Whitemarsh Hall after Demolition

Whitemarsh Hall, The Edward Stotesbury Estate.

I have never been able to find an expression in words for the majestic simplicity and beauty of the new house, which is so satisfying, so thrilling in its loveliness that it sometimes brings tears my eyes when I see it in the moonlight.

This was from a letter which Eva Stotesbury wrote to her Architect, Horace Trumbauer upon moving into the magnificent 140 room mansion called " Whitemarsh Hall". Tears of sadness would now come to her eyes if she saw that very little today remains of her home, demolished in the 1980's after being ravaged by vandals and set on fire.
Here are some views of Whitemarsh Hall after it was demolished and before the land was developed into townhouses. I was unfortunately never there before to see it standing. I was there in late afternoon and wish I had been there earlier. If one were to come up with a number of the mansions that have been demolished, I am sure it would be in the thousands. As an architect, I know how much work goes into designing, constructing, landscaping and decorating any home. To think of all the craftsmen laboring carving stone, hoisting it up, in pre-machinery days. The painters getting it just right, the time to chose the fabrics , the moving of mature trees and planting of flower beds. I could go on and on. If you chose to share them, please credit, Courtesy of the Gary Lawrance Collection and Mansions of the Gilded Age, http://garylawrance.blogspot.com/

Entrance Portico at Whitemarsh Hall

View of the front facade of Whitemarsh Hall after being demolished.

Architectural sculpture scattered about the site of Whitemarsh Hall.

Entrance drive to Whitemarsh Hall after demolition.

Rear terrace showing one of the flanking reclining ladies after demolition of Whitemarsh Hall.

Architectural sculpture of the demolished mansion, Whitemarsh Hall.

Reclining ladies at Whitemarsh hall after demolition.

Sculptured plaque from the demolished Whitemarsh Hall.

Rear terrace looking towards the entrance columns of the demolished Whitemarsh Hall.

More architectural sculpture of the demolished mansion.

Another view of Whitemarsh Halls rear terrace after demolition.

Click HERE for the best website devoted to Whitemarsh Hall. If you are a member of facebook, there are two groups there, Fans of Whitemarsh Hall and Remembering Whitemarsh Hall. Also I post on my Facebook, Gilded Age Mansions, so please friend it if you like. I have other pages and groups related to Gilded Age Mansions, so click HERE if you would like to find out more about them.

Looking Back at Manhattan's Lost Gilded Age Mansions

The William Salomon mansion at 1020 Fifth Avenue

Click HERE to read this great article in Curbed New York, about the lost mansions of New York City, such as the Cornelius Vanderbilt mansion on 57th Street. The William K Vanderbilt mansion at 660 Fifth Avenue and the Senator Clark mansion along with many others. Click HERE to read about the William Salomon mansion at 1020 Fifth Avenue.

The Private Rich

The Private Rich, A Family Album/ Stories by Peter Rand and photographs edited by Elizabeth Bird,Crown Publishers, Inc., New York.

Here is an interesting book which contains rarely seen photographs of the rich in their homes, resorts and just lounging about. Yachts, Tennis, Travel, Parties, Debutantes, Polo, Gardens, Horses, Fox Hunting. The world of Palm Beach, Newport, Southampton, The Riviera. It is a small book and the stories are fictitious, but intertwined amongst beautiful images of the rich at play. This book presents an authentic picture of the Downton Abbey, Gatsby and Ralph Lauren lifestyles. F. Scott Fitzgerald in his novel, The Great Gatsby, said about his characters, Tom Buchanan & Daisy Buchanan, " They had spent a year in France for no particular reason, and then drifted here and there unrestfully, wherever people played polo and were rich together.” This book is like a wonderful scrapbook put together by Uncle Willy and Aunt Babs.  I would recommend it for those who are real devotees of the subject.

Click HERE to buy it on Amazon.

While researching this I found these fun blogs also,
The how to WASP
The WASP Manifesto
Wasp Problems

"Mansions of the Gilded Age" on facebook

The above mansion is Lynnewood Hall located near Philadelphia and still standing. There is a group on facebook called, Save Lynnewood Hall.

If you love Gilded Age Mansions and the architecture and social history of this era, please friend, " Gilded Age Mansions" on facebook. http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002918473051

Here is the photo album to my wall,
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.115857611854854.21316.100002918473051&type=3&l=4323ec1b87

which should be accessible to those with out facebook accounts. Please forgive some repeated photos, but that is how they appear.

If you would like to read more, please join my group on facebook, "Mansions of the Gilded Age", http://www.facebook.com/groups/195023140518735/ .

 I do research everyday for ongoing projects and find numerous interesting, blogs, sites and photos about Gilded Age mansions and the era. You will find more at the group which you can read anytime. Also more extensive coverage of many of these houses and estates are featured in my Blogs, "Mansions of the Gilded Age",http://garylawrance.blogspot.com/ and Houses of the Hamptons http://housesofthehamptons.blogspot.com/ 

I have also just created a facebook bookstore page for "Mansions of the Gilded Age", in which I will be posting favorite books, movies and media about Gilded Age mansions and the families that lived in them. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mansions-of-the-Gilded-Age/346091208739642 .

 Thank you all for your great interest in these historic structures and it is through places like facebook and blogs that we can all share and make others aware of our architectural heritage.