HIGH ON A BLUFF OVERLOOKING THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER IS A HOUSE THAT WOULD SEEM
TO BE MORE AT HOME ON THE
MEDITERRANEAN.
IN 1897, GEORGE METS EMBARKED ON A PROLONGED TOUR OF THE MEDITERRANEAN REGION WHERE HE
BECAME FASCINATED WITH THE MURE
ISH STYLE OF ARCHITECTURE, A
STYLE HE WOULD TRY TO EMULATE IN
HIS OWN HOME.
BUILT AT THE COST OF $7,000, THE
DESIGN WAS BASED ON SKETCHES
METS HAD DONE DURING HIS
TRAVELS.
IN FACT THE HOME IS ALMOST LIKE
A MINIATURE COLLAGE OF THE
PLACES HE VISITED.
THE VILLA IS STYLED AFTER THE
VILLA BIN ABIEN IN MORACCO.
LATTICE WORK WAS HERALDED BY THE
SPAIN.
ON TOP, IS FAMOUS MOSQUE OF
TUNECE OF TUNESAI.
>> AS YOU WALK IN, YOU COME INTO
THE ENTRY WAY.
YOU WOULD SEE ARCHED DOORWAY
THAT YOU WOULD GO THROUGH FROM
THE ENTRY WAY THEN ON INTO THE
TOURIST INFORMATION CENTER.
>> ABOVE THE NARROW PARLOR ARE
THE ORIGINAL CYPRESS BEAMS.
SURROUNDING THE ROOM ARE THE
ONLY PIECES OF COLORED GLASS
WINDOWS IN THE BUILDING.
ADDING A MOR ISH FLARE, THESE
SMALL AMBER DIAMONDS ADD A WARM
GLOW TO THE AFTERNOON LIGHT.
YET THE MOST IMPRESSIVE SPACE IS
IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HOUSE.
AFTER LEAVING THE PARLOR, VISITORS STEP INTO A TWO STORY COURTYARD WHICH OPENS UP ON A
SHALLOW REFLECTING POOL.
IT IS A POOL THAT HAS BEEN
RECENTLY RECREATED.
WE EXCAVATED IN OUR LAST RESTORATION FROM 95 TO 98, WE DID NOT FIND ANYTHING LEFT OF
THE REFLECTING POOL BUT
MR. METS' HAT.
NO PLUMBING, NOTHING.
IT HAD BEEN ALL TAKEN OUT AND
FILLED.
ONLY THING WE KNOW FOR SURE IS
THE DEPTH OF THE POOL.
WE HAVE THESE BEAUTIFUL GREENS
AND BLACK AND BEIGE DESIGNS THAT
WE WERE TOLD IS A POPULAR
DESIGN.
YOU WILL SEE THE SPIRAL COLUMNS.
THEY ARE MADE OF SOLID PIECES OF
WOOD, AT AN ANGLE, LOOK LIKE A
DE MOND, BUT THEY HAVE BEEN
CALLED THE STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN.
IF THERE WERE TOO MANY PEOPLE TO
SIT IN THE DINING ROOM WHICH IS
RATHER SMALL FOR A DINING ROOM,
HE WOULD SET UP TABLES AROUND
THE COURTYARD IN THE REFLECTING
POOL AND HAVE PEOPLE SIT THERE.
OCCASIONALLY HE WOULD HAVE
DANCERS, BELLY DANCERS COME AND
PERFORM FOR HIS FRIENDS.
AND OCCASIONALLY THEY WOULD GO
AND INSTEAD OF THE SITTING ROOM
FOR THE AFTER DINNER DRINKS AND
CONVERSATION, THEY COULD GO UP
ON THE ROOF AND ENJOY THE SUN
SET.
FROM ALL HIS TRAFERLS, MR. METS
DID COLLECT A LOT OF PIECES, AND
THAT'S WITH A WE ARE TOLD IS HOW
HE FURNISHED HIS VILLA, FROM THE
PIECES HE HAD COLLECTED.
UNFORTUNATELY, THOSE ITEMS WHEN
HE SOLD THE VILLA IN 1912, IT
WAS SOLD CONTENTS AND ALL.
>> BUT A FEW PIECES OF METS'
FURNITURE RETURNED HOME.
>> WE HAVE IN LAID MOTHER OF
PEARL CHAIR.
WE HAD A PICTURE HE DONATED TO
THE QUINCY PUBLIC LIBRARY OF THE
JAPANESE LADY.
WE HAD IT RECONDITIONED AND ON
EXHIBIT.
>> IT DOESN'T APPEAR THE HOME
COULD HAVE HELD MUCH TURN
FURNITURE IN THE SMALL ROOMS,
PLUS THERE IS ALMOST NO STORAGE
SPACE.
UPSTAIRS THERE IS A STOREROOM
REACHED BY GOING OUT THE BAY
WINDOW AND TAKING A FEW STEPS
ACROSS THE ROOF.
BUT WHAT THE BEDROOMS LACK IN
SPACE WAS MORE THAN COMPENSATED
FOR BY THEIR VISTAS.
>> FROM HIS MASTER BEDROOM
WINDOW, HE COULD WATCH THE
STEAMBOATS COME IN AND OUT, JUST
A BEAUTIFUL VIEW UP THE RIVER.
THERE WERE NO WING DAMS.
THAT'S WHEN IT WAS THE MUDDY
MISSISSIPPI, JUST LIKE MARK
TWAIN WROTE ABOUT.
>> THERE IS A SLIGHT MYSTERY IN
THE VILLA IN THE NAME IT WAS
GIVEN.
SOME FEEL IT WAS NAMED AFTER HIS
MOTHER CATHERINE, BUT SHE
SPELLED HER NAME WITH A C, AND
NOT A K.
THERE ARE OTHER STORIES.
>> MY FAVORITE VERSION IS THE
ROMANTIC VERSION.
AND MR. METS HAD COME BACK FROM
HIS TRAVELS IN 1900, BUILT THE
VILLA FOR SOMEONE HE MET IN THE
MEDITERRANEAN THAT HE HAD ASKED
TO JOIN HIM.
SHE WAS ON HER WAY AND DIED
ENROUTE.
THAT'S THE ROMANTIC VERSION.
BUT THERE ARE OTHER STORIES THAT
TRAVEL AROUND THAT MAYBE SHE
JUST CHANGED HER MIND AND SHE
DIDN'T COME AND SOME OTHER
VERSIONS.
>>
TODAY THE VILLA IS HOME TO QUINCY'S TOURIST INFORMATION CENTER AND OFFERS SELF GUIDED
TOURS OF THE HOME, A HOME THAT
HAS BEEN ATTRACTING THE
ATTENTION OF RIVERBOATERS FOR
OVER A CENTURY.
>>
FOR TIMES THE VILLA CATHERINE IS OPEN FOR TOURS, CALL (217)224-3688.