https://www.grandoldhouses.com/articles-1 daily 0.75 2025-06-26 https://www.grandoldhouses.com/articles-1/kykuit monthly 0.5 2025-06-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/1014424c-48a8-4798-bb01-196bd48e7a6b/West+Front+-+Original.jpg Articles - Kykuit - To remedy the flaws, Rockefeller asked that the roof be raised to fix the faulty chimney drafts and suggested a service tunnel be built beneath the approach road so that deliveries could not be seen or heard by the family and their guests. He asked his landscape architect, William Welles Bosworth, to work with Delano and Aldrich to complete the home. Within three years, the new service entrance had been constructed, the roof was raised and flattened out, and a fourth floor was added for staff, allowing the entire third floor to be utilized for guests. The original porch was removed and Bosworth’s new façade of locally quarried rough-cut fieldstone and Indiana limestone was installed. Courtesy of the Library of Congress https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/5f9a82b4-947f-4e01-886b-c1ce8fa4d987/IMG_3263.JPEG Articles - Kykuit - Photograph of the completed home by Michael Brooks for the Historic American Buildings Survey, 1991-1993. Courtesy of the Library of Congress https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/4401180a-ca6d-46c2-aa11-a1adad315091/IMG_5132.JPEG Articles - Kykuit https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/a15ed357-c35c-406e-a991-44e6a5083dc1/IMG_5117.JPEG Articles - Kykuit https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/fe2b6687-1171-445c-ac3d-34ea5573e319/IMG_5127.JPEG Articles - Kykuit https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/f472d9bb-6570-46cb-bd4a-dc205b57718e/IMG_5124.JPEG Articles - Kykuit https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/661fd317-72f1-48dc-b5f9-b87b29554468/IMG_5159.JPG Articles - Kykuit https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/4673f7fe-1e6e-41f4-a5a5-3979f58a13fa/IMG_5155.JPEG Articles - Kykuit https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/ede1696f-9a2e-414f-9b4d-537a5474ee75/IMG_5173.JPEG Articles - Kykuit https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/b2a676da-b0fe-4761-a68c-7a3bfcda553d/IMG_5166.JPG Articles - Kykuit https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/9a0f6fb2-8d1c-4642-afe8-5ea139080ae2/IMG_5167.JPEG Articles - Kykuit https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/e368a802-c8d4-491b-8397-e71d1d2ef4c4/IMG_5116.jpg Articles - Kykuit - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/650eea68-11b9-4a52-9f29-70b639073a89/IMG_8753.JPEG Articles - Kykuit https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/ca62af23-3765-44de-9e24-18129aab05a5/IMG_8758.JPEG Articles - Kykuit https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/639f512b-2dee-43a3-8978-9e109c9dd7aa/IMG_8759.JPEG Articles - Kykuit https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/0f9c6022-21e5-4083-b440-cc40657dcb01/IMG_8760.JPEG Articles - Kykuit https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/c3e22c8f-cba1-4f74-b12a-97aaac08f639/IMG_3265.JPEG Articles - Kykuit https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/cd562f05-fd3d-436f-80d2-7a1b00426e43/IMG_8756.JPEG Articles - Kykuit https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/1322b6d5-7641-404c-934d-4ead442714be/IMG_3264.JPEG Articles - Kykuit https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/95e0750d-c5b1-440d-85ea-545956e06212/IMG_8754.JPEG Articles - Kykuit https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/06d94eca-7976-4365-b57b-c81b3244eb3e/IMG_5171.JPEG Articles - Kykuit - The terraced gardens include a Morning Garden, Grand Staircase, Japanese Garden, Italian Garden, Japanese-style brook, Japanese Tea-house, large Oceanus Fountain, Temple of Aphrodite, loggia, and semicircular rose garden. The Oceanus Fountain commands the forecourt. Commissioned in 1913, it is a replica of Giambologna's fountain of 1576 for the Boboli Gardens of Florence. The original garden design incorporated sculptures and fountains after Renaissance models and sculpture by George Grey Barnard, Karl Bitter, Janet Scudder, among others. