victorian home full of antiques from all over America, and the world.
126 years of history
Built in 1894 for the cost of $12,000, this Queen Anne style home would fetch a price of $358,000 if it were constructed today. Spanning a massive 8,000 square feet, it boasts five bedrooms with a sixth in the adjoining carriage house, along with eight bathrooms.
Known also as the Palmer House, it was at one pointed owned by Edward C. Palmer, and his wife, Dorothy, of the Palmer Company. And because of this recognition, every room has a candy theme to it, which we’ll get to later, but first, a little more on the home’s history.
Purchasing the home in 2004, the Wockenfusses were committed to restoring the home back to its previous splendor. Among the many characteristics unique to this home are the twenty-five zinc windows with bullseye glass and the original Douglas fir hardwood floors. In addition, while repainting the top floor ballroom, Deb found children’s names etched in the wood. Not wanting to damage the delicate engravings, she carefully painted over them, and later during a Christmas tour of homes, she found out why they were there. An older lady who took recital classes here as a child, approached Deb, and thanked her for preserving her and her classmates’ names engraved in the wood. How exciting it must feel to know you’ve discovered a piece of Sioux City’s hidden history!
Entirely built of wood, the walls are accented with oak, walnut, and the rich-colored African Mahogany. Replicated William Morse wallpaper can be found in the front foyer, and original nineteenth-century sconce lighting fixtures enhance the ambiance in the sitting room off to the right of the entrance.
Being the first home in Sioux City to have air conditioning, the Chocolate Mansion, for the most part, has remained the same since its construction in 1894, however, in 1920 famed architect William L. Steele, who designed the downtown Woodbury Courthouse, helped design and build two sun room additions.
Carriage House
The other major addition came two years after the house was built, when the adjoining Carriage House was added. Housing horse drawn carriages, it naturally became the car garage. But nevertheless, being resourceful as ever, the Wockenfusses gave it a complete overhaul; evicting bats from the upstairs hay loft, replacing the rickety ladder with a more user-friendly staircase, and preserving and displaying the original carriage door. This is now called the Hershey Kisses Suite, which has become the convenient choice for bride and grooms to stay, while their family remains in the rest of the mansion nearby.
Carriage House Hershey Kisses Suite
A.k.a. The Palmer House
If you are unfamiliar with Sioux City, we are home to the Palmer Candy Company, made famous by their fan-favorite candy bar the “Twin Bing”. And since Palmer family royalty called this house their home at one point in time, the residence was affectionately known as the Palmer House, and now the Chocolate Mansion. And adding to the candy theme, every bedroom is named after different types of treats, including the Truffle Suite, the Lemon Drop room, and the massive Twin Bing master suite.
Truffle Suite
Twin Bing Suite
(The above pictures of the Twin Bing Suite are not mine. Approved use from https://www.facebook.com/chocolatemansionsc)
Lemon Drop Room
(The above picture of the Lemon Drop Room is not mine. Approved use from https://www.facebook.com/chocolatemansionsc)
You can find more pictures of the chocolate mansion by visiting their Facebook page, and even book a room via their website. Both are listed at the end of this post.
Tiny closets and heated floors!
One thing you’ll find when you make your visit, is the tiny closet space throughout the mansion. One has to wonder, with vast living quarters and enormously tall ceilings, why the small closets? Well, while on the tour, Deb informed us that the size of your closets determined the amount of taxes you would have to pay. I found this quite interesting, because I always wondered why old homes had ridiculously petite closets. Now I know, and so do you.
One of the last stops on our tour was the basement. During the 2011 Christmas Tour of Homes, I remember my husband exclaiming “They stole my basement!” Out of all the rooms we saw in all five homes on the tour that day, this was by far his favorite. Seeing the game room, bar setup, and inviting fireplace got him motivated to remodel our basement. But the best part are the heated floors! This makes for a cozy and relaxing entertainment room.
A Sioux City Heirloom
Deciding to downsize to a ranch-style house, the Wockenfusses left the Chocolate Mansion in June. Deb informed us that she took minimal pieces of furniture, leaving most behind, including antiques she has collected from her travels across America and abroad. In addition, neighboring families across Siouxland have donated valuable generational heirlooms to John and Deb, knowing the Chocolate Mansion is one of the best places to showcase relics of past decades.
During their sixteen-year occupancy, Deb informed us that because there are no modern windows in this 126-year-old home, she hand-sewn the drapes for all 400 windows! And she and her husband painted every room, sanded and finished every hardwood floor, and even installed an outdoor pool! That is dedication!
A place of national historical significance
Ensuring she would continue to enjoy the view of her garden from her craft room, Deb sent her husband, John, to pay the land tax on the lot behind the mansion. This prohibited anyone from building on the adjacent lot, thus adding even more value to this already one-of-a-kind family home. And now after being placed on the National Historic Places for both historic and architectural categories, the Wockenfusses, along with Lesline and her team, have cemented this dwelling as irreplaceable to not only Siouxland, but the entire Midwest and beyond.
Giving this lovingly restored private residence back to the citizens of Sioux City who have admired it over the years, is one of the best things to come out of 2020. Travelers alike who are passing by or simply vacationing to the Midwest are invited to stay at this rare find. Visitors who book a room here are invited to navigate the common areas, including the dining and living rooms, kitchen and library. You’ll enjoy walking the grounds and strolling down the historic Jackson Street neighborhood.
Plan your visit
And don’t forget to check out their website (https://www.chocolatemansionsiouxcity.com/) where, along with finding a list of attractions to see here in Sioux City, you can also browse their gallery of suites, rent a room, and budget for your next adventure. Also, be sure to make your way to their Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/chocolatemansionsc) to stay up on current news, and special announcements.
Finally, if you are planning your wedding, family reunion, or even a scrapbooking retreat (and yes, that’s a real thing), make sure to consider the Chocolate Mansion for your next event. Cost to rent rooms are listed on their website, but make sure to contact them directly with questions regarding full property rental. Overall, having even your engagement pictures here, let alone your wedding, will certainly be a show stopper. And since the property is owned in conjunction with the Linda Sue Manor, you may even be inclined to rent both homes for a personalized and first-class, home-away-from-home, experience.
712-389-4980
2900 Jackson Street
Sioux City, Iowa 51104
