River Lea in winter

A photograph of Grover Cleveland adorns the living room. Grover Cleveland, who is counted as two presidents (the 22nd and the 24th) because he was the only president in U.S. history to serve to nonconsecutive terms, was the nephew of Lewis F. Allen, who, at one time, owned a large piece of the southern tip of Grand Island. He established Allenton Farms there. Grover Cleveland worked for him on the farm for a short time.

Today, I went to a planning meeting at River Lea. The group that met was planning our Grand Island history class that we will teach through continuing education at the high school. The class runs for five weeks.

Four of the class sessions will be held at the high school, and the last session will be held at River Lea, where students will see a skit and they will have a tour of the house.

River Lea, at this time of year, seems to be sleeping. Very few people go in and out of the building.

The roads in the park leading to River Lea are maintained seasonally so, in case of a big snowfall, River Lea would be cut off from the world.

In one month, however, Grand Island Historical Society will resume monthly meetings. The Christmas decorations will be removed. In the meantime, River Lea lives in a state of stasis. It is stuck in Christmas, while the rest of the world has moved on.