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/bb025fff-665f-41d3-ad56-cd0d55cf4167/South+Front+-+Original.jpg Articles - Kykuit - Rockefeller Sr. wanted the estate to serve as a comfortable domestic refuge for his family and saw the house as the focal point of the estate. He envisioned a T-shaped building, designed to take full advantage of the Hudson River and afternoon sunlight, with an office and drawing room at the entrance, a large central space, and a library, tea room, and dining room extending beyond the central living space. Rockefeller Jr. and his wife also wanted a family home, however, they saw the estate as a symbol of classical beauty. Kykuit was originally designed as a steep-roofed three-story stone mansion by William A. Delano and Chester H. Aldrich of Delano & Aldrich. Aldrich was a distant relative of Rockefeller Jr.’s wife, Abigail “Abby” (née Aldrich) Rockefeller. Courtesy of the Library of Congress https://www.grandoldhouses.com/articles-1/the-pavilion-at-hyde-park monthly 0.5 2025-04-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/2b3d9888-1376-4777-a837-f0009b5def90/IMG_9187.JPEG Articles - The Pavilion at Hyde Park - View of the Visitor Center at the Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Park. Photograph by David W. Haas, August/September 1999, courtesy of the Historic American Engineering Record at the Library of Congress https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/4d5af72b-8a66-4882-8fb9-08d8ff0c6e73/IMG_9193.JPEG Articles - The Pavilion at Hyde Park - The Pavilion at Hyde Park when completed in 1896 (before the enclosure of the veranda with glazed panels which was completed by 1909). The Pavilion at Hyde Park, before the 1909 enclosure of the veranda with glazed panels. Photograph courtesy of the National Park Service https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/5e5f8a4c-7301-455a-94b1-f376e6bc64de/IMG_4501.JPEG Articles - The Pavilion at Hyde Park https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/30901f6c-571d-4012-9359-e44df50c5a1d/IMG_4502.JPEG Articles - The Pavilion at Hyde Park https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/a533f332-b2f4-4226-9443-57d5a6690605/IMG_4505.JPEG Articles - The Pavilion at Hyde Park https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/cb688342-ce5f-4e33-a9d4-573525c06dac/IMG_4504.JPEG Articles - The Pavilion at Hyde Park https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/230029f1-8b6a-436e-ad19-f6166077e740/IMG_4775.JPEG Articles - The Pavilion at Hyde Park https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/f6af3fea-698c-4848-95fd-fbd90687fc81/IMG_4758.JPEG Articles - The Pavilion at Hyde Park https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/4c066c07-c061-4128-96f4-be28394b6e95/IMG_4760.JPEG Articles - The Pavilion at Hyde Park https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/e0323609-faea-4b78-941d-d390710c00d3/IMG_4767.JPEG Articles - The Pavilion at Hyde Park https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/4eace416-6022-4732-96ec-02792ea45870/IMG_4769.JPEG Articles - The Pavilion at Hyde Park https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/bfc59262-8976-4400-b98c-6eda06279499/IMG_4773.JPEG Articles - The Pavilion at Hyde Park https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/c2b31cf0-dcbd-4805-85d1-b818c1aa52b3/IMG_4763.jpg Articles - The Pavilion at Hyde Park - Make it stand out The Vanderbilt Pavilion at Hyde Park https://www.grandoldhouses.com/articles-1/Blog Post Title One-p59kx-5dg93-g9ddl monthly 0.5 2025-04-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/05e7be90-ef8d-4f16-a779-5d0d99c5ec4c/IMG_3456.jpg Articles - Historic: The Vanderbilt’s Hyde Park - Make it stand out Hyde Park from the lawn Photograph by David W. Haas, August/September 1999, Historic American Engineering Record at the Library of Congress https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/af66dd8c-0009-461c-8fe9-ae7b87db582e/Vanderbilt+-+Second+Floor.png Articles - Historic: The Vanderbilt’s Hyde Park - Make it stand out Second Floor Courtesy National Park Service https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/01beacb2-ab77-433f-8b55-f0825a020acd/IMG_9204.JPG Articles - Historic: The Vanderbilt’s Hyde Park https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/d1abbf8b-0583-4f1a-bff4-adc61172af8e/IMG_3075.JPEG Articles - Historic: The Vanderbilt’s Hyde Park https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/42fb3f09-b508-4fe1-bc3d-223a0283a3ca/IMG_3081.JPG Articles - Historic: The Vanderbilt’s Hyde Park - The most important furnishing in the dining room is the large carpet—a rare Persian carpet — one of the largest Islamic carpets in existence measuring nearly 20 feet by 40 feet. Thought to be nearly 400 years old, this carpet was the single most valuable object in the house at the time it was installed, and