Vanderbilt Mansion NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE . 4 . .. 9 ' NI 1:•* vr. se • , ., :'/' ,/,', / ..// r -'70.„ //7/4.c;/. /,*iw31,r , .‘.-- 4.to 4 /. W.'''• 4,, , ..._ - /// , ///,,rik ---, - • HYDE PARK, NEW YORK 7; . - NATIONAL - . - ' I HISTORIC -...- ",r.5. •t' - SITE UNIQUE AMONG THE GREAT COUNTRY HOUSES OF AMERICA, THE VANDERBILT MANSION HAS WELL BEEN CALLED -A MONUMENT TO AN ERA. - Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site, owned extensive tracts of land, including a at Hyde Park, N. Y., is a magnificent example part of the patent of Hyde Park. This patent of the great estates developed by financial and was granted in the reign of Queen Anne on industrial leaders in the era following the April 18, 1705. The town of Hyde Park, Civil War. It was the country home of established in 1821, took its name from the Frederick W. Vanderbilt, a grandson of "the estate. Commodore" Cornelius Vanderbilt who founded the family fortune in steamboating Development of the Estate by the Bard and railroading. The mansion was designed and Hosack Families and built by the famous architectural firm of Dr. John Bard, noted physician and pioneer McKim, Mead, and White, 1896-98. A royal in hygiene, acquired the entire Hyde Park palace from Europe, figuratively speaking, it patent during the two decades following the is one of the finest examples of Italian Renais- death of Fauconnier in 1746. Dr. Bard lived sance architecture in the United States. principally in New York City until about Hyde Parkin Colonial Days 1772, when he moved to Hyde Park. He built a house just north of the present St. The history of the 211-acre grounds goes James Church and began to develop the virgin back much further than that of the mansion. land of the estate. After the Revolution, Dr. The grounds have been maintained as a coun- John Bard returned to private practice in New try seat by prominent individuals since colo- York. Here he assisted his son, Dr. Samuel nial days. The fine old trees and spreading Bard, as attending physician to George Wash- lawns have been carefully developed for ington, then in his first term as President of generations. the United States. Dr. John Bard retired to Hyde Park, as the estate was first Called, Hyde Park again in 1798, and there, a year is said to have been named by Peter Faucon- later, he died. nier, the private secretary of Edward Hyde, Dr. Samuel Bard received the property by Viscount Cornbury, later third Earl of Claren- transfer shortly before his father's death. don and Governor of New York from .1702 Educated at Columbia College and at Edin- to 1708. Fauconnier held office in the Colony burgh, he, like his father, was an eminent as Collector and Receiver General and also physician. The National Park System, of which this area is a unit, is dedicated to conserving the scenic, scientific, and historic heritage of the United States for the benefit and enjoyment of its people. View from Hyde Park, 1837 Dr. Samuel Bard built a new mansion at former partner of Dr. Samuel Bard, and re- Hyde Park. This was a large house on the ceived the latter's medical practice when he high elevation rising about 300 feet above the retired. Hudson River and commanding a superb view Dr. Hosack, who was deeply interested in of this beautiful stream, of the Shawangunk plants, flowers, and trees, revived horticul- Range to the west, and of the Catskill Moun- tural experimentation and gardening at Hyde tains to the north. Continuing to improve Park. He engaged Andre Parmentier, a Bel- the grounds, Dr. Samuel Bard also undertook gian landscape gardener, to lay out roads, experiments in horticulture and, farming. walks, and scenic vistas. This work was probably done between 1828 and 1830. The He imported small fruits from England, larger ones from France, melons from Italy, rare and exotic specimens which grace the lawns and park appear to date principally and vines from Madeira. Dr. Samuel Bard from that time. and his wife lived at Hyde Park until 1821, when they died within a day of each other. Their only surviving son, William Bard, The Langdon and Vanderbilt Periods inherited Hyde Park, which had been reduced In 1840, 5 years after the death of Dr. Ho- by land sales to 540 acres, but lived there only sack, John Jacob Astor bought the mansion until about 1828. In that year he sold the tract from the heirs. Mr. Astor almost im- estate to Dr. David Hosack of New York City. mediately made a gift of the estate to his Dr. Hosack, who had been a professor of daughter, Dorothea Astor Langdon, and her natural history at Columbia College, was a children. Walter Langdon, Jr., a son, became the sole owner of the estate in 1853. He con- is on the New York-Albany Post Road, U. S. tinued to live at Hyde Park until his death in 9, at the northern edge of Hyde Park, N. Y., 1894. During this period the greenhouses and about 6 miles north of Poughkeepsie, N. Y. flower gardens were enlarged and the farm- From New York City, 82 miles away, you land east of the Albany Post Road was reunited can reach it most conveniently by automobile with the property by purchase in 1872. over the Hendrick Hudson Parkway, the Saw The Langdons had no children, and when Mill River Parkway, the Taconic State Park- Hyde Park was offered for sale in 1895, Fred- way, U. S. 55, and U. S. 9. Approaches from erick W. Vanderbilt, gentleman and financier, the west side of the Hudson River are by the purchased it. He had the old Langdon House Mid-Hudson Bridge at Poughkeepsie or the torn down and erected the present structure, Rip Van Winkle Bridge at Catskill. which was completed in 1898 at a cost of $66o,000 without furnishings. Its elaborate About Your Visit furnishings, chiefly Continental, with empha- You enter the grounds by the main gate on sis on Italian and French, were chosen with U. S. 9. This gate is just north of the village care and good taste. Mr. Vanderbilt built new of Hyde Park. You leave the site by the carriage houses, stables, and farm buildings; north drive and gate on U. S. 9, near St. James erected new entrance gates and gatehouses; Church. The exit drive affords especially fine and greatly improved the grounds. views of the Hudson River and the mountains The Vanderbilts occupied the mansion dur- beyond. ing the spring and fall. Entertaining on the The mansion is open every day, except large estates in this mid-Hudson Valley during Monday, from 9 a. m. to 5 p. m. There is the early I900's was usually limited to an admission charge to the mansion of 25 weekends. cents for adults. Children under 12 years of On Mr. Vanderbilt's death in 1938, he age, or groups of school children 18 years of willed the estate to Mrs. Vanderbilt's niece, age or under, when accompanied by adults Mrs. Margaret L. Van Alen, now Mrs. Louis assuming responsibility for their safety and Bruguiere. orderly conduct, are admitted free. The Site The Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt Na- tional Historic Site, administered jointly with Vanderbilt Mansion was designated a na- this site, is 2 miles south of the village of tional historic site on December 18, 1940, fol- Hyde Park on U. S. 9. It is open every day, lowing Mrs. Van Alen's gift of the estate to except Monday, from to a. m. to 5 p. m. the United States for that purpose. The site consists of 211.65 acres of beautiful grounds Administration overlooking the Hudson River, together with Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site the mansion house and related buildings. is administered by the National Park Service Travel Routes to the Site of the United States Department of the In- terior. A superintendent, whose address is Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site Hyde Park, N. Y., is in immediate charge. United States Department of the Interior Douglas McKay, Secretary National Park Service • Conrad L. Wirth, Director ' IT lit ',f 1 1 i 4 Guide to the Mansion I,- 111 With this guide, we believe that you will 14 be enabled to tour the mansion enjoyably and Ia. satisfactorily. Each room is labeled so that you may readily identify it. You may take all the time you wish; you may linger to en- '111- I joy whatever appeals to you especially. You will find the uniformed tour leaders ready 11, to answer any questions you may have. The First Floor RECEPTION HALL. All the marble is Italian. Large green velvet sofas and bearskin scatter rugs, which formed a setting before the fire- place, have been removed. The top of the old Italian table is of porphyry; the clock on the table is French. The mantel is from an Italian palace, and the old throne chairs around the walls are also of Italian origin. The Gold Room Two French Renaissance cabinets stand at either side of the doorway. Please turn to letters on the table at the right. Mr. Vander- your left. bilt's favorite chair stands beside the far STUDY. Woodwork is Santo Domingo ma- window. hogany. The plates on the wall are Chinese. SOUTH FOYER. On the old Italian dower chest A painting by the French artist, Lesrel, hangs at your right is a model of one of Frederick over the desk. Above the fireplace early W. Vanderbilt's yachts, the "Warrior." On Italian pistols are grouped about an old the other is a small bronze group depicting a Flemish clock.