RESIDENTS IN Hannibal, Mo., are understandably nervous about the fate of Rockcliffe Mansion.

A Florida couple recently had their $710,000 bid approved by a bankruptcy judge and are coming to Hannibal soon to look at the historic house at 10th and Bird.

Rockcliffe Mansion is more than a house -- it's a piece of living history, showing what Hannibal was like at the turn of the century when lumber baron J.J. Cruikshank built it for his family.

It stood vacant for many years after Cruikshank died, then was saved by several buyers just days before it was supposed to be demolished. Unfortunately, the last person to own it had to file for bankruptcy, leading to this week's bid.

Ken and Lisa Marks have been living in the house for the past few months but have failed to come up with financing. They fear the new owner, Jim Gillette, will not keep the property open the public.

Gillette sent e-mails to the media about his intentions. He says he's owned other historic properties over the years, and Beau Hicks of the Hannibal Convention and Visitors Bureau says he's heard Gillette has done good things to property in Iowa.

Gillette says the building is in bad shape and it will cost at least as much as his bid to renovate it. That means he may dump $1.5 million into the property.

"We want a structurally sound home of historic significance in a town of 15,000 to 20,000 people, where we can live and be involved in the future of the community," Gillette wrote in an e-mail to The Herald-Whig last week.

Gillette says his plans for the home "will excite every member of the community." But he does not say if it will be open to the public.

Still, this statement is encouraging: "We want the home to look just like it did the day the Cruikshank family moved in and yet have it be a real home that we and the people of Hannibal will enjoy ... the highest and best use of the property is to promote Hannibal and tourism. We expect to do both."

Sure, it would be great to keep Rockcliffe Mansion open for public tours, weddings, events. It's as much a part of Hannibal as the swirling currents of the Mississippi River.

But in the end, if a responsible person with deep pockets takes ownership of the home and promises to renovate it and take care of it, shouldn't they be allowed to live in it as they please?

If I bought a home, I'm not sure I'd want it to be open all the time, except maybe for special tours. And surely the home needs to modernized to make it comfortable -- the owners deserve that right, while also respecting the historical integrity of the home.

Hannibal residents had their chance to step up and secure ownership. Now somebody from the outside is apparently taking the plunge.

Maybe it won't stay open as a museum, but Gillette hopefully understands how important the house is to Hannibal, and how to keep it a part of the community.

-- rhart@whig.com / 221-3370