Vanderbilt Mansion
- New York
photo: National Park Service
Why go there?
The Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site, located in Hyde Park, New York, was one of several homes owned by Frederick William Vanderbilt and his wife Louise Holmes Anthony. The 54-room mansion was designed by the leading architectural firm McKim, Mead & White and constructed between 1896 and 1899. The house is an excellent example of the Beaux-Arts architecture style. The Vanderbilt Mansion was originally built with a smaller number of rooms and a more modest design. However, after a fire devastated the property in 1882, the Vanderbilts decided to rebuild on a much grander scale. The new home featured opulent details such as marble floors and fireplaces, intricately carved woodwork and a grand staircase that stretched from the ground floor all the way up to the fourth floor. In addition to its impressive architecture, the Vanderbilt Mansion is also notable for its stunning setting. The property includes over 200 acres of gardens, parks and woods.
