During a recent visit to Wilmington, Delaware, I had the opportunity to visit Nemours Estate, the 77-room home and formal French gardens of industrialist Alfred I. Dupont (1864-1935) and his family. It wasn't an experience I'll soon forget.
Tag: mansion
Gargoyle(s) of the Day: Glynallen Castle
Two picturesque grotesques from a fantastical, Tudor-inspired mansion in New Jersey.
Newport Wrap-Up
If you've read all my posts in this series, you've officially been introduced to every Newport mansion I visited. (But not every Newport mansion, since unfortunately I didn't get to visit two of them.) But my Newport adventure wasn't entirely mansion tours. There's lots else to see and do in town. The Redwood Library and Athenaeum is… Continue reading Newport Wrap-Up
The Breakers (My Newport Adventures)
The Breakers is the crown jewel of Newport, and it's totally crazy to experience. Cornelius Vanderbilt II, who owned the house with his wife Alice, clearly saw himself as a grand Renaissance prince. The Breakers was designed to look like an Italian Renaissance palace by Richard Morris Hunt and completed in 1895.
Chateau-sur-Mer (My Newport Adventures)
Chateau-sur-Mer is probably the most Victorian of all houses in Newport. It was owned by William Shepard Wetmore, who made his fortune trading with then-exotic China. When it was built in 1852 - long before the big four - it was one of the most famous houses in Newport. William's son, George Peabody Wetmore, inherited it in 1862, and he had… Continue reading Chateau-sur-Mer (My Newport Adventures)
Marble House (My Newport Adventures)
The Marble House (completed in 1892) was designed by Alva Vanderbilt, who was then the wife of William K. Vanderbilt. The house was designed by Richard Morris Hunt with decoration by Jules Allard and Sons. The Marble House is definitely over the top, yet it feels strangely accessible because none of the rooms are particularly large. Despite the gilt, brocade, and ornamentation, its scale gives a human feeling
The Elms (My Newport Adventures)
The Elms was the first mansion I saw on my first day in Newport, and it was the perfect way to start my trip. The home was built in 1901 for Edward and Herminie Berwind, who made their fortune in the coal industry. It was later occupied by Edward's sister Julia. The house was designed by Horace Trumbauer of Philadelphia and decorated by Jules Allard and Sons of Paris.
An Introduction to Newport
Last week, I was lucky enough to spend some time in Newport, Rhode Island, where I saw eight gorgeous mansions in three days! Over the next week or so, I'll provide you with the scoop on each of them. But before we get started, let's talk about Newport itself. For anyone who doesn't know, Newport is… Continue reading An Introduction to Newport
My Newport Adventure
If you're wondering why it's been quiet here on A Scholarly Skater, it's because I've been out of town. I just returned from Newport, Rhode Island, where I saw eight spectacular Gilded Age mansions in three days! I've just downloaded all of my photos from the trip (425 in total), and I'm starting to write about… Continue reading My Newport Adventure
My visit to Lyndhurst, an American castle
Lyndhurst is an huge house in Tarrytown, New York. It was home to politician William Paulding, businessman George Merritt, and finally Gilded Age industrialist Jay Gould and his family. Lyndhurst has incredible Gothic Revival architecture, stained glass windows by Louis Comfort Tiffany and John LaFarge, and great furniture.