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Before celebrities such as
Donald Trump and Bill Gates built their lavish estates, there were a handful of
wealthy families in the United States
who made an art of building astounding homes, many of which resembled European
castles and fortresses. Construction of the elaborate abodes could be viewed as
a competition between the well-to-do, with their homes representing the fortunes
they had to spend. Erected during the Gilded Age, the era between the Civil War
and World War I, hundreds of these homes were constructed, mainly in the eastern
states, with a concentrated amount first in Newport,
then on the Gold
Coast of Long Island.
Today, many of these structures are used for a variety of purposes, as hotels,
tour facilities and event locations for everyday folks to enjoy.
CASTLES FROM THE GILDED
AGE
Whether built as a showpiece
of wealth, power or love, there's no arguing that the castles found in America
are spectacular pieces of architecture, combining old European castles with
more modern styles. A concentration of these impressive structures are found
in the North Eastern United States, with a scattering found in other areas of
the country.
Biltmore Estate
Built by George Vanderbilt in Asheville,
North Carolina,
between the years of 1889 to 1895, the Biltmore
Estate remains the largest residence in America and is set on more than
8,000 acres (3,200 ha) of land.
The building alone encompasses
more than 4 acres (1.6 ha) and contains 250 rooms, 65 fireplaces, 43 bathrooms,
34 bedrooms, three kitchens, an indoor pool, a bowling alley, priceless pieces
of art and antiques, a winery and many other one-of-a-kind features. Until 1930
the home remained a private residence, but was opened to the public by request
of the city of Asheville as a way to spur tourism in the area during the Depression.
Biltmore Estate remains
the center of Asheville's tourism appeal. Spread across the estate are extraordinary
features, including the world-renowned, 204-room Inn
on Biltmore Estate, hundreds of acres of impeccable gardens, a variety
of dining areas and restaurants, unique estate shops and much more. Also available
are a number of activities, including guided biking and hiking tours, carriage
rides, fishing classes, horseback trips and rafting excursions. Special to the
estate is a driving school for Land Rovers, where people can test their all-terrain
driving skills as they maneuver through the maze of trails found on the property.
Visitors to the town can explore the Biltmore House and grounds through a number
of specialty tours offered at the estate.
'Iolani Palace Hawaii was an independent
country—a status which changed in 1898 when annexed by the United States—that
desired to prove its status as a modern nation to countries overseas. The decision
was to build a palace in Honolulu
for its royalty, comparable to ones found for monarchs in Europe. Construction
began in 1879 when the cornerstone was laid and three years later 'Iolani
Palace was ready for King Kalakaua and Queen Kapi'olani to reside inside
its walls. Nothing was spared in the construction of this building, as it incorporated
many modern conveniences, like electricity and plumbing, that were uncommon
to late-19th century architecture.
After the death of the king
in 1891, the palace became the home of his sister, Princess Lili'uokalani. After
an attempt to control the citizens of Hawaii and increase the monarch's power,
Lili'uokalani was overthrown by the very people she sought to rule, leading
to the creation of a provisional government.
What was the Gilded
Age?
Spanning from 1876 to 1914, between the Civil and First World wars, the
Gilded Age marked the rapid changes in American society as it grew in
industry, territory, economics and population. Immigrants from Europe
came to America and found wealth in new sectors, such as transportation,
lumber, oil, gold and steel. Out of this industriousness came a new group
of wealthy individuals, the business man or Robber Baron, who amassed
fortunes beyond their imaginations. Remnants of these fortunes are seen
today in the many mansions and castles that were built during this era.
Lili'uokalani tried to reclaim
her power, but was arrested and forced to relinquish her claim to the throne.
Ironically, 'Iolani Palace contained the debunked queen while she served five
months of house arrest, instead of being sent to a hard labor camp. Many of
the palace belongings were sold at auction after the queen's overthrowing and
the building was converted to hold the provisional government offices. In 1969,
'Iolani Palace underwent a massive restoration and in 1978 was opened to the
public. Many of the items that were auctioned were sought and returned to the
palace.
Visitors of
'Iolani Palace can travel
through the colorful history of the building and its
residents with self
guided tours.
Surrounded by iron gates,
the palace property contains the reconstructed barracks of the Royal Guard,
the coronation pavilion and several of the royal tombs. Inside the two-story
building are a number of lavishly furnished rooms, including the Grand Hall,
the Throne Room, Queen Lili'uokalani's Imprisonment Room, the suites of the
King and Queen, and many other formal and informal areas. Located in downtown
Honolulu on what some believe to be an ancient heiau site, or place of worship,
'Iolani Palace is near a number of additional shops,
restaurants
and attractions,
such as St.
Andrew's Cathedraland the Hawaii
State Capitol.
Hearst Castle
Before accepting the San Francisco Examiner as payment for a gambling debt,
George Hearst made millions as a miner and a rancher. Being an avid hunter as
well, he purchased 48,000 acres (19,400 ha) of ranchland near San
Simeon, California.
