The men created great fortunes: Thomas Sinclair in meatpacking; George Bruce Douglas in starch processing; and Howard Hall in manufacturing.

However, the women of Brucemore are at the heart of the story; Caroline Sinclair built the mansion; Irene Douglas transformed it to a country estate; and Margaret Hall gave it to the National Trust.

Sinclair died in an 1881 accident at the plant, leaving Caroline to bring up their six children, the youngest aged just six months.

In 1884, Caroline Sinclair purchased land that was then beyond the city limits and started to build a Queen Anne-style mansion she named "Fairhome."

The original plan for the house included a great hall, eight bathrooms, nine bedrooms, fourteen fireplaces, and a grand staircase.

[2] Irene was an amateur bookbinder and bound many of the books currently found in the house's library, such as 40 volumes of William Shakespeare's plays and poems.

[3] Under George's direction, the size of the property was increased to 33 acres (130,000 m2), and several buildings were constructed, including a guesthouse, greenhouse, carriage house, squash court, and servants' quarters.

This expansion cost over $30,000 and was designed by Howard Van Doren Shaw, a Chicago architect known for his North Shore mansions.

The couple lived on the Brucemore grounds, residing in the Garden House from the start of their marriage until the death of Margaret's mother.

The Tahitian room is designed to resemble a tropical island, including a faux hut roof, and a switch that can create artificial rain.