by Shannon Butler
Our last entry looked at a grand house from the Gilded Age that is somewhat forgotten today. However, there are a couple houses that still hold their gilded shine and attract people from all over the world who come to see the remnants of that glamorous era. Vanderbilt Mansion and Staatsburgh (also known as Mills Mansion) are both local sites that focus on the architecture and lifestyles of the Gilded Age, and they also happen to have fantastic views of the Hudson River and pleasant paths for strolling, just like the Vanderbilts and Mills families would have done.
Both of the properties have histories that go back long before the Gilded Age. Vanderbilt had once belonged to Dr. Bard in the 18th century, and later by Walter Langdon. The Langdon house and property was purchased by the Vanderbilts in 1895 but they had determined the home itself to be in need of too many repairs. The architectural firm of McKim, Mead, and White was brought in to build a sturdier and much larger house which was based very similar to the design of the Langdon home. Many of the rooms, including Mrs. Vanderbilt’s bedroom seen on the right, were designed by interior decorator Ogden Codman Jr. who co-authored with Edith Wharton “The Decoration of Houses” in 1897. Stanford White worked his magic with his knowledge of antiques, tapestries, and furnishings from Europe and throughout the mansion, one feels as though they were in some French palace, which is exactly as Frederick and Louise wanted it. The mansion stands out as a true symbol of American nobility in the Gilded Age.
The Dining room, drawing room, and den are also seen here and each room serves a different purpose for entertaining the countless guests who would have made their way up the river in the spring or fall to visit. Strolling through the Italian formal gardens was always a joy for any visitor, or perhaps Mr. Vanderbilt would ask you to join him on his yacht for a sail on the Hudson. One could expect another Gilded Age experience by heading just a little further north to Staatsburgh where the activities included golfing on the private course and horseback riding.
The property in Staatsburgh had once been the home of the third Governor of New York, Morgan Lewis. This site was built using old money from the Livingston lineage that went back to the 17th century. But it was Ruth Livingston Mills and her husband Ogden Mills who brought the house into the Gilded Age. It seems that 1895 was a very busy year for the firm of McKim, Mead, and White in Dutchess County as they tackled the redesigning of the Staatsburgh mansion around the same time as Vanderbilt. The grand staircase can be seen in the image on the right, and the house had a total of 65 rooms. Staatsburgh was the first of the two houses to become a tourist attraction when the daughter of Ruth and Ogden, Gladys Mill Phipps left the house to the State of New York in 1938. Vanderbilt mansion was left to the niece of Frederick and Louise, Margaret Van Alen and she donated it to the National Park Service in 1940.
Today, both of these mansions serve as educational tools in the telling of the lives and times of a bygone era. Not only do they look at the folks who could afford to create them but also those who worked within them, also known as “the other half.”
Check out:
