Thursday, May 9, 2019

Historic Homes in the USA


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I love visiting the United Kingdom to visit stately homes and palaces.  Here in the US, we also have historic stately homes and several palaces as well.

Agecroft Hall in Richmond, Virginia, is a special favorite, as it is Tudor home that was torn down in England, and the house was rebuilt on the banks of the James River.

https://www.agecrofthall.org

http://royalmusingsblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2016/04/and-right-next-door-to-agecroft-hall-is.html

http://royalmusingsblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2016/04/agecroft-hall-tudor-gem-in-richmond.html


Agecroft Hall is a true gem.

Winterthur, a DuPont Mansion in Delaware, and the Gilded Age Mansions in Newport, Rhode Island,  were on my bucket list, but now crossed off.

I visited Winterhur and Longwood Gardens last July and I spent a long weekend in Newport in March.  I recommend visiting both.   I understand summer in Newport is super-crowded.  However, all of the homes are open.

When I went in mid-March, only three of the houses were open.  Thankfully, the three houses are the Elms, Marble House and, the granddaddy of all, the Breakers.  Yowsa.

So much to see and do.  I tried to get past the guard to see the exterior of Rough Point, once the home of Nancy Leeds (and later Doris Duke.)

The guide books, Winterhur and the Newport Mansions, are excellent, thanks to the photography and the historical text.

https://www.newportmansions.org/

https://www.winterthur.org/

One of the current exhibits at Winterthur is "Costuming the Crown," costumes from the Netflix series, The Crown.

The Breakers was the home of Cornelius Vanderbilt.  Marble House was owned by William K. Vanderbilt and his wife, Alva.  Their daughter, Consuelo, was the best known of all the dollar princesses.  She married the Duke of Marlborough.

So what is now at the top of my bucket list?   Biltmore, the largest home in the USA, which is located in Asheville, North Carolina.  Biltmore is still owned by descendants of George Vanderbilt.


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