Hearst passed away in 1891, leaving the land, which had grown in excess of 250,000
acres (10,000 ha), and the newspaper to his son, William Randolf. Tired of roughing
it on his camping trips, W.R. Hearst asked architect Julia Morgan to “build
a little something” on the land. Her answer resulted in one of the most
extravagant homes in America: Hearst
Castle.
Modeled after Spanish-style
architecture, the mansion and guest buildings combined contain an astounding 177
rooms. On the property Hearst had 127 acres (51 ha) of gardens grown, two pools—the
Neptune Pool and the indoor Roman Pool—installed and trails installed to
wind through the grounds and connect the different areas. For
his guests, Hearst
had three guest houses designed: Casa del Monte, Casa del Mar and Casa del
Sol, which hold four, six and
eight bedrooms respectively. Casa
Grand was Hearst's main house, which totals 60,645 sq ft (5,634 sq m) of interior
space and boasts 41 bedrooms, 38 bathrooms, two towers, a climate controlled wine
cellar and many other distinctive features. Between
1923 and 1937, W.R. Hearst's property also contained a zoo with more than 300
field animals that roamed through his land, including species of zebras, antelope,
camels, kangaroos, ostriches and yaks, as well as cages where more dangerous creatures
were kept. The castle
was under construction for 28 years until it finally met the mental picture Hearst
had formed from the castles he saw on trips to Europe as a boy.
Tours of the amazing grounds
and buildings began in 1952, a year after Hearst's death. Over the years the
tours have evolved to accommodate a variety of interests. All run for just under
two hours and cover different parts of the estate, such as the Casa Grande,
the gardens, the guest houses and pools. A number of seasonal and specialty
viewings are hosted throughout the year.
CASTLES OF THE THOUSAND
ISLANDS
Built in the early 1900s,
two castles were built on private islands overlooking the St. Lawrence Seaway
in the Thousand Islands-Seaway region between New
York and Ontario.
Open to the public, Boldt
Castle on Heart Island and Singer
Castle on Dark Island can only be reached by taking a water taxi, tour
boat or private
charter.
Boldt Castle on Heart
Island
While some of these magnificent dwellings were built to display personal prestige,
others were built as mementos of love, as in the case of Boldt Castle on Heart
Island. Overlooking Alexandria
Bay in the Thousand Islands, Boldt castle was built as a trinket of affection
from Waldorf
Astoria Hotelmogul George C. Boldt to his wife, Louise, which
he was planning to present to her on Valentine's Day in 1905.
Modeled after a 16th century
Rhineland Castle from Europe, ground was broken for the six-story, 120-room
mansion in 1900 on Boldt's private Heart Island. Planned to be a summer house
for the family, the property was to include underground tunnels, gardens, a
playhouse and a marina. However, the castle would not be finished until more
than 75 years later. Construction was canceled in 1904 when Boldt's world changed
with the sudden death of his wife. Work on the building was not resumed until
the property was purchased by the Thousand Islands Bridge Authorityin
1977, who spent millions of dollars to not only finish the castle but also to
restore the areas that were complete in 1904.
Robber
Barons of the Gilded Age
These are some of the men who made fortunes during this industrial boom.
John Jacob Astor
(real estate, fur)
Cornelius Vanderbilt
(railroad, shipping)
Andrew Carnegie
(steel)
Henry Ford (automobiles)
Jay Cooke (finance)
Henry Clay Frick
(steel)
Collis P. Huntington
(railroads)
John D. Rockefeller
(Standard Oil Company)
Leland Stanford
(railroads)
Daniel Drew (finance)
James Buchanan Duke
(tobacco)
J.P. Morgan (banking)
Jay Gould (finance,
railroads)
James J. Hill (railroads)
While the essence of
Boldt's dream may be captured in the finished product that stands today, it is
unknown if the building would have appeared this way if his wife had not died.
Visitors are invited to explore the building and the property, as well as the
many nooks and crannies of Heart Island. Self-guided tours can be conducted of
Heart Island, where six individual buildings, including the castle, can be explored.
Singer Castle on Dark
Island
One of the few castles to be lived in during the Gilded Age, Singer Castle stands
on Dark Island in Chippewa
Bay (a village 11 mi/18 km from Alexandria Bay) since its completion
in 1905. Constructed as a hunting retreat by self-made millionaire Commodore
Frederick Gilbert Bourne, president of the Singer Sewing Machine Company, Singer
Castle rises four stories in the air and boasts 28 rooms. Designed to resemble
Sir Walter Scott'sWoodstock Castle in Scotland,
the Towers, as Bourne referred to it, was built with secret passageways and
dungeons. Prominent families such as the Astors and the Vanderbilts were entertained
there during the summer and fall, when the Bournes lived at the castle. In 1919
Bourne passed away and the property was left to the LaSalle Military Academy.
In 1965 it was sold to the Harold Martin Evangelistic Association, who renamed
it Jorstadt Castle. Sold in 2001 to a private company and opened to the public
in 2003 as Singer Castle, visitors are now welcomed take a guided tour of the
structure and the grounds. There are many steps and stairs, making the castle
unable to accommodate people with disabilities and children in strollers.
