These chairs originally belonged to Esther and Louis Kastner, grandparents of the donors; they were used in the Kastner home at 709 N. State Street for over 50 years. The house was moved in the 1990s to make room for the McRaith Funeral Home. After Esther Kastner died, the chairs were moved to the home of her granddaughter, Kim Kastner Charlebois in Lanesboro. The Eastlake furniture style as envisioned by its namesake, Charles Lock Eastlake, came about in response to his dislike of the over-the-top Rococo and Renaissance Revival styles popular during the Victorian era. Although Eastlake furniture is technically considered Victorian, being popular from 1870-1890, it breaks away from the excessive high relief carving, classical elements and numerous curves of other styles produced during this timeframe.