likely remains so today. The Dining Room https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/89559a17-ba39-4ec0-b328-ac2c29b84ace/IMG_3073.JPEG Articles - Historic: The Vanderbilt’s Hyde Park - Much of the French classical bedroom furniture in Hyde Park, thought to have been supplied by Glaenzer, might be from his subcontractor, A.H. Davenport, rather than French sources. The suites bear close resemblance to the Davenport-supplied French Louis XV and Louis XVI style bedroom suites ordered by Ogden Codman for Frederick’s elder brother, Cornelius Vanderbilt II, at The Breakers in Newport and now known to have been primarily manufactured by Davenport. Mr. Vanderbilt's Room https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/c44eb75c-33c6-4120-9448-c6118c8baeaa/IMG_9202.JPG Articles - Historic: The Vanderbilt’s Hyde Park - The heavily napped rug was made especially for this room and weighs 2,300 pounds. Notable furnishings from the workshop of French ébéniste Paul Sormani fill the room, including a curvaceous commode in the Louis XV style made about 1875. The floral inlay and marquetry, and the gilt bronze mounts are indicative of Sormani's ability to create a impressive furniture in the style of the furniture made for French royalty. Mrs. Vanderbilt's Room https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/b38094ea-99a3-4193-a594-d77c0b392247/Vanderbilt+-+First+Floor.png Articles - Historic: The Vanderbilt’s Hyde Park - Make it stand out First Floor Courtesy National Park Service https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/de460097-0b5b-4333-9759-55a67f0e73e2/IMG_9190.JPEG Articles - Historic: The Vanderbilt’s Hyde Park - As the grounds were part of country estates owned by influential and wealthy families for nearly two centuries, the specimen trees which they planted may be ranked as a feature of interest second only to the house itself. More than 40 species and varieties are represented, many of them from Europe and Asia, including European ash, European beech, English elm, Norway spruce, Norway maple, the red-leaved Japanese maple, and a ginkgo, or Chinese maidenhair-tree. This ginkgo is among the largest of that species in the United States. Among the native American trees represented are sugar maple, flowering dogwood, eastern hemlock, Kentucky coffeetree, white oak, black oak, eastern white pine, and blue spruce. Other examples of their kind include large beeches, bur oak, and a great cucumber magnolia. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/d98a0b95-cfe8-4d3c-b35d-fc2a2d35ab66/IMG_9209.JPEG Articles - Historic: The Vanderbilt’s Hyde Park - Make it stand out View the the Second Floor Hall facing the Vanderbilt’s rooms https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/c985c6db-9d95-442b-986d-f83395a051d9/IMG_9205.JPG Articles - Historic: The Vanderbilt’s Hyde Park - Two large tapestries flanking the doorway are from a series depicting episodes of the Trojan War (the others from the set hang in the South Foyer). The east and west walls feature a pair of late 16th- or early 17th-century Italian armorial tapestries bearing the Medici family coat of arms. The room is furnished with a combination of antique Renaissance furnishings and Louis XV style seating. As it appears today, the room represents the design of Whitney Warren, who redecorated the room in 1906. The original ceiling mural by H. Siddon Mowbray was removed at that time. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/250470eb-f2e9-4946-aaaf-340c8599c491/IMG_3076.JPEG Articles - Historic: The Vanderbilt’s Hyde Park - Make it stand out Courtesy of the National Park Service https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/435df63a-edaf-40a3-aff1-9451d498ae86/IMG_3068.jpg Articles - Historic: The Vanderbilt’s Hyde Park - The Hall is anchored by architectural features at each compass point—the main entrance centered on the east side, with a fireplace and mantel directly opposite on the west side. Located at the north and south ends of the ellipse, foyers connect the Hall with the Living Room and Dining Room. Angled alcoves flanking the fireplace provide access to the West Portico. Additional doorways open to adjoining rooms and the Grand Staircase. The walls are articulated with green marble pilasters with white marble bases and capitals. The ceiling reveals the second floor with an elongated octagonal opening encircled by a massive double balustrade, allowing natural light to flood the Hall from the laylight and skylight above. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/c9a311e1-ad21-4c63-b4d8-f3a96895206d/IMG_3083.JPEG Articles - Historic: The Vanderbilt’s Hyde Park https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/0abde7a8-27cc-4d38-a53b-c0c588dd4b82/IMG_3082.JPEG Articles - Historic: The Vanderbilt’s Hyde Park https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/c26f9f02-0622-4b00-90fb-daadf506d350/IMG_9245.JPEG Articles - Historic: The Vanderbilt’s Hyde Park https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/d9314236-45ab-4dc8-b0f2-ed83dcbbd5e8/IMG_9206.JPG Articles - Historic: The Vanderbilt’s Hyde Park - Italian busts and statues occupy niches along the way including marble sculptures depicting the infant Hercules (strangling one of the snakes sent by the goddess Hera to kill him in his cradle), Eros, Psyche, along with Persephone (Greek goddess of spring and queen of the underworld). At one of the landings is a painting by the French artist, Adrien Moreau. An early 18th-century Beauvais tapestry hangs on the second-floor wall. Courtesy of the National Park Service https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/0d6d6a76-5dfe-46c1-b135-08d32ebca0b2/IMG_9207.JPG Articles - Historic: The Vanderbilt’s Hyde Park - In the bookcase are about 400 volumes, mostly fiction and travel. Included among these are the college textbooks that Frederick used at Yale. From this room Vanderbilt conducted his estate affairs, such as tree culture and the operation of the greenhouses, gardens, and his dairy and stock farm across the road. Frederick Vanderbilt’s Office https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/0e6e2e0d-61d0-4e1f-afb2-0c41c58eeebb/IMG_3077.JPEG Articles - Historic: The Vanderbilt’s Hyde Park Photograph of Hyde Park under construction, ca. 1898 Courtesy of the National Park Service https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/6af5edfc-e0d5-4de1-82dd-413d5645d52d/IMG_3072.JPG Articles - Historic: The Vanderbilt’s Hyde Park - Make it stand out Courtesy of the National Park Service https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/d010b4b2-1deb-4daf-8411-348261a82c0f/IMG_9203.jpg Articles - Historic: The Vanderbilt’s Hyde Park - The Reception Room, however, was used very little. Tea might be served there for very special guests during a weekend visit—or a small group of eight to ten dinner guests would congregate there until dinner was announced. It was more often used by Louise when she wanted to be alone, as a former butler explained that “when the door was closed that was a sure indication that Mrs. Vanderbilt did not want to be disturbed.” The Reception Room (or Gold Room) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/e23b1af7-524e-49cc-857a-d371d605db80/IMG_3079.JPEG Articles - Historic: The Vanderbilt’s Hyde Park https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/5c3a0389-41e3-45bf-8060-79c6f1947db8/IMG_3078.JPEG Articles - Historic: The Vanderbilt’s Hyde Park https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/eb75ded4-dc81-43b4-877b-829b45e00f59/IMG_3080.JPEG Articles - Historic: The Vanderbilt’s Hyde Park https://www.grandoldhouses.com/articles-1/Blog Post Title One-p59kx-5dg93 monthly 0.5 2025-04-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/6b479d84-1db0-4358-a46c-9283fa23af55/IMG_4580.JPEG Articles - The Vanderbilts at Hyde Park https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/29c06510-4a81-4336-857f-61f19637fcf8/IMG_4599.JPEG Articles - The Vanderbilts at Hyde Park https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/6fa625ec-bf12-4133-8ece-6f9518eece31/IMG_4590.JPEG Articles - The Vanderbilts at Hyde Park https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/84398ab3-139e-4676-b934-014491f30d00/IMG_4584.JPEG Articles - The Vanderbilts at Hyde Park https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/4b669fa9-a072-48e4-b799-abe77daacc62/IMG_4594.JPEG Articles - The Vanderbilts at Hyde Park https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/d03374bd-356d-4f77-bd26-a060e10d6bd2/IMG_4581.JPEG Articles - The Vanderbilts at Hyde Park https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/b80f1d29-7491-4e22-bc6a-51dba24fa2f0/IMG_4697.jpg Articles - The Vanderbilts at Hyde Park - Which brings us to the Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site, commonly called the Vanderbilt Mansion. This house, however, was simply called Hyde Park by Frederick William Vanderbilt, the man who built it along the Hudson River in the 1890s. Vanderbilt was a grandson of the legendary Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt, and