Discovered in 1639, Newport,
Rhode Island, was
used as an escape for people looking for religious freedom. Soon the ocean community
grew into an established seaport, sporting ornamental schooners and trade ships
alike. Containing ample areas of natural beauty, Newport continued to transform
into a vacation destination for the opulent. Throughout the mid to late 19th
century some of America's richest and most powerful residents used the area
to build their vacation cottages, which appear more like mansions and mini-castles.
Today some of these properties welcome guests inside to tour the homes of America's
19th century royalty.
The
Breakers
Construction of the Breakers, a 70-room house, began in 1893 by Cornelius Vanderbilt
II, grandson of family figurehead Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt, who owned
the New York Central Railroad. Modeled after 16th century Italian Renaissance
palazzos, the Breakers
remains one of the most extravagant displays of the Vanderbilt family's fortune.
After being passed down through the family, the Breakers opened to the public
in 1948 as a way to raise money for the Preservation
Society of Newport County. Inside are examples of turn-of-the-century
furnishing and fixture, original sculptures designed especially for the Vanderbilts
and amazing seasonal decorations—most notably during the Christmas season. Today
it is one of 11 properties that welcomes tour groups and hosts events throughout
the year, allowing visitors to be part of the glamor that was the Vanderbilt
family.
The Marble House
Another Newport Vanderbilt residence, the Marble
House was built between 1888 and 1892 for Mr. and Mrs. William K. Vanderbilt
as a summer cottage. In keeping with its name, more than $7 million of the $11
million spent on the home went to purchase 500,000 cubic feet of marble from America,
Italy and Africa. Many see
the building of the Marble House as the turning point in Newport from simple wooden
abodes to exorbitant showpieces of the wealthy. William gave the deed to Marble
House to his wife, Alva, as a present for her 39th birthday. Three years later
they divorced and Alva moved down the street to Belcourt
Castle after marrying Oliver Hazard Perry Belmont. Alva kept the Marble
House and built a Chinese Tea House on the property, which served as a gathering
place for woman's suffrage meetings and remains on the property overlooking the
ocean for visitors to tour. Inside the home are elaborate trimmings, marble Corinthian
columns, 18th-century tapestries, gold leaf walls, crystal lights and many other
intricate details. Alva was the driving force behind the design of the house,
which she wished to be the biggest and best summer house in Newport, and even
in the United States. Tours of the Marble House and Belcourt Castle are available
year round and include special holiday events at Christmas, when both houses are
thoroughly decorated and often host events to celebrate the season.
Beechwood Mansion
For eight weeks out of the year, Beechwood
Mansion was used by the Astors, a family made rich by the fur trade
and real estate. William Backhouse Astor and his wife Caroline Schermerhorn
Astor—who demanded friends and family refer to her as The Mrs. Astor—acquired
Beechwood in 1881, about 30 years after it was constructed. Under The Mrs. Astor's
watch, the house was transformed into a hub for New York socialites and hosted
a number of events from inside its walls, which had been transformed by the
Astors to be worthy of accommodating and entertaining the American royalty of
the times. Daily tours of the Marble House are conducted and during the year
it host a number of events, such as living history evenings, murder mystery
gatherings, theatrical performances and Christmas celebrations.
Since the late-1800s, Long
Island, New York, has been used as a playground for some of the richest families
in American history. Often called the Gold Coast, property on the island's north
side was desired because of its proximity to New
York City. During the island's heyday in the 1920s, there were more
than 500 mansions, all containing between 50 to 100 rooms and sprawled across
the countryside. Only about 200 remain today, including Otto Kahn's OHEKA
Castle and Estate and the Vanderbilt's Eagle's
Nest.
Eagle's Nest
Once the summer home of William K. Vanderbilt II, the Eagle's Nest was built
in three stages between 1910 and 1936. Located in Centerport
the mansion contains 24 rooms, but is considered one of the smaller properties
owned by the Vanderbilts. The mansion's Spanish-Revival design is rare among
the Long Island estates and the inside contains many of the original possessions
of its first owner. Impeccable gardens surround the Eagle's Nest and pools,
fountains, walkways and additional structures also decorate the grounds. Now
the Vanderbilt
Museum, the house contains numerous exhibits about Long Island life
and delves into the history and the lavish lives of the Vanderbilt family members.
While touring the property, visitors may encounter guides posing as characters
who once lived inside.
OHEKA Castle
Estate
OHEKA Castle in Huntington
is second in size only to the Biltmore Estate for a private residence in America.
Completed in 1921, the French chateau sits on the highest point on Long Island
and contains 126 rooms, a golf course, detailed gardens with walking paths and
fountains, a gazebo and many other fine details, making it a must-see. The name
OHEKA was derived from letters found in its owner's name: Otto Hermann Kahn was
a wealthy financier, philanthropist and arts lover who built the house as a summer
residence. Today the OHEKA is a historic luxuryhotel which continues to
make use of all the rooms and 23 acres of the original 443-acre property.
United States
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