Interior Views of the John C. Kinney Home

Around 1884, prominent Sandusky photographer C.W. Platt took two photographs of a bay window at the home of John C. and Amelia (Clara) Kinney’s home at 710 Wayne Street in Sandusky. The Kinney home represented the decorating style of the Victorian era, which was noted for a great deal of ornamentation in the interior rooms of homes. An article in the January-February 2005 issue of the Old House Journal entitled “Bringing the Outdoors In,” stated that Victorians felt that bringing elements of nature indoors was important for health and emotional well-being. Indoor potted plants and climbing vines were very popular in the nineteenth century. Another view of the Kinney home shows a birdcage and family portraits. Even the pattern of the floor is ornate.

From 1866 until 1879, John C. Kinney was associated with the publishing of the Sandusky Journal newspaper. After his health began to fail, he took a position as a court stenographer. On February 1, 1888, John C. Kinney died at the age of 58. His funeral took place at his home at 710 Wayne Street. Burial was at Sandusky’s Oakland Cemetery.