lived here with his wife, Louise “Lulu” Holmes (née Anthony), the divorced former wife of Frederick’s first cousin, Alfred Torrance. Frederick W. Vanderbilt was the third son of William Henry Vanderbilt (primary heir of the Commodore), and an 1878 graduate of Yale, earning him the distinction of being the only one in his family to graduate from college. Unequivocally a mansion by any reasonable definition, the roughly 45,000-square-foot country house also has the distinction of being known as the smallest of Frederick’s generation of Vanderbilt houses (see: Biltmore, The Breakers, Florham, Idle Hour, Elm Court, etc.). While Frederick and Louise bought and sold a number of other city and country houses, they kept Hyde Park until their death. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/f15ea566-f4c7-4830-9843-2fbe5e58a1da/IMG_4538.JPEG Articles - The Vanderbilts at Hyde Park https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/1744140789128-W4GDGEFF62FVO26GNMKZ/IMG_4570.JPEG Articles - The Vanderbilts at Hyde Park https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/1744140785542-LWB6M05O4D3PHGJJ8ON7/IMG_4539.JPEG Articles - The Vanderbilts at Hyde Park https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/1744140781433-ZSMF35P1IXJCTMJOQG4E/IMG_4535.JPEG Articles - The Vanderbilts at Hyde Park https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/1744140772165-OFK30BKBA4TY1Z968IMD/IMG_4508.JPEG Articles - The Vanderbilts at Hyde Park https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/1744140789962-QAL31F1OPCH76BSZEE54/IMG_4571.JPEG Articles - The Vanderbilts at Hyde Park https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/b82ae2d2-4120-416d-9d09-ef1fb6cc2860/IMG_4558.jpg Articles - The Vanderbilts at Hyde Park - Two large tapestries flanking the doorway are from a series depicting episodes of the Trojan War (the others from the set hang in the South Foyer). The east and west walls feature a pair of late 16th- or early 17th-century Italian armorial tapestries bearing the Medici family coat of arms. The room is furnished with a combination of antique Renaissance furnishings and Louis XV style seating. As it appears today, the room represents the design of Whitney Warren, who redecorated the room in 1906. The original ceiling mural by H. Siddon Mowbray was removed at that time. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/cc37e720-6ef3-425d-b69e-d8b04ad131fa/IMG_4574.jpg Articles - The Vanderbilts at Hyde Park - The Hall is anchored by architectural features at each compass point—the main entrance centered on the east side, with a fireplace and mantel directly opposite on the west side. Located at the north and south ends of the ellipse, foyers connect the Hall with the Living Room and Dining Room. Angled alcoves flanking the fireplace provide access to the West Portico. Additional doorways open to adjoining rooms and the Grand Staircase. The walls are articulated with green marble pilasters with white marble bases and capitals. The ceiling reveals the second floor with an elongated octagonal opening encircled by a massive double balustrade, allowing natural light to flood the Hall from the laylight and skylight above. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/a578f82b-80b6-4238-b61a-373ca99c6f03/IMG_4544.JPEG Articles - The Vanderbilts at Hyde Park - The Reception Room, however, was used very little. Tea might be served there for very special guests during a weekend visit—or a small group of eight to ten dinner guests would congregate there until dinner was announced. It was more often used by Louise when she wanted to be alone, as a former butler explained that “when the door was closed that was a sure indication that Mrs. Vanderbilt did not want to be disturbed.” The Reception Room (or Gold Room) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/90c43322-9637-4c34-8ee9-d98d137e4a10/IMG_4686.JPEG Articles - The Vanderbilts at Hyde Park https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/703fb716-c479-44cf-add3-9f58fb4247dd/IMG_4685.JPEG Articles - The Vanderbilts at Hyde Park https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/27ad30aa-32c7-4195-a3d5-afdf84a273c9/IMG_4704.JPEG Articles - The Vanderbilts at Hyde Park https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/c94f12f7-a6a0-4308-853c-b3754738efc8/IMG_4717.JPEG Articles - The Vanderbilts at Hyde Park https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/efc6490a-7dea-4ab1-9fba-772836e934b5/IMG_4728.JPEG Articles - The Vanderbilts at Hyde Park https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/a3c92254-f0be-4524-b2e8-d64be880a4ed/IMG_4734.JPEG Articles - The Vanderbilts at Hyde Park https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/20ec62bb-56bf-408f-9ebc-cfc2a62c7ae1/IMG_4739.JPEG Articles - The Vanderbilts at Hyde Park https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/ffae9680-bd32-4516-a229-ead3ddd6ce53/IMG_4741.JPEG Articles - The Vanderbilts at Hyde Park https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/11247e38-4a07-4ab3-b695-c69350c6c0f7/IMG_4634.JPEG Articles - The Vanderbilts at Hyde Park https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/0251234a-2251-48a5-8393-f8e1fb6d5970/IMG_4636.JPEG Articles - The Vanderbilts at Hyde Park https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/0a4f0898-5631-4081-8b57-fec267cc5256/IMG_4638.JPEG Articles - The Vanderbilts at Hyde Park https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/3b70c947-88fa-433a-9572-7d3e0138963e/IMG_4554.JPEG Articles - The Vanderbilts at Hyde Park - Make it stand out The Library (or Den) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/af66dd8c-0009-461c-8fe9-ae7b87db582e/Vanderbilt+-+Second+Floor.png Articles - The Vanderbilts at Hyde Park - Make it stand out Second Floor Courtesy National Park Service https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/b38094ea-99a3-4193-a594-d77c0b392247/Vanderbilt+-+First+Floor.png Articles - The Vanderbilts at Hyde Park - Make it stand out First Floor Courtesy National Park Service https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/5e9874a3-3a6d-4cd8-a508-16e794da107b/IMG_4548.JPEG Articles - The Vanderbilts at Hyde Park - In the bookcase are about 400 volumes, mostly fiction and travel. Included among these are the college textbooks that Frederick used at Yale. From this room Vanderbilt conducted his estate affairs, such as tree culture and the operation of the greenhouses, gardens, and his dairy and stock farm across the road. Frederick Vanderbilt’s Office https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/57868c1c-ba56-4cea-a9ec-bd19d00aad4d/IMG_4650.jpg Articles - The Vanderbilts at Hyde Park - Make it stand out View the the Second Floor Hall from the Vanderbilt’s rooms https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/62b78877-9c3d-483e-a0c6-d678a2cfafed/IMG_4603.JPEG Articles - The Vanderbilts at Hyde Park https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/b4177b94-f423-47b7-88d5-a8ba528dc86e/IMG_4608.JPEG Articles - The Vanderbilts at Hyde Park https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/fc7a01f8-14b8-47d9-93b4-a8e245a31556/IMG_4612.JPEG Articles - The Vanderbilts at Hyde Park - Much of the French classical bedroom furniture in Hyde Park, thought to have been supplied by Glaenzer, might be from his subcontractor, A.H. Davenport, rather than French sources. The suites bear close resemblance to the Davenport-supplied French Louis XV and Louis XVI style bedroom suites ordered by Ogden Codman for Frederick’s elder brother, Cornelius Vanderbilt II, at The Breakers in Newport and now known to have been primarily manufactured by Davenport. Mr. Vanderbilt's Room https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/10cf168a-f610-4bca-9514-4bcc9576ce79/IMG_8820.jpg Articles - The Vanderbilts at Hyde Park - Make it stand out View of the Hudson River from Hyde Park https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/2823df43-03f5-45d3-a30f-73b75861d3f9/IMG_4619.JPEG Articles - The Vanderbilts at Hyde Park - The heavily napped rug was made especially for this room and weighs 2,300 pounds. Notable furnishings from the workshop of French ébéniste Paul Sormani fill the room, including a curvaceous commode in the Louis XV style made about 1875. The floral inlay and marquetry, and the gilt bronze mounts are indicative of Sormani's ability to create a impressive furniture in the style of the furniture made for French royalty. Mrs. Vanderbilt's Room https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67f15d45cd039a18c39874fc/edd40420-581a-4cda-9057-a4f390c3fd8d/IMG_4518.JPEG Articles - The Vanderbilts at Hyde Park - The most important furnishing in the dining room is the large carpet—a rare Persian carpet — one of the largest Islamic carpets in existence measuring nearly 20 feet by 40 feet. Thought to be nearly 400 years old, this carpet was the single most valuable object in the house at the time it was installed, and likely remains so today. 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