New Lebold Mansion owner has plans for home

Jul. 16—One of the eight wonders of Kansas' architecture, according to the Kansas Sampler Foundation, the Lebold Mansion in Abilene contains years of history and stories in its hallowed halls.

Built by Conrad H. Lebold in 1880, the mansion was once known as "the finest dwelling house west of Topeka," according to Visit Abilene and became home to many tenants through the years. On June 28, 2021, the deed got passed one more time to a new owner and resident, Joseph Tatner.

A modern renaissance man, Tatner found himself doing an array of careers from entertainment to business, before becoming a mansion keeper and museum tour guide.

He acted in "The Conquerors" and "The Brady Bunch" besides other films and T.V. shows. Tatner wrote/co-wrote the novels: "Autism: A New Hope," "Opus Americans" and "Floyd & Mikki: Zombie Hunters." Tatner, also, worked as a computer consultant for companies, like Shell Oil and Charles Schwab.

Two years ago, Tatner embarked on a search for a mansion to start a new life adventure. He looked across the United States for properties and found a couple of amazing finds. However, once Tatner dug further into his research, he discovered the mansions were in rundown neighborhoods or high crime areas.

That changed when he fell in love with the spooky mystique of the Lebold Mansion and the small-town energy of Abilene.

"It is really a nice little place to live," Tatner said. "It is one of the best small towns in America."

Buying a historical mansion isn't the easiest purchase. Tatner said he had a difficult time getting a price on the property to go to the bank for a mortgage.

"There are not a lot of what they called comparables around this area," Tatner said. "Abilene probably has more comparables than anybody; we've got a lot of wonderful mansions right here. But you know, nobody is selling the Seelye mansion, so you can't price it."

Tatner described the house as an "1880s version of an open concept" with all the rooms on the first and second floor connecting through doorways and transoms, except for Mrs. Lebold's private bedroom.

"90% of the house is just plain gorgeous," Tatner said.

As the new owner, Tatner is ready for the challenge of the 10% that needs work and TLC. He began the journey by calling in inspectors to check the foundation and garden for bugs.

"I think Fixer Upper is a lot worse than this, you know on the home channel," Tatner said, referring to the fact that many of the homes on that show are in worse shape.

With inspections done, he began repairing fixtures and furniture around the house and began a search for missing items — most of which were discovered in the basement. During a tour, Tatner showed off his handiwork refurbishing the grand piano, but he still needs a piano tuner to finish the job.

A few of the larger projects planned include introducing AC and Wi-Fi to the mansion and rewiring the electricity for the property. Tatner also wants to create another bathroom by tearing down a wall between two closets. However, he knows he will need to be careful to not lose the Lebold's historical register status.

"I understand, from the other people that have similar houses in the area, that the renovation watchdogs are really pretty reasonable if you give them a good reason for something," Tatner said.

Overall, he hopes to keep the original and vintage styling of the mansion, including the creaking floorboards and wallpaper from previous owners Larkin Mayo and Gary Yuschalk.

"What other people would see as a defect I see as the charm of the building being a 140-year-old property," said Tatner.

Currently living with his daughter and cat inside the Lebold, Tatner does hope to open it once again to the public for tour and special events.

The events could include Sunday Sundaes, outdoor games, an antique theater for movie nights, murder mystery game night and many more. The activities come with no cost, but he plans to ask for a $5 to $10 donation.

"I want to start getting like little community events here to share this place," Tatner said.

For those who want to support the Lebold, he is looking for help and volunteers for future events. Also, Tatner is accepting any donations of vintage furniture. Tatner said he will give anyone who donates a small plaque and a shout-out on the Lebold website.

To learn more about the Lebold Mansion, visit the website: https://tatnerj.wixsite.com/website

"This town and this home have an amazing history," Tatner said in a press release. "Not to mention more than a few ghost stories. I thank God I was able to get this place and I'm going to have a lot of fun in it. I hope everyone else does, too."