A Look Back - A Few Vanderbilt’s Homes
I have visited many house museums, but, as I’m sure you know, members of the Vanderbilt family were master builders of massive homes - some were only used a few weeks or months of the year.
In this blog I highlight five of the Vanderbilt homes that I have covered in the past.
Biltmore - Asheville, North Carolina
Biltmore was the 250-room home that George Washington Vanderbilt and his wife Maria Louisa Kissam built in Asheville, putting it on the map. Richard Morris Hunt was the architect and and the estate grounds were designed by Frederick Law Omlstead. Construction began in 1889, the house was opened in 1895 and designated a National Landmark in 1963. Today the estate and mansion can be visited and remains family owned and operated.
Hyde Park, Hyde Park, New York
Frederick W. and Louise Vanderbilt built this house on approximately 600 acres overlooking the Hudson River in Hyde Park, New York. Construction was between 1896 and 1899. Louise died in 1926 and Frederick maintained the home until his death in 1938. The house was left to Louise’s niece who donated it and today is part of National Parks Service.
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The Breakers, Newport, Rhode Island
The opulent 70-room mansion was built for Cornelius II and Alice Vanderbilt and his wife Alice, on 13 acres, was designed by architect Richard Morris Hunt. Their youngest daughter inherited the estate and eventually donated to the Preservation Society of Newport County. Family decendants had still occupied the third floor until 2018.
Marble House, Newport, Rhode Island
William K. Vanderbilt also used architect Richard Morris Hunt to design the his wife Alva’s birthday present on fashionable Bellevue Avenue in Newport. Built between 1888 and 1892, the 50 room mansion was used as big closet for Alva when she married H.P Belmont and moved down the road to Belcourt. The house was sold into private hands and then the Preservation Society acquired the house and it is open for tours.
Shelburne Farms, Sheburne, Vermont
Eliza Vanderbilt married William Seward in 1881 and went on to create their estate named Shelburne Farm on Lake Champlain. This farm estate was made possible through Lila’s multi-million dollar Vanderbilt family inheritance. Today, the property is a working farm / educational center and the original main house is an inn.
Eagles Nest, Centerport, New York
William K. Vanderbilt, the great-grandson of Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt and a president of the New York Central Railroad, built a 24-room summer home in Centerport on the north shore of Long Island. Designed by the architectural firm Warren and Wetmore, the estate overlooks Northport Harbor. In 1936, it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. Vanderbilt hired a curator and artists from the American Museum of Natural History to create habitat dioramas for the museum he established on the estate. Today, it operates as the Vanderbilt Museum and Planetarium, offering exhibits on natural history, maritime history, and astronomy, as well as hosting public events and educational programs.
Click here for an extensive list of Vanderbilt